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The role of RSS volunteers during the Indian partition: A forgotten history steeped in the blood of millions of Hindus

ભાર્ગવ રાજ્યગુરુ
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The role of RSS volunteers during the Indian partition: A forgotten history steeped in the blood of millions of Hindus

14th August, 1947 is a black day in the history of India, which is stained with the blood of millions of Indians. It was the time of the partition of India. The land of independent, autonomous Indians was divided on the basis of religion, because of the ‘Two Nation Theory’.

Firstly, the demand for a separate nation arose from Muslims and thousands of Hindus became victims. Then, when a separate territory was given, namely Pakistan, even then, the bloodthirsty people shed the blood of Hindus. Thousands of Hindu bodies were loaded into trains coming from Pakistan and thousands of women were raped.

The situation was so serious that millions of Hindus living in present-day Pakistan were in danger. This partition had not only divided the land, but also cut the hearts of millions of Hindus. There was no one to hear this cry of Hindus against these atrocities.

Hindus were dying and were fleeing from the lands of their ancestors. In such a difficult time, only the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) stood by the side of the Hindus. Neither the government nor the Congress cared. Only the RSS volunteers risked their lives to save the Hindus.

What role did the Sangh volunteers play during the partition

At the time of partition, the Sangh and its volunteers kept a close watch on the activities of the Pakistani army. When riots broke out and the Nehru government was completely on the backfoot, the Sangh took the lead and arranged more than three thousand relief camps for lakhs of Hindu refugees from Pakistan.

RSS took up the task of bringing the Hindus living in Pakistan safely to India. At that time, the RSS was fighting a war on two fronts simultaneously. One was to evacuate Hindus from Pakistan at any cost and the other was to fight the anti-Hindu riots started by the Muslim League within the country.

Professor Dr. Harendra Singh, who has worked on the Sangh, says in an article that at the time of partition, the Muslim League had accumulated a large amount of weapons and explosives and had built a huge arsenal in Delhi. Not only this, but it had also trained numerous Muslim workers and hatched a conspiracy to massacre the Hindus and Sikhs living in India.

Even during this time of crisis, the volunteers of the Sangh exposed the conspiracy by risking their lives. While the second-tier leaders and volunteers of the Sangh were protecting Hindus within the country, the first-tier leaders and many volunteers were monitoring the situation of Hindus in Pakistan.

The article says that at the time of partition, the then Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, Guruji himself had said, “As long as there is a single Hindu there (in Pakistan), do not leave him there.” On his call, lakhs of volunteers brought about two crore Hindus from Pakistan to safety. While the RSS was helping in Pakistan, there was also a struggle to maintain the integrity of the independent part of India and to save the lives of Hindus trapped in modern-day Bangladesh.

What role did the Sangh volunteers play during the partition

During the partition, the RSS and its volunteers kept a close watch on the activities of the Pakistani army. When riots broke out and the Nehru government was completely on the backfoot, the RSS took the lead and arranged more than three thousand relief camps for the lakhs of Hindu refugees from Pakistan.

RSS took up the task of bringing the Hindus living in Pakistan safely to India. At that time, the RSS was fighting a war on two fronts simultaneously. One was to evacuate the Hindus from Pakistan at any cost and the other was to fight the anti-Hindu riots started by the Muslim League within the country.

Professor Dr. Harendra Singh, who has worked on the Sangh, says in an article that at the time of partition, the Muslim League had collected a large amount of weapons and explosives and built a huge arsenal in Delhi. Not only this, but it had prepared numerous trained Muslim workers and hatched a conspiracy to massacre the Hindus and Sikhs living in India.

Even in this time of crisis, the volunteers of the Sangh risked their lives to expose the conspiracy. While the leaders and volunteers of the RSS were protecting the Hindus in the country itself, the leaders and many volunteers of the first row were going to Pakistan and monitoring the situation of the Hindus.

In the regions of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Lahore and Karachi in Pakistan, the then Sarsanghchalak Guruji and senior officers of the Sangh were working tirelessly and were taking many people with them to boost the morale of the Hindu community there and taking protective measures.

The Sangh also organised yatras of revolutionaries like Veer Savarkar and leaders like Balasaheb Devsarji across Punjab. Not only this, but Sindhutai, the director of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti, organised Hindu women in Sindh and Punjab by spreading awareness and made strenuous efforts from Karachi to Lahore over a period of three weeks.

The article says that at the time of partition, the then Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, Guruji himself had called out, “As long as there is a single Hindu there (in Pakistan), do not leave him there.” On his call, lakhs of volunteers brought about two crore Hindus from Pakistan to safety. While the RSS was helping in Pakistan, there was also a struggle to maintain the integrity of the independent part of India and to save the lives of Hindus trapped in the other separated part.

RSS volunteers came to save the lives of Hindus

The Sangh had taken upon itself the responsibility of protecting the lives and honour of Hindus in Pakistan. At the time of partition, the Sangh Shiksha Vrag was suspended in Punjab and the volunteers started performing their duty without going home. The Sangh provided protection to Hindus by setting up 80 security camps in Lahore and more than 300 in other parts of Pakistan. It also set up relief camps with names like Hindu Raksha Samiti, Punjab Rahat Samiti, Vastuhar Sahayata Samiti etc. for the Hindus who had been displaced from Pakistan and reached Jammu, Delhi, Amritsar, Kolkata.

Volunteers also provided various services through these camps in collaboration with the society. For example, the Sangh took up the responsibility of finding and reuniting separated siblings, parents, husband and wife. Apart from that, services like treating the injured, giving blood when needed, running blood donation camps are also provided. Arrangements were made to provide food to 20 to 25 thousand people every day and to provide clothes, utensils, food items, etc. Arrangements were also made for accommodation in schools, dharamshalas and economically well-off residences in other cities and places of the country.

