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Congress comes out in support of Iran to appease its ‘Muslim vote bank’, blames Modi govt for not choosing sides: Read how India has maintained strategic balance, continues to foster ties with both Israel and Islamic countries

Dibakar Dutta
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Congress comes out in support of Iran to appease its ‘Muslim vote bank’, blames Modi govt for not choosing sides: Read how India has maintained strategic balance, continues to foster ties with both Israel and Islamic countries

On Saturday (21st June), ex-Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote an opinion piece in The Hindu newspaper wherein she extended support to the Islamic Republic of Iran amid the ongoing conflict with the Jewish State of Israel. Additionally, she blamed the Modi government for not choosing sides and maintaining diplomatic balance.

This was done by the former Congress Chairperson with the sole objective of appeasing its homegrown ‘Muslim vote bank’, which has thrown its weight behind Iran in the interests of the ‘Ummah’ and conveniently forgotten that Iran is a Shia-majority nation in the face of conflict with the Jewish State of Israel.

Sonia Gandhi, in her opinion piece, portrayed Iran as the victim of Western hegemony and Israeli aggression. She also claimed that the Islamic Republic under Ali Hosseini Khamenei has been a ‘long-standing friend’ of India.

To substantiate her claims, the ex-Congress Chairperson wrote, “In 1994, Iran helped block a resolution critical of India at the UN Commission on Human Rights on the Kashmir issue.” However, she failed to mention the multiple U-turns of Iran on Kashmir and the hostile anti-India remarks that its Supreme leader made on social media.

Iran had supported the ‘Right to Self-Determination’ of Kashmirs in the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) Kashmir Contact Group, thereby lending credence to the stance of Pakistan. Ali Hosseini Khamenei has also made the stance of his Islamic Republic crystal clear on Jammu & Kashmir, which is an integral part of India.

Since 2017, the Supreme leader of Iran has tried to present Kashmir as an ‘independent territory’ in several statements and social media posts. He had infamously claimed, “Everyone should openly support people of Yemen, Bahrain, and Kashmir.”

In a tweet posted in August 2019, shortly after the abrogation of Article 370, Ali Hosseini Khamenei claimed, “We’re concerned about Muslims’ situation in #Kashmir. We have good relations with India, but we expect the Indian government to adopt a just policy towards the noble people of Kashmir and prevent the oppression & bullying of Muslims in this region.“

Screengrab of the tweets by Ali Hosseini Khamenei

A similar tweet followed in March 2020 – “The hearts of Muslims all over the world are grieving over the massacre of Muslims in India. The govt of India should confront extremist Hindus & their parties & stop the massacre of Muslims in order to prevent India’s isolation from the world of Islam.“

“The enemies of Islam have always tried to make us indifferent with regard to our shared identity as an Islamic Ummah. We cannot consider ourselves to be Muslims if we are oblivious to the suffering that a Muslim is enduring in #Myanmar, Gaza, #India, or any other place,” Ali Hosseini Khamenei posted last year.

As such, it is evident that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not a ‘long-standing friend’ of India, especially when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir. Israel, on the other hand, has been a vocal supporter of India and has extended help to us during wars against Pakistan.

Screengrab of the tweet by Ali Hosseini Khamenei

Sonia Gandhi’s article in The Hindu, demonising Israel and eulogising Iran, has less to do with geopolitics and more to do with ideological alignment with its core vote bank within the country ahead of elections.

The Israel-Iran conflict provided a window of opportunity to the Congress to signal its Muslim supporters that the grand-old-party is on the side of Ummah in conflict with ‘Yahudi’ Israel. This also explains why Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had earlier lashed out at Israeli government earlier in March this year.

Sonia Gandhi, in her opinion piece, blamed the Modi government for not choosing sides during the Israel-Iran conflict.

“In the face of this humanitarian catastrophe, the Narendra Modi government has all but abandoned India’s long-standing and principled commitment to a peaceful two-state solution, one that envisions a sovereign, independent Palestine living side-by-side with Israel in mutual security and dignity,” she alleged.