Bhagirath’s work was done without any publicity

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, while praising the work of the volunteers during that difficult time of partition, said, “It cannot be denied that the brave volunteers of the Sangh saved countless innocent women and children. They saved them from far and wide and brought them here.” However, it is also a reality that very few people took note of this heroic work of the Sangh. It can even be said that they did not take note at all.

At present, hardly anyone would have information about the work done by the Sangh. Gandhi was sitting in Noakhali at that time and Hindus were dying, children were being mutilated and women were being robbed. If there was another sight, it was only the service spirit of the Sangh. Thousands of volunteers of the Sangh had devoted their all to the service of those unfortunate victims without any publicity.

Millions of Hindus became victims of Islamic Jihad

Hindus were the worst victims of violence in both India and Pakistan. About 2 million people were killed and two crore people had to leave their ancestral lands. Daughters were raped in front of their fathers. Entire families were burned, temples and gurdwaras were targeted, and young children, the elderly and even women were killed by Muslim mobs.

The worst violence was committed in Sindh, Hyderabad, Punjab, Bengal and Kashmir. In Kashmir, Pakistanis in tribal guise massacred Hindus, in Sindh, Bengal and Punjab, Hindu and Sikh families were burnt alive and children were tortured and killed. During all these incidents, rape and gang rape of Hindu women and girls had become common. Millions of people have never forgotten this atrocity.

The misfortune of the country is such that such horrible, cruel and barbaric events were erased from history. There is no mention of such events in academic history. This includes people like Munshi, Savarkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. This work of remembering the pain of millions of Hindus and making the next generation aware of the truth is done through the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day by PM Modi.

Was RSS inactive in the freedom movement

The biggest propaganda spread by the Left and the Congress till now is that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh remained inactive in the freedom movement. This propaganda is part of a deliberate conspiracy. The fact is that the Sangh not only played a role in the great freedom struggle, but every member also gave their life when needed.

Sangh volunteers like Umakant Kadia participated in Gandhi’s ‘Quit India’ movement and also attained martyrdom. Umakant Kadia is the first revolutionary to attain martyrdom in the ‘Quit India’ movement.

The reality is that when the country was in need, the Sangh came forward and helped. When the then Nehru government was going on the back foot, the volunteers of this same Sangh helped the government by exposing the activities of the Pakistan Army and the Muslim League. Many volunteers participated in this freedom movement and even gave their lives for the country.

In addition, when the Hindu community was isolated, only the volunteers of the Sangh stood by them. They fought for the Hindu community by risking their lives and also saved the lives of lakhs of people. Later, the then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Patel also said that thousands of brave volunteers of the Sangh were at the forefront to save the lives of lakhs of people and to stop the barbarity against women.

Therefore, the claim of the Congress and the Left historians-clique that the RSS was not involved in the freedom movement is baseless and a propaganda spread deliberately as part of a conspiracy. It is a well-known law of nature that no matter how much truth is suppressed, at the right time it comes out. This is the time.

The original Gujarati report can be read here.

From ancestral mansion to refugee camp: How the Partition of India changed the destiny of my maternal family

Dibakar Dutta
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From ancestral mansion to refugee camp: How the Partition of India changed the destiny of my maternal family

My maternal grandfather, Shri Naresh Ranjan Gupta Roy, was a teacher in Sunamganj district in Sylhet Division of present-day Bangladesh.

His family had been living there for centuries. The ancestral home ‘Roy Bhitta Bari’ (Roy mansion) used to host Durga Puja each year and welcome Hindu devotees from nearby areas.

By 1946, my grandfather had been working as an English teacher for more than a decade.

Trained at the prestigious Presidency College at Calcutta, Shri Naresh Ranjan Gupta Roy had planned to spend the remainder of his life in his hometown.

He even married by grandmother Smt. Usha Gupta Roy in 1946 and wanted to start a family. But by that time, the All-India Muslim League had intenstified its efforts to create Pakistan based on religious lines.

The party, led by Mohammed Ali Jinnah, orchestrated genocide of Hindus in Calcutta and Noakhali. Hindus in East Bengal became increasingly worried about their future in a Muslim-majority region.

By July 1947, Sunamganj like many of other areas of Sylhet had a referendum and most voted in favour of joining East Pakistan.

Referendum in Sylhet

And soon after the newly wed Roy family had to bid adieu to his job and a provident fund accumulated over a decade to escape persecution and being killed at the hands of maruading mobs.

My maternal grandfather also left behind his ancestral house, parcels of land and generational wealth collected over centuries forever.

He could not carry anything valuable with him to India from what had become ‘East Pakistan’ by then. My grandmother, however, was able to bring some gold ornaments along with her by embroidering them in her saree.

And that is how Shri Naresh Ranjan Gupta Roy of Sunamganj (Sylhet) and his wife Smt. Usha Gupta Roy were rendered refugees overnight in newly independent state of India.

The act of ‘Partition’, fuelled by the Muslim League and facilitated by the British in cahoots with the Congress party, stripped by maternal grandparents of their peace, stability and heritage.

A page from my grandfather’s diary with Macbeth as lesson plan dated 1st February 1961

As my mother recalls, my grandparents were temporarily housed in refugee camps after coming to India.

Shri Naresh Ranjan Gupta Roy eventually found work as a teacher again, first in Assam and then in Tripura over the following 3 decades.

But his life was never the same again. He could never own another piece of land or build a house in his lifetime.

My grandfather battled through poverty, ethnic violence (which was rampant in Assam and Tripura at that time) and corruption, which prevented him from receiving timely wages.

While he and my grandmother were fighting on that front for survival, they were raising three daughters with a vision to give them a good education and make them financially independent.

While the Partition took away his ancestral land, home, job and wealth, it could not snatch his education, values and modern outlook that he passed on through his defining legacy.

Shri Naresh Ranjan Gupta Roy did not give up. He strongly believed that education was the key to ensure that the family, devoid of generation wealth, was back on their feet within a few decades. And he was right.

Today, I have a house to live that I can call my own. We have come a long way from the time my maternal grandparents had to spend time in refugee camps.

Shri Naresh Gupta Roy retired in 1975 and passed away on 28th June 1981. When I talk to his students (elderly people in their late 60s and early 70s) who reside in my hometown, all of them in unison highlight his love for reading books.

My mother tells me that grandfather would confine himself to his study room 2 hours every single day, a routine he went onto follow until a week before his death.

My grandmother, who spent most of her life tending to the family as a homemaker, left for the heavenly abode just 4 days before my birthday on 15th October 1995.

Nonetheless, the foundation laid by them proved extremely significant to turn around our family fortunes within 2 generations.

Conclusion

The Parition of India remains one of the dealiest episodes of the Indian Independence Movement. An estimated 5-20 lakh people were killed while 1-2 crore others were permanently displaced.

As we observe the ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ on 14th August, we remember the stories of people like my grandparents who had to leave everything behind to avoid religious persecution.

And yet they steered the ship with hard work and determination so that future generations like me have a chance today to retell the story of their grit and resilience to the world.

India responds to Pakistan’s nuclear threats, warns of painful consequences saying Pakistan should tone down its rhetoric

OpIndia Staff
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India responds to Pakistan’s nuclear threats, warns of painful consequences saying Pakistan should tone down its rhetoric

India on Thursday,14th August, sent a strong warning to Pakistan’s leaders, saying any “misadventure” against the country will bring “painful consequences.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the statement during the weekly press briefing, referring to reports about war mongering and nuclear threats from Pakistan.

“Pakistan should tone down its rhetoric. Any misadventure will have painful consequences, as we have shown recently,” Jaiswal said.

The warning came after Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, made shocking nuclear threats against India. While on a visit to the US, Munir reportedly said that if Pakistan ever faced an “existential threat” from India, it would “take half the world down” with it. According to reports, this is the first time such a nuclear threat has been issued from US soil against another country.

“We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Munir was quoted as saying.

He also threatened to attack India’s infrastructure on the Indus River, which could affect the water supply to Pakistan. Munir criticised India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, claiming it could push 250 million Pakistanis toward starvation.

“We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does, we will destroy it with 10 missiles. The Indus River is not India’s private property. We have no shortage of missiles, alhamdulillah,” he reportedly said.

Responding to a question regarding the award by the Court of Arbitration under the Indus Waters Treaty, Jaiswal said that India never accepted the legality, legitimacy, or competence of the so-called ‘Court of Arbitration.’

“Its pronouncements are therefore without jurisdiction, devoid of legal standing, and have no bearing on India’s rights of utilisation of waters. India also categorically rejects Pakistan’s selective and misleading references to the so-called “award”. The Indus Waters Treaty stands in abeyance by a sovereign decision of the Government of India,” he added

The MEA’s response came after Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, threatened India for keeping the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack.

Sharif said, “I want to tell the enemy today that if you threaten to hold our water, then keep this in mind you cannot snatch even one drop of Pakistan”, while addressing an event in Islamabad on Tuesday, 12th August.

He warned that if India tried, “you will again be taught such a lesson that you will be left holding your ears.”

Adding to the aggressive statements, former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto also attacked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at a cultural event in Sindh on Monday, Bhutto accused India of causing “great damage” to Pakistan and called for national unity against Modi.

“The actions of the Indian government under Narendra Modi have harmed Pakistan. We must unite as a people to stand against these aggressions,” Bhutto said.

He also hinted that Pakistan could go to war if India continues to keep the Indus Waters Treaty suspended.

“If India continues on this path, we will have no choice but to consider all options, including war, to protect our interests. The people of Pakistan are strong enough to fight for all six rivers,” Bhutto declared.

Bhutto further warned that Pakistan would not “bow down” in front of India. “If you attack us, know that people from every province of Pakistan are ready to fight. This will be a war you will lose,” he said.

On several occasions, Munir has blamed India without any evidence for the recent tensions in the region in the aftermath of the 22nd April Pahalgam terror attack.

‘Jinnah wanted Pakistan, but without Indian Muslims. Gandhi and Nehru obliged’: Pak-origin ‘scholar’ reveals how Gandhi, Nehru contributed to Pakistan’s survival

OpIndia Staff
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‘Jinnah wanted Pakistan, but without Indian Muslims. Gandhi and Nehru obliged’: Pak-origin ‘scholar’ reveals how Gandhi, Nehru contributed to Pakistan’s survival

Ahead of India’s 79th Independence Day, an undated video stating Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Gandhi as he was popularly known actually saved Pakistan and even gave his life for it has gone viral on social media.

In the video, Ishtiaq Ahmed, a Pakistani-Swedish Islamist masquerading as ‘political scientist’, said Muhammad Ali Jinnah should be grateful to both Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru for stopping millions of Indian Muslims from migrating to Pakistan right after Partition, which, he added, prevented the country from collapsing under a huge population influx.

In the clip, Ahmed says, “Around 35 million people could have come from India. It was Mahatma Gandhi, by sacrificing his life, and Jawaharlal Nehru, by stopping the RSS’s attempt to push Hindus and Muslims out, who saved Pakistan. Jinnah must be thankful to the Indian government for keeping its promise.”