“New Delhi’s silence on the devastation in Gaza and now on the unprovoked escalation against Iran reflects a disturbing departure from our moral and diplomatic traditions. This represents not just a loss of voice but also a surrender of values.
It is still not too late. India must speak clearly, act responsibly, and use every diplomatic channel available to defuse tensions and promote a return to dialogue in West Asia,” the former Congress Chairperson concluded.

The stance of the Modi government on global conflicts

Unlike the Congress party that is willing to jeopardise diplomatic relations to pacify its domestic vote bank, the Modi government has exerted caution, restraint and showcased strategic balance in the face of global conflicts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again reiterated that India is on the side of peace. During the Ukraine-Russia war, India has refused to side with either of the two countries. This was despite the pressure from Western countries, which was exacerbating the war by supplying arms to Ukraine.

The repeated appeal for peace, calls for de-escalation, resulted in Russia providing crude oil at cheaper rates amid a global energy crunch. India was also successful in creating safe passages for Indian nationals in both Russia and Ukraine and airlifting them home under ‘Operation Ganga.’

A similar script was followed during the Israel-Hamas War. India unequivocally condemned terror outfit Hamas and its dastardly attack on Israeli civilians but sent humanitarian support for the Palestinian people.

India refrained from voting on any resolution on the conflict and has made its stance clear in response to a question asked in the Indian Parliament.

“India’s policy towards Palestine has been long standing and consistent. We have supported a negotiated two State solution, towards establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders, living side by side in peace with Israel,” the Modi government said in February 2024.

It further added, “India has strongly condemned the terror attacks on Israel on 07 October 2023 and the loss of civilian lives in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. We have called for restraint and de-escalation and emphasized peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. We have also called for release of remaining hostages. Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister have spoken to several leaders, including President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Israel and the President and Foreign Minister of Palestine. External Affairs Minister met the Foreign Minister of Palestine on 20 January 2024 in Kampala and reiterated India’s support for a two State solution.“

Amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, India has showcased a delicate balance and used its diplomatic relations to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in both countries under ‘Operation Sindhu’.

India has maintained strong defence, intelligence, and trade with Israel, including annual military hardware (missiles, drones, surveillance) imports of over $2 billion. At the same time, it is working closely with Iran on key strategic and economic projects such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar Port, besides enhancing trade.

The conflict in the Middle East is multi-faceted, complex and complicated. A neutral, diplomatic stance, as showcased by the Modi government in the face of external pressure, is the reason why India continues to benefit from all sides.

For instance, a total of 8 Islamic countries, namely, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Palestine, Maldives, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Kuwait, have felicitated Prime Minister Narendra Modi with their civilian awards. These include –

  1. Order of King Abdulaziz (2016) – Second-highest civilian award of Saudi Arabia
  2. Order of Amanullah Khan (2016) – Highest civilian award of Afghanistan
  3. Order of the State of Palestine (2018) – Highest civilian award of Palestine
  4. Order of Izzuddin (2019) – Highest civilian award of Maldives given to foreign dignitaries.
  5. Order of Zayed (2019) – Highest civilian award of United Arab Emirates (UAE)
  6. Order of the Renaissance (2019) – Third highest civilian award of Bahrain
  7. Order of the Nile (2023) – Highest civilian award of Egypt
  8. Order of Mubarak the Great (2024) – Highest civilian award of Kuwait

Conclusion

These awards are a testament to the diplomatic balance, the strong personality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the growing influence of India in the world order.

Had India been actively choosing sides and resorted to partisanship in global conflicts, we would have had to bear the brunt of hampered trade relations, alienation of friendly nations and unintentional entanglement in wars that we did not start.

While Congress party can blame Modi government for not choosing sides in the Iran-Israel conflict or the Israel-Hamas war, in hindsight, it was/ is and continues to remain the best decision for India.

From India-Pakistan to Rwanda-Congo, Trump claims credit for another agreement and pushes for a Nobel he never earned

Anurag
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From India-Pakistan to Rwanda-Congo, Trump claims credit for another agreement and pushes for a Nobel he never earned

President of the United States, Donald Trump, is once again making headlines. No, he is not in the news for “resolving” a major global conflict, but for publicly lamenting the fact that he has not been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In a long-winded post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that a treaty has been signed between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and declared it a “Great Day for Africa”.