He then goes on to explain Jinnah’s approach — that he did not want Indian Muslims to migrate to Pakistan — but wanted Hindus and Sikhs living in Pakistan to leave for India. Pakistan, he says, didn’t allow Hindus and Sikhs to stay, driving them out completely, which had bloody outcome as days leading to the partition saw large scale violence, especially in territories belonging to modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, where Muslim League and its supporters went on a rampage against Hindu, Sikh, and other minorities.

Under the Partition agreement, a large number of Muslims from India were expected to move to Pakistan. Elaborating on the agreement, Ahmed said about 35 million people could have crossed over to Pakistan, plunging the newly-carved country into a deep population crisis. Referring to Hindus and Sikhs living in pre-divided India as “trash”, Ahmed said Pakistan had forced majority of them to leave the nation.

He then spoke about the Muslim migration from India to East Pakistan, or present-day Bangladesh. Ahmed said over 5 million from Bihar migrated to East Pakistan, leaving back 30 million Muslims in India, who would have come to Pakistan if it wasn’t for Gandhi and Nehru’s generosity.

In 1947, Pakistan’s total population, excluding the three provinces of Balochistan, was 33.9 million. Adding 30 million more would have been overwhelming. Resources were already so limited that people joked there wasn’t enough paper to write on, let alone other basic facilities. In such a situation, he says, Pakistan might have collapsed.

Allowing 35 million Muslims to stay in India was a huge favour Gandhi and Nehru did on Pakistan, Ahmed asserted. It is worth noting that BR Ambedkar, another stalwart who played a key role in formulating India’s Constitution, wanted a complete swapping of population between India and Pakistan, warning that if it wasn’t done in totality, the problem of Pakistan will continue to fester well into the future.

Gandhi and Nehru enabled Pakistan’s survival, but left India with unhealed communal scars

Ishtiaq Ahmed’s remarks expose a rather ironic historical truth. While Pakistan’s founding narrative has often been built on antagonism towards Gandhi, Nehru, and the Congress leadership, his video inadvertently acknowledges that without Gandhi’s influence and Nehru’s decisions, Pakistan might have collapsed in its infancy.

The Indian leadership’s choice to discourage mass Muslim migration effectively stabilised Pakistan’s population balance, even as millions of Hindus and Sikhs were violently expelled from the new state. This reality is rarely admitted in Pakistan’s official history, where Partition is painted as a triumph of Jinnah’s vision rather than an arrangement partially sustained by India’s restraint.

Tragically, on the Indian side, this history is swept under the rugs in the attempts of several successive governments to keep elevate Nehru and Gandhi as tallest leaders of India’s freedom movement, conveniently ignoring the fact that it was perhaps Gandhi and Nehru’s making that the “communal problem”, as Ambedkar referred to it, continues to plague India after almost 8 decades of independence.

Bihar SIR: Supreme Court directs the Election Commission to publish list of names of deleted from electoral rolls along with reasons for exclusion

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar SIR: Supreme Court directs the Election Commission to publish list of names of deleted from electoral rolls along with reasons for exclusion

The Supreme Court on Thursday (14th August) directed the Election Commission of India to publish the list of the 65 lakh names removed from the draft electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar. The apex court directed the ECI to publish district-wise list of the removed names on the websites of the District Electoral Officers.

The court also instructed the ECI to specifically state the reasons for the deletion of the names, such as death, migration, double-registration and so on. It added that the list should also be displayed on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar, and that the documents should be searchable through the EPIC numbers.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi gave the directions during the hearing of a batch of petitions challenging the Bihar SIR. The court said that the publication of the list will enhance the confidence of the voters in the Commission. “If you bring in the public domain, the narrative (against the ECI) disappears,” Justice Kant said.

“We are not being critical of your not doing something…transparency will help create voter confidence. Why don’t you take an additional step of putting it up on the website, clearly identifying persons who are not there, with reasons, so that they can take remedial measures?” Justice Bagchi questioned.

The judges also instructed the Election Commission to publish public notices and mention therein, in simple “layman-friendly” language, the names of the persons who have been excluded from the voter list and also specifically note that such persons can produce their Aadhaar cards at the time of submitting their claims for inclusion in the voter list. The Court asked the Commission to publicise through social media, newspapers, and electronic media that the list will be published on the websites of the District Electoral Officers and the CEO of Bihar. The Commission has been given the deadline of next Tuesday (20th August) to implement the directions of the court. The next date of the hearing has been set for 22nd August.

Although the Court earlier agreed with the Election Commission that the Aadhaar Card is not conclusive proof of citizenship, it asked the Commission to include it in the list of necessary documents for inclusion in the voter list.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), one of the petitioners, had filed an application on 6th August seeking the publication of the names of omitted voters with reasons. In its response to the application, the Election Commission apprised the court that it was not bound by the law to publish the list and assured that no names would be excluded without prior notice.

Petitions filed challenging the Bihar SIR, calling to a conspiracy to remove voters

A batch of petitions were filed before the Supreme Court by several opposition leaders like TMC MP Mahua Moitra, former AAP co-founder Yogendra Yadav, RJD MP Manoj Jha and organisations such as People’s Union for Civil Liberties, and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) challenging the June 24 notification of the Election Commission regarding the conduct of the SIR in Bihar, which goes to the polls later this year. The petitioners are being represented before the Court of senior advocates, including Kapil Sibal, Prashant Bhushan, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The petitioners urged the top court to put a stay on the SIR, alleging that it was a conspiracy to disenfranchise a large number of voters. However, the apex court rejected their argument and refused to put a stay on the SIR exercise, acknowledging that it was a routine exercise to update the electoral rolls by removing bogus voters and that the ECI was constitutionally empowered to do that. The court termed the petitioners’ allegations of mass disenfranchisement as a case of ” trust deficiency”.

At least 6 cops killed in attacks on multiple police stations and checkpoints in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, several injured

OpIndia Staff
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At least 6 cops killed in attacks on multiple police stations and checkpoints in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, several injured

Multiple police stations were attacked by militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan on Wednesday night. At least six cops were killed and around 8 were injured in eight separate attacks across the province.

The attackers targeted police stations, checkpoints and patrols across several districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan on the eve of the 78th independence day of the nation. The militants used rocket-propelled grenade launchers in some of the attacks, as per police sources.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Dir, three cops were killed after their mobile was attacked, while another six were injured, the police said in a statement. Similarly in Lower Dir, two separate attacks on police checkpoints claimed the life of one police personnel, while another cop was injured.

Attacks also took place in Peshawar, where a police station and two police checkpoints came under the fire, resulting in one death and one injury. The police said that the attacks on checkpoints in Peshawar were successfully thwarted.

In the Bannu city, the militants attacked two police checkpoints using RPG-7 rocket launcher. However, the cops retaliated immediately, and no personnel were injured. An attack on a police post in Shangla district was also foiled successfully, as police responded immediately.

The police said that the attacks were carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, the name used by the Pakistani government for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. The name was changed last year, to expose their ‘misrepresentation of Islam’.

Pakistan now announces creation of ‘Rocket Force Command’ after humiliating losses during Operation Sindoor

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan now announces creation of ‘Rocket Force Command’ after humiliating losses during Operation Sindoor

The trauma inflicted by the Indian Armed Forces on Pakistan ‘Aand’ Forces during Operation Sindoor continues to haunt Pakistan’s military-installed government. After losing critical military assets and failing to counter the barrage of Indian missiles, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the formation of a ‘Rocket Force Command’, modelled on China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF). This new unit will oversee deployment of missiles.

On 13th August 2025, Sharif said, “This will be equipped with modern technology. This force, capable of targeting the enemy from all sides, will prove to be yet another milestone with regard to further strengthening our conventional war capability.”

As per a senior Pakistani official, the new Rocket Force Command is “meant for India”. 

It must be recalled that Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces on 7th May, as a direct response to the deadly Islamic terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 innocent Hindus. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.

On 7th May, India launched the attack and destroyed multiple terror camps. India warned Pakistan that it was a strike on terror camps and not on civilian or armed forces establishments. However, Pakistan decided to retaliate, rattled by the killing of over 100 terrorists. Pakistan launched missile and drone strikes, which were neutralised by Indian Air Defence.

In retaliation to Pakistan’s attack, India launched the second phase of Operation Sindoor and, on 10th May, between 2:30 AM and 12:30 PM, the Indian Armed Forces broke the spine of Pakistan’s air defence network. This time, key military structures were targeted, forcing Islamabad to beg for peace within hours.

India not only rendered Pakistan’s Chinese air defence system defunct during its attacks deep inside Pakistan by unleashing a barrage of BrahMos, Scalp, and Crystal Maze missiles, along with indigenously developed loitering munitions like Harop and Nagastra, hitting Nur Khan Base and Rahim Yar Khan Base among others, but also responded to Pakistan’s retaliation effectively. 

Realising that India has established total domiance over Pakistan Aand Forces, Pakistan’s DGMO dialled up to his Indian counterpart and begged for a ceasefire. Having secured an upper hand, India decided to heed Pakistan’s plea for mercy. 

The Pakistani political and military establishment may have managed to fool their largely Madrasa-bred populace that they somehow won the four-day conflict even after having their 11 airbases damaged, hundreds of terrorists killed, and air defence system proven humiliatingly good-for-nothing. However, the fact that Pakistan has to create specific ‘Rocket Force Command’ to counter India comes across as Islamabad’s inadvertent confession that India’s military superiority has left the Sharif and Asim Munir fretting. 

Perhaps, this fear of getting pounded by India again in the face of any Pahalgam-like misadventure in future, is coming out in form of “you stop our water, we will stop your breath”, nuclear threats using crude “Pakistan is a dump truck full of gravel, which will hit the shining Ferrari (India)” analogies, and now the creation of Rocket Force Command. After all, even though the Pakistani populace remains delusional, Pakistani military and its puppet government know that propaganda can win claps or perhaps elections, but not real war, certainly not against a mammoth enemy like India. 

S&P Global upgrades India’s sovereign rating to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB-’ due to policy continuity, robust growth and fiscal management

OpIndia Staff
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S&P Global upgrades India’s sovereign rating to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB-’ due to policy continuity, robust growth and fiscal management

In a significant boost to investor confidence, S&P Global Ratings has upgraded India’s long-term unsolicited sovereign credit rating to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB-’, while also raising the short-term rating to ‘A-2’ from ‘A-3’.

The outlook on the long-term rating remains stable, reflecting optimism around India’s policy continuity, robust economic growth, and improved fiscal management.

Alongside the rating upgrade, S&P also revised its transfer and convertibility assessment for India to ‘A-’ from ‘BBB+’, citing an improved monetary and external environment.

According to S&P, the stable outlook suggests confidence in India’s ability to sustain its growth trajectory, driven by high levels of infrastructure investment and a disciplined policy environment.

The rating agency noted that the government’s efforts in fiscal consolidation, along with targeted spending, are helping reduce the weight of elevated debt and interest burdens over time.

However, the agency warned that any backsliding on fiscal discipline or a material slowdown in structural economic growth could exert downward pressure on the ratings. Conversely, a further upgrade may be possible if India significantly narrows its fiscal deficit, bringing net general government debt additions below 6 per cent of GDP on a sustainable basis.