By extension, “a Great Day for the World” is what this treaty is, according to Trump. Simultaneously, he launched a self-congratulatory tirade on why he deserved global recognition.

Source: Truth Social

Interestingly, Trump repeatedly insisted that he would not be given a Nobel Peace Prize for this treaty, or for several other interventions he listed, including the claims that he “stopped” war between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan angle – Did Trump get himself nominated?

Recently, reports emerged that Trump might have orchestrated a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize with the help of Pakistan. According to reports, highly placed diplomatic sources claimed that Trump allegedly used his proximity to Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir to push through a nomination citing “peace efforts” during the India-Pakistan conflict that emerged due to the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, took responsibility for the attack. India retaliated by attacking terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan, irked by the damage caused to terror camps by Indian armed forces, fired rockets, missiles and drones which were neutralised by the Indian defence system. All this happened between 22nd April, the day of the terror attack, and 9th May, the last day of Operation Sindoor, codename for India’s military action against terrorists and Pakistan’s armed forces.

On 10th May, Pakistan’s DGMO called India’s DGMO seeking a ceasefire. In between, the US tried to intervene but India categorically refused to accept mediation while Pakistan pushed the US to force India to stop throwing bombs at it. At Pakistan’s DGMO’s request, India finally agreed to pause the military action but before any formal announcement could be made, Trump took credit for it out of nowhere. Since then, Trump has been claiming that he stopped the war, a claim India has categorically denied and said that no third party was involved in the decision.

Reports now suggest that Trump’s love for Pakistan is for a reason. His stance on Pakistan has mostly been a “display of mood swings” often swaying between confrontation and courtship depending on media cycle and personal advantage. This time, however, it seems because Pakistan nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, he agreed to let Munir get cosy in the White House. Not to forget, there was a time when Trump hated Pakistan and wanted the US to stop funding the nation that supports terrorism. After all, Osama was found and killed in Pakistan.

Rwanda-Congo peace deal – Real progress or opportunism?

In his Truth Social post, Trump claimed that he arranged, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a peace treaty between DRC and Rwanda. These two nations have a deeply complex and tragic history of conflict. While any attempt at diplomacy in the Great Lakes region is welcome, it has to be noted that the groundwork for the treaty had been in progress for years under African Union and UN-backed negotiations.

Notably, The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have signed a provisional agreement to stop the conflict in eastern DRC. The draft agreement is due to be formally signed on June 27 by on both the governments. While US did play the role of a mediator, it was not alone, as Qatar was the other country that played a major role in the agreement. Earlier, Angola was also mediator, but it stepped down from that role in March.

However, Trump decided to claim full credit and stated, “Representatives from Rwanda and the Congo will be in Washington on Monday to sign Documents,” before veering off into a litany of grievances about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. While reports suggest that two nations would sign a treaty on 27th June in Washington, giving full credit to Trump would not be wise.

Is the obsession with Nobel stems from Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize?

Trump’s angst possibly stems from the fact that Barack Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, barely months into his first term. Trump wrote, “I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do.” He referred to several regions including India-Pakistan, Serbia-Kosovo, Egypt-Ethiopia, Israel-Iran and claimed to have prevented or resolved conflicts. The irony is that many of these regions remain flashpoints of conflict and new tensions brewing in the Middle East show his “diplomacy” is failing or is it that he has actually done nothing to bring peace per se other than claiming the credit? Is he ‘Gilderoy Lockhart’ in making?

Nobel by force?

Nobel Peace Prize nominations are typically submitted by qualified individuals or organisations. Trump’s alleged backchannel approach to get nominated via Pakistan exposes the desperation. It is no longer about peace but about prestige which he is losing every day with unsubstantiated claims. He wants the prize not necessarily for what he has done, but because, in his words, “The people know, and that’s all that matters to me.”

However, history might not be as generous. As conflicts rage on across continents, Trump’s list of “peace achievements” appear more like a wishlist than a resume. It is no longer a secret that Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize. So badly, in fact, that he has begun listing conflicts across the globe, by his own admission, did something or the other that should have earned him the honour. It does not matter if the Middle East continues to be in conflict or Israel is getting hit by Iranian missiles. In Trump’s mind he seems to be fixated on the notion that if Obama got one, he deserves ten.

Expressways, Airports, Metro rails and others: How Yogi government has transformed Uttar Pradesh after years of misrule under Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party

Aditi
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Expressways, Airports, Metro rails and others: How Yogi government has transformed Uttar Pradesh after years of misrule under Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party

Uttar Pradesh, the fourth largest state by area and the largest state by population in the country, is finally witnessing large-scale transformation under the Yogi Adityanath government after seeing decades of misery and suffering under the previous Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party regimes. The Hindi belt state, with huge untapped potential, endured years of Mafia Raj, poor law and order and lack of social and economic development.

The socio-economic indicators of Uttar Pradesh were so poor that the state was once a part of the acronym BIMARU, a term coined by demographer Ashish Bose, to refer to the state of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The Hindi word for BIMARU is sickly. The BIMARU states lagged behind in most socio-economic indicators, including economic growth and infrastructural development.

In addition to this, the people of Uttar Pradesh were agonised by the Mafia Raj which thrived under the patronage of the previous state governments. The state witnessed an era under the SP and the BSP governments when mafias and gangsters enjoyed power and protection of the state. Instead of facing the law, these gangsters were given tickets by these parties to contest elections. These gangsters were so dreaded that even judges refused to hear cases against them.

However, after the BJP came to power in 2017, Uttar Pradesh saw a sea change, which seemed far from possible until now. CM Yogi made law and order his administration’s top priority and adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards crime and criminals. This resulted an 85% decline in heinous crimes and the dismantling of deeply entrenched mafia network in the state. Reduction in crimes also created a conducive environment for the growth of businesses. The 8 years’ tenure of the Yogi government has marked a transformative shift in Uttar Pradesh by converting a BIMARU state into one of the fastest growing states in the country. Here is a look at the completed and ongoing infrastructure projects in the state under Yogi government-

Expressways

While six expressways have already been made operational, the construction work of six other expressways is underway. The operational expressways are-

  1. Yamuna Expressway – This 165.5 km long expressway connects Delhi to Agra and is also known as Taj Expressway. It was built in three phases with a total cost of Rs 13,330 crores
  • Noida-Greater Noida Expressway – This is an extension of the Taj Expressway and runs from Southeast section of Okhla Bird Sanctuary to Noida Sector 168. It is 24.53 km long and was built at a cost of Rs 400 crore.
  • Agra-Lucknow Expressway – It is a greenfield expressway linking Agra to Lucknow. It is 302 km long and was constructed at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore.
  • Delhi-Meerut Expressway – It is a mix of brownfield and greenfield projects and is 96 km long. It was built at a cost of Rs 7, 855.87 crore.
  • Purvanchal Expressway – The 340.82 km long expressway runs through nine major districts of Ghazipur, Mau, Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Amethi, Barabanki, and Lucknow.
  • Bundelkhand Expressway – This is one of the fastest built expressways completed within 28 months. It is 296.07 km long and was built at a total cost of Rs 7766.81 crore.
  • The state government is working on 6 new expressways, including Gorakhpur Link Expressway (91 km), Ganga Expressway (594 km), Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway (63 km), Ghaziabad-Kanpur Expressway (380 km), Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway (519 km), Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Expressway (210 km) and Ghazipur Ballia Manjhighat Expressway (117 km).

Airports

  • In order to increase and improve air connectivity, the Yogi government is working on ambitious plan of constructing 18 airports across Uttar Pradesh, including 5 international airports. At present, there are 10 functional airports in the state, including the recently inaugurated Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya. An international airport at Jewar, Gautam Budhh Nagar is set to be inaugurated soon.

The state government plans to develop five airports in Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Pyorpur (Sonbhadra) and Shravasti under the Regional Connectivity scheme in order to develop them in line with the specifications for Airbus A-321. With improved air connectivity, the movement of passengers as well as cargo will become smoother adding to economic growth.

Metro Rail

  • Uttar Pradesh has the greatest number of cities with metro rail connectivity. The metro rail in the state is currently operational in the cities of Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Noida, and Greater Noida. The Uttar Pradesh Metro rail corporation is currently expanding the metro rail network to Agra and Meerut. The government is also considering plans for taking metro rail connectivity to Varanasi, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur and Bareilly.