India’s economic momentum was central to the upgrade decision. Real GDP growth averaged 8.8 per cent between fiscal years 2022 and 2024 — the highest in the Asia-Pacific region — and S&P expects this strength to continue, projecting average growth of 6.8 per cent annually over the next three years.

This strong growth, despite ongoing fiscal deficits, is helping to moderate the debt-to-GDP ratio. The agency said India’s reliance on domestic consumption, which drives around 60 per cent of GDP growth, offers resilience against external shocks, including recent U.S. tariffs and changes in energy import sources.

India’s fiscal position, historically a weak point in its ratings profile, is showing signs of improvement. S&P noted a gradual consolidation path, projecting the general government deficit to shrink from 7.3 per cent of GDP in fiscal 2026 to 6.6 per cent by fiscal 2029.

A key driver behind this fiscal improvement is a shift in government spending priorities. Over the past five to six years, budget allocations have increasingly favored capital expenditure. The Union Government’s capex is set to reach INR 11.2 trillion — about 3.1 per cent of GDP in fiscal 2026, up from 2 per cent a decade ago. Including spending by state governments, total public infrastructure investment now stands at about 5.5 per cent of GDP, putting India on par with or ahead of global peers.

On the monetary policy front, reforms such as the shift to inflation targeting have paid off. Inflation expectations are better anchored, and consumer price inflation has averaged 5.5 per cent over the past three years — well within the RBI’s target range of 2 per cent-6 per cent. Recent data shows inflation hovering near the lower end of this band, despite global volatility in energy markets.

S&P emphasized that India’s rating is underpinned by a vibrant economy, a strong external balance sheet, and democratic institutions that contribute to policy stability and predictability.

However, the country still faces structural challenges, particularly a high government debt burden, persistent fiscal deficits, and relatively low per capita income, which continue to weigh on its overall credit profile.

Despite these hurdles, the upgrade marks a clear recognition of India’s improved economic fundamentals and policy framework — a development likely to bolster its attractiveness among global investors.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Pakistan: Barrick Mining, company that has been extracting gold from Balochistan, seeks $3.5b funding from US, other G7 nations after Saudi Arabia refuses to finance copper mining project

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Barrick Mining, company that has been extracting gold from Balochistan, seeks $3.5b funding from US, other G7 nations after Saudi Arabia refuses to finance copper mining project

Balochistan, the untapped treasure trove of natural resources has once come under global spotlight. Not because of the oppression of Baloch people by Pakistan Army, not for the freedom struggle of Baloch fighters, but due to the renewed interest of global players in squeezing the disputed region of its resources. Now, Barrick Mining, the company that has been extracting gold from Balochistan, is seeking $3.5 billion to fund its copper mining project in the region.

Barrick Mining is seeking $3.5 billion to set up a major copper-gold mine in Balochistan after Saudi Arabia refused to finance this project. On August 11, CEO Mark Bristow announced that the company is preparing a “G7 financing package” for the Reko Diq copper-gold project. The Reko Diq mine is expected to commence production by 2028.

“There is a lot of interest to support Pakistan,” Bristow told Financial Times.

The U.S. Export-Import Bank, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Asian Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC, a World Bank subsidiary), and lenders from Canada, Japan, and Germany are all involved in the negotiations. 

According to Bristow, numerous financial organisations have expressed a keen interest in funding the initiative in Pakistan.

Barrick Mining’s CEO also said that with the backing from US government, Pakistan would be able to access the mine’s copper concentrate, adding that further processing would still be required to produce usable metal.

Balochistan has one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold projects

Notably, the Reko Diq copper-gold deposit is considered as one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold projects. Over the course of its 37-year mining life, it is expected to produce over $70 billion in free cash flow and $90 billion in operating cash flow.  Barrick Gold, the federal government of Pakistan, and the provincial government of Balochistan jointly own the project. 

As per a statement made by Tim Cribb, earlier this year, the mine is looking for $650 million from the International Development Association and the IFC, as well as $500 million to $1 billion from the U.S. Export-Import Bank. The project is also seeking an additional $500 million from other development finance organisations, such as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Export Development Canada, and the Asian Development Bank.

Pakistan trying to get close to Donald Trump as tariff war with India rages on

Interestingly, amidst a fallout between India and the US over Trump’s tariff war against India for buying Russian oil, Pakistan has grown close to Trump through PM Shehbaz Sharif and de facto ruler Field Marshal Asim Munir’s sycophancy of the American leader. 

Pakistani military-backed government has frequently thanked Trump for his imaginary role in brokering India-Pakistan ceasefire understanding after India inflicted a humiliating defeat on Pakistani Forces during Operation Sindoor in the aftermath of Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam Islamic terror attack. Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir has visited the US twice since India agreed to a Pakistan requested ceasefire. 

Impressed with Pakistan’s flattery, the Trump administration recently designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organisation’, labelling Baloch freedom fighters as ‘terrorists’. 

Opposition of Pakistan in Balochistan

Over the years, the BLA struck Pakistani military and Chinese personnel along with Beijing’s projects in the province because they exploit the Baloch resources. The Baloch people, who are among the most marginalised communities in Pakistan, accuse the Pakistani government and China of exploiting their resources without providing any benefit to the locals.

US President Donald Trump recently unveiled a new trade agreement with Islamabad to jointly develop Pakistan’s alleged “massive oil reserves”. The announcement came just hours after he slapped the first round of 25% tariff and additional penalties on Indian imports. Weirdly, Trump claimed that someday Pakistan might be selling oil to India. 

The timing of the US declaring the BLA a ‘terrorist organisation’, Trump’s pro-Pakistan tilt, and growing interests of foreign companies in extracting Balochistan’s natural resources is crucial. First, the Baloch freedom fighters have so far not allowed the Chinese to set their foot properly in Gwadar for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Then there is the US repeatedly highlighting its minerals deal with Pakistan. Now we have Barrick Mining seeking funding for copper mining project, suggesting that Pakistan Army is selling off Balochistan for dollars, while Baloch people continue to be persecuted by the oppressive regime.

Earlier, the natural resources of Balochistan, be it gas or electricity, were diverted to Pakistan’s Punjab and other provinces despite Balochi people deserving the first share. Now foreign companies with US backing will also fill their coffers by profiting from the natural resources of Balochistan. OpIndia’s report on the possibility of Balochistan becoming the next oil war destination for USA can be read here.

As Naxal terror faces near wipeout, several villages in Chhattisgarh set to celebrate Independence Day for the first time in 78 years

Rukma Rathore
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As Naxal terror faces near wipeout, several villages in Chhattisgarh set to celebrate Independence Day for the first time in 78 years

The Modi government’s successful and assertive campaign against left wing extremism has reached yet another significant milestone. On 15th August, the national flag will be raised for the first time since independence in 14 isolated tribal villages in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, reported The Times of India.

The construction of new security camps in interior regions afflicted by the red terror after 26th January, primarily in the districts of Bijapur, Narayanpur and Sukma, prompted the crucial development.

The Communist Party of India (Maoist) used to dominate these villages and on national holidays, there were black or red flags displayed around along with decrees via banners and leaflets, warning people not to celebrate Independence Day. Public expression of patriotism were prohibited.

However, authorities informed that this year has seen no attempts to stifle celebrations with any flags or diktats. “The tricolour will be hoisted at village centres in the presence of paramilitary forces, Bastar police, and residents. The 14 villages fall in the category of new camps set up after January 26, 2025, meaning they have never hosted any national festival before,” stated Bastar zone inspector general of police P Sundarraj.

He added, “Besides, 15 other villages where security camps came up after August 15 last year have already celebrated Republic Day but will be observing Independence Day for the first time.” According to him, the new security camps are serving as integrated centres for public outreach and progress.

The official further conveyed, “It is heartening to witness the joy and enthusiasm among the villagers in the interior regions of Bastar, who will be celebrating Independence Day for the very first time on 15th August. This historic moment has been made possible by the sustained efforts of our security forces and the establishment of new security camps in these remote areas in recent times. The presence of these camps has not only improved the security environment but also instilled a strong sense of confidence among the local population, enabling them to participate freely and proudly in national celebrations.”

“Youth and children are especially eager to witness the tricolour in their villages. Equally, our jawans deployed in these areas are excited to join hands with the villagers in strengthening the democratic fabric of our nation,” he added.

Wiping out Maoist terror

For the first time, the tricolour will be hoisted in these villages: Gunjepurti, Pujarikanker, Bhimaram, Kutul, Padamkot, Nelangur, Pangur, Uskawaya and others. The villages of Kondapalli, Kutul, Nelangur, Raigudem, Gomguda, and Pidiya are among the most severely Maoist-hit areas.

Residents will receive education on the history and significance of Independence Day in addition to flag-hoisting ceremonies. CRPF units and public officials are leading Tiranga rallies that are already taking place around Bastar.

The District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Security Force (BSF) and local police have all been deployed as part of the greater security measures for the event.

According to officials, the program highlights the combined efforts of the government and security forces to make sure that every person whether they live in urban or remote areas feel a connection to the freedom and strength of the country’s constitution. The firm relationship between the government and security forces is also reflected in the active participation of people in planning for Independence Day celebrations.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly established the goal to eradicate the Maoist violence from the country by 31st March 2026 and centre is working aggressively towards that goal.

Recent achievements in operations have contributed to the high morale of security forces. At least 19 security personnel have been killed in clashes throughout the division, while 229 Maoists have been neutralised, this year. Furthermore, Maoists have murdered 28 people on suspicion of being police informants.

Similarly, on Independence Day last year, the national flag was raised for the first time in thirteen remote villages in Bastar area. The Tricolour was raised in Nerlighat (Dantewada district), Panidobir (Kanker), Gundam, Putkel and Chhutvahi (Bijapur), Kasturmeta, Maspur, Irakbhatti and Mohndi (Narayanpur), Tekalgudem, Puvarti, Lakhapal and Pulanpad (Sukma) hamlets marking an event that had never occurred there before.

Massive anti-Maoist operations underway

On 13th August, two Maoists were killed in a clash with security forces in the Manpur-Mohla-Ambagarh Chowki district of Chhattisgarh. They carried a total reward of at least ₹35 lakh. Vijay Reddy and Lokesh Salame died in an anti-Maoist operation along the Banda Pahad hill under the Madanwada police station area, according to District Superintendent of Police YP Singh.

According to him, a group of Indo-Tibetan Border Police also participated in the operation as a support group alogside District Reserve Guard (DRG). On 12th August night, the operation was initiated in response to information regarding the presence of senior cadres in the region.

Singh outlined that Reddy who was a part of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee of Maoists had a ₹25 lakh bounty and divisonal committee member Salame held a ₹10 lakh reward. Reddy likewise carried rewards in nearby States, including Maharashtra and the particulars were being checked.

He was reportedly a prominent Maoist figure in the region which borders Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli and oversaw operations in the Maoist organization’s Rajnandgaon-Kanker border (RKB) division. This region is recognised as a training and cache site for Maoists.

On 26th July, the Bastar police stated that at least four Maoist cadres were eliminated in a gunfight with security troops in the southwest of the conflict-plagued Bijapur district, roughly 400 kilometres south of Raipur in Chhattisgarh.