The construction of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) route is also nearing its completion. 11 stations covering a 55-kilometre stretch are already operational and the work on remaining 27-kilometre portion is progressing rapidly. To enhance connectivity, a 72.26 km-long Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) will link Jewar Airport with Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, and Yamuna Authority. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this Rs 20,637 crore project has been submitted to the Government of India.

The 82-kilometre-long corridor, known as the Namo Bharat corridor, is being implemented by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) as a high-speed regional connectivity project.

Film City and other projects

  • Major projects like the Film City, Medical Device Park, Logistics Park, Fintech City, IT City and Data Centre Park are also in the pipeline. The proposed Film City in Noida is going to be the biggest film city in the country. It will provide unprecedented work opportunities to local as well artists from across the country. It is being established at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore in about 1000 acres. The Film City is also expected to be a centre of tourism.  The Film Institute inside the upcoming Film City will make use of advanced technologies like animation, OTT and gaming at par with international standards will prepare students to seek work opportunities globally. A data centre will also be constructed in the Film City for preproduction and post production of films.

Medical Infrastructure

  • Creation and improvement of existing health infrastructure is also a top priority of Yogi government. Medical colleges are being run by the state government in 65 districts, including AIIMS in Gorakhpur and Raebareli. In addition to that, the government is constructing 22 medical colleges across the state. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the yogi government was praised by the World Health Organisation for its COVID-19 management strategy describing it as a “good example”. Uttar Pradesh has excelled among states, giving more than 38 crore vaccine doses. Apart from this, 6.51 crore people of the state have received Ayushman card to avail health insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh.

With the entire gamut of completed, ongoing and proposed infrastructural development projects across Uttar Pradesh, Yogi government is rapidly transforming a BIMARU state into a leader of socio-economic growth.

Pakistan: In yet another incident of persecution of minorities, four Hindu siblings abducted and forcibly converted in Sindh

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: In yet another incident of persecution of minorities, four Hindu siblings abducted and forcibly converted in Sindh

A deeply disturbing incident in Shahdadpur, Sindh province, Pakistan, has again created fear within the Hindu community and renewed concerns over the persecution of religious minorities in the country. Four Hindu siblings—three sisters and their brother—were kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam.

The victims are identified as 22-year-old Jia Bai, 20-year-old Dia Bai, 16-year-old Disha Bai, and their 13-year-old brother, Harjeet Kumar. Their mother, desperately seeking justice, publicly accused local computer teacher Farhan Khaskheli of seducing and abducting her children. “I had three daughters, and Farhan took them all,” she stated tearfully at a press conference. She made a specific plea for the return of her young son, arguing he is too immature to comprehend religious conversion, and appealed to PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for intervention.

A viral social media video purportedly showing the children’s conversion has been condemned by community leaders as “cultural terrorism.” Rajesh Kumar, head of the Hindu Panchayat, called the event both a family tragedy and a community disaster, questioning the minors’ capacity to voluntarily change religion given their ages.

Conflicting narratives and legal action

Following family protests, police presented the siblings in a Shahdadpur court. The court ordered the two adult sisters, Jia and Dia (medical students), to be sent to a shelter home in Karachi. The two minors, Disha (15) and Harjeet (13), were returned to their parents.

Pakistani media reported the conversions as voluntary. However, the family and their lawyer contested this, asserting the children were abducted from Shahdadpur, forcibly converted, and recovered from Karachi. They also said that the children were acting under police pressure during the proceedings. Crucially, based on the girls’ statements in court, the two accused individuals, Zulfikar Khaskheli and Farhan, were acquitted of kidnapping charges. The girls are suspected to be under duress and were probably making the statements under pressure.

Decades of systemic persecution

This atrocity underscores a persistent pattern of persecution against Pakistan’s Hindu minority, particularly in Sindh, dating back to the 1947 Partition. Human rights organizations document alarming trends:

  • Over 1,000 Hindu girls are abducted annually for forced conversion and marriage, often with alleged police complicity.
  • Blasphemy laws are weaponized against minorities for personal vendettas.
  • Powerful groups systematically dispossess Hindu families through land grabbing.

Despite reserved parliamentary seats and constitutional guarantees, protections remain unenforced. Political neglect perpetuates vulnerability, transforming Sindh into a hotspot for what international bodies condemn as religious cleansing. Extremists frequently act with impunity, confident of escaping accountability. Experts argue that until Pakistan enforces meaningful legal safeguards and dismantles institutionalized bigotry, Hindus and other religious minorities will remain second-class citizens in their homeland.



DGCA orders Air India to remove 3 senior officials after finding repeated violations in crew scheduling and rostering, instructs internal disciplinary proceedings

OpIndia Staff
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DGCA orders Air India to remove 3 senior officials after finding repeated violations in crew scheduling and rostering, instructs internal disciplinary proceedings

In a major crackdown on Air India following the Ahmedabad crash, the DGCA has ordered the removal of three top officials for repeated violations in scheduling and rostering of staff. An order issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on 20th June stated that the violations were voluntarily disclosed by Air India, after which action has been ordered against the erring officials.

The order stated that repeated and serious violations were voluntarily disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements. “These violations were discovered during the post-transition review from ARMS to the CAE Flight and Crew Management System,” DGCA said.

The regular said that the voluntary disclosures point to systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability. It added, “Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible for these operational lapses.”

Therefore, DGCA has directed the removal of three officials from all roles and responsibilities related to crew scheduling and rostering. They are, Choorah Singh- Divisional Vice President, Pinky Mittal- Chief Manager – DOPS, Crew Scheduling, and Payal Arora- Crew Scheduling – Planning.

As per DGCA, these officials have been involved in serious and repeated lapses including but not limited to, Unauthorized and non-compliant crew pairings, Violation of mandatory licensing and recency norms, Systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversight.

The regulator further stated that internal disciplinary proceedings must be initiated against these officials without delay, and the outcome of such proceedings shall be reported to the DGCA within 10 days from the date of issue of the order.

DGCA further said, “the aforementioned officials shall be reassigned to non-operational roles pending conclusion of corrective reforms in scheduling practices, and shall not hold any position involving direct influence over flight safety and crew compliance until further notice.”

It added that any future violation of crew scheduling norms, licensing, or flight time limitations detected in any post-audit or inspection, will attract strict enforcement action, including but not limited to penalties, license suspension, or withdrawal of operator permissions as applicable.

Yoga’s Hindu roots being erased, Christian appropriation and spiritual theft rampant: It is about time Sanatan Dharma reclaims its spiritual core

Balendu Singh Angad
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Yoga’s Hindu roots being erased, Christian appropriation and spiritual theft rampant: It is about time Sanatan Dharma reclaims its spiritual core

The assault on Hindu civilization takes many forms, some violent, some insidious. None is more treacherous than the whitewashing of yoga, our most profound spiritual practice, into a sterile fitness routine baptized with Christian prayers.

Yoga is not a modular fitness regimen to be dismembered and repackaged; it is the beating heart of Sanatana Dharma. As Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (circa 200 BCE) codified, yoga is an eight-limbed path (ashtanga) integrating ethics, meditation, and devotion toward moksha (liberation). This holistic system emerged from Vedic fire rituals and Upanishadic contemplation (1500–500 BCE), later refined by Hindu rishis who viewed the body as a vehicle for transcendent union (yuj = “to unite”). Yet Western appropriators surgically try to remove its spiritual core, reducing dhyana (meditation) to “mindfulness” and pranayama to “breathwork” as if dissecting a living being to display its organs.  

The colonial playbook: Erasure by rebranding

Christian yoga brands like “Holy Yoga,” “PraiseMoves,” “Yahweh Yoga” are not benign adaptations but theological land grabs. They replace Om with crosses, chant Biblical verses during surya namaskar, and market “Christian psalms”. This mirrors colonial missionary tactics: first demonize Hinduism as Mark Driscoll decries yoga as “hypersexualized” and “demonic”, then rebrand its practices as “redeemed” Christian tools. As scholar-priest Aseem Shukla of the Hindu American Foundation’s ‘Take Back Yoga’ campaign argues, this erasure perpetuates the myth that Hinduism contributed “nothing but superstition” to civilization .  

Scholarly betrayal: Fabricating a “secular” Yoga

Western academia abets this theft. Mark Singleton’s Yoga Body (2010) disingenuously claims modern postural yoga is “largely 20th-century invention,” ignoring Krishnamacharya’s synthesis of Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th c. CE) with Indian wrestling exercises (danda) and South Indian martial arts like Kalaripayattu and Silambam. Similarly, Jain’s Selling Yoga (2014) declares yoga “belongs to no religion,” disregarding that Bhagavad Gita (4.13) explicitly links yoga to Krishna-consciousness. This revisionism enables Christianizers to plead, “We’re not stealing Hinduism We’re using neutral exercise!”

Worst thing is, corporations like “Yoga Alliance” certify instructors with zero knowledge of Hindu philosophy. Matthew Remski, a college dropout with no Indology credentials teaches the Bhagavad Gita while dismissing its Hindu context. This is the ultimate colonization: White men profiting from dismembered Hinduism while denying us authorship.

Silent genocide: When appropriation erases identity

Pew Research confirms only 7% of Hindus practice yoga daily. Why? Because yoga’s commodification has alienated Hindus from their own heritage. Studios exclude South Asian teachers, while “decolonisation” activists ironically partner with Hinduphobes to police yoga’s “use”.  The Hindu American Foundation’s #TakeBackYoga campaign exposed this crisis: 92% of U.S. yoga studios never mention “Hinduism”. Yoga is reduced to a headstand in designer leggings, a spiritual amputation cheered by those who once burned our scriptures.

The Hindu Resistance: Reclaiming our legacy

Hindus must reject this spiritual colonialism. As the Indian government’s 2015 International Yoga Day manifesto asserts: “Yoga is India’s gift to the world, rooted in Vedanta and Tantra”. We cannot tolerate pastors like Rev. Anthony Randazzo, who slathers Christian dogma onto asanas while denying their prana-activating purpose. Nor can we abide by “Christianized yoga manuals” that replace Yamas (ethical vows) with Beatitudes. Yoga’s ontology atman-Brahman unity, karma-samsara cycle is irreducibly Dharmic. To amputate this is to murder yoga itself.  

Our duty: Spiritual decolonization

Let us declare: Yoga is not “stretching with Jesus.” It is the science of kaivalya (liberation) transmitted through Guru-shishya parampara for millennia. Prime Minister Modi’s promotion of International Yoga Day is a start, but soft-power diplomacy means nothing if we won’t name yoga’s mother: Sanatana Dharma. 

Let this be our call:  

•⁠  ⁠Legislate cultural integrity: Mandate yoga certification includes Hindu philosophy.  

•⁠  ⁠Boycott appropriators: Shut down studios teaching “Christian yoga.”  

•⁠  ⁠Demand acknowledgment: No more “mindfulness” euphemisms, say “Hindu spirituality.” 

As scholar Ramesh Rao thundered, “Yoga has been shamelessly rebranded to appease those who still see Hinduism as pagan. We will not let our sacred science be orphaned!” The Christianization of yoga is spiritual imperialism in Lululemon clothing. Either we fight for yoga’s Hindu soul, or we surrender our last fortress to those who worship a god that demands exclusivity. On this Yoga Day, bend your body but never your dignity.

Modi govt launched 12 rescue missions during its 11 years of seva to evacuate Indians, stranded in conflict-torn foreign countries: Here are the details of each Operation

OpIndia Staff
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Modi govt launched 12 rescue missions during its 11 years of seva to evacuate Indians, stranded in conflict-torn foreign countries: Here are the details of each Operation

The Modi government, which came to power in May 2014, has time and again reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of each Indian national, irrespective of their presence within the country or in a foreign nation. In its last 11 years of seva, the government launched 12 rescue missions to evacuate stranded Indian nationals from conflict-torn countries.

These nations include Iraq, Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Nepal, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Libya and others. The Ministry of External Affairs, under the Modi government, left no stone unturned to create a safe passage for Indian nationals and airlift them to India in the midst of ongoing war and conflicts.

Through its diplomatic missions abroad, the lives of countless Indian nationals were saved between 2014 and 2025. Here is the timeline and details of the 12 Operations undertaken by the Modi government in the last 11 years

Indians evacuated amid Israel-Iran war

On Wednesday (18th June), the Modi government launched ‘Operation Sindhu’ to evacuate