P Sundarraj mentioned, “Based on intelligence inputs regarding the presence of Maoists in the given location of Bijapur district, troops launched a search operation. A gunfight broke out in the evening. So far, four bodies of Maoist have been recovered along with the INSAS assault rifle, self-loading rifle and other weapons besides explosive materials and items of daily use from the encounter scene.”

Additionally, three Maosits were neutralized in a gunfight with security forces in the Gumla region of Jharkhand, on 26th July. They reportedly belonged to the banned CPI (Maoist) offshoot group Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP). Three automatic rifles, including an AK-47, two Insas rifles and a country-made gun were recovered from the location by the security personnel.

The Maoists were planning an attack on the security forces but the authorities received a tip-off about their hideout at the Ghaghra forest. The latter stated, “The ultras opened fire as soon as security forces reached the spot. Jawans fired in retaliation, killing three JJMP ultras. Two others, who were part of the group, escaped.” The operation was executed by Jharkhand Jaguar and Gumla Police.

A confrontation with troops ended the lives of two Maoists and seriously wounded a security guard, near the Birhordera area in Bokaro district of Jharkhand, a few days prior.

On 18th July, six Maoists were slain in an altercation with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. According to P. Sundarraj, the gunfight took place in the Abujhmad region’s forest when security forces were conducting an anti-Maoist operation there after receiving information about the presence of cadres.

“Multiple exchanges of fire between the security forces and Maoists occurred since the afternoon. So far, the bodies of six Maoists have been recovered from the encounter site along with AK-47 rifle, Self Loading Life (SLR) rifle, other weapons, explosive material and daily use items,” he conveyed.

Maoists continue to lay down weapons

Simultaneously, many Maoists have also down their arms to join the mainstream. Jorige Nagaraju also known as Kamalesh, the CPI (Maoist) East Bastar divisional committee in-charge and a member of the State zonal committee (SZCM) along with his wife, Medaka Jyoteeswari alias Aruna, surrendered before Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta in Vijayawada on 26th July.

A native of Poranki village in the Krishna district, Nagaraju spent 34 years as a member of the outlawed Maoist group in various capacities and carried a bounty of ₹20 lakh. Aruna who is from the Krishna district’s Kappaladoddi hamlet, spent 30 years working as a party cadre and had a reward of ₹5 lakh on her head.

The pair became dissatisfied with the Maoist central committee’s policy. They realised that the Maoist ideology was losing ground. The authorities pointed out, “Due to lack of public support, poor recruitments, death of senior cadres in Maoist party, disillusionment with the party ideology, he had decided to surrender and avail the benefits of the Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy.”

“On specific information, the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district police unearthed three Maoist armed dumps in Mampa, Madugukota and Tangedukota forests from 23rd to 25th July and seized one AK-47, five SLRs, two INSAS rifles, five 303 rifles, two BGL weapons, one pistol, 16 BGL shells and 20 cartridges, 15 detonators, eight walkies, huge quantity of ammunition, a telescope and other material,” the added.

On 24th July 66 Maoist cadres with a total reward of ₹2.54 crore gave up arms in five districts of the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh. According to P Sundarraj, 25 surrendered in Bijapur, 15 in Dantewada, 13 in Kanker, 8 in Narayanpur and 5 in Sukma districts.

37-year-old Ramanna Irpa, alias Jagdish, alias Vikesh was a sub-zonal committee member with a reward of ₹25 lakh and four divisional committee members who were regarded as senior members in Maoist military were among those who laid down their weapons.

Surrenders coincided with a new security force program known as “Poona Margham” (new path). According to this plan, the security forces will put greater effort into contacting families of Maoists for help in convincing them to turn themselves in.

The police informed, “With the establishment of new security camps in interior regions and improved access to roads, transport, drinking water, electricity, and other public welfare schemes, development is now reaching the remotest villages. Widespread disillusionment with Maoist ideology, increasing internal conflicts within the outfit, and a strong desire to live a peaceful and secure family life are among the primary reasons behind these surrenders.”

According to Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, 1,521 Naxals surrendered in the last 15 months, which he described as “a strong indicator of the increasing reach and trust of the government in the Naxal-affected regions,” on 12th July. The announcement transpired after the surrender of 22 Maoists active in the Abhujmad area with a total reward of ₹37.5 lakh in Narayanpur district followed by the surrender of 23 Maoists with a combined bounty of ₹1.18 crore in Sukma district of the Bastar region.

India’s unprecedented war of Maoist terrorists

Operation Kagar (Operation Black Forest) had been launched by the central government to eliminate red-terrorism in India and liberate Maoist-affected regions. As a result of the success of this operation, many regions that were once under the violent control of Naxalites and languished in underdevelopment for years are now witnessing a resurgence of hope and have been integrated with the rest of the country, participating in its progress.

Several dreaded Maoists renounced the path of bloodshed while many others have been neutralised. A strong military approach and zero tolerance policy implemented by the government led to a 77% reduction in Maoist violence between 2010 and 2021. Violent incidents have declined from 2258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021.

Maoist-affected districts has also significantly declined over the last ten years, from 106 in 2015 to 6 at now (Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Sukma in Chhattisgarh, West Singhbhum in Jharkhand and Gadhchiroli in Maharashtra). Furthermore, the number of Maoist terror-related killings decreased by 90%.

There were 2089 Maoists slain in clashes compared to 63 earlier while 928 surrendered in 2024 as 718 did the same in the first four months of 2025. With the help of state police, the central military established 320 camps, including 68 helipads with night landing capabilities in Maoist-struck states between 2019 and 2025. Fortified police stations have increased from 66 in 2014 to 555.

The extensive work of the government, security forces and local administration along with authorities is reflected in the commendable success of the road to a Naxal-free India.

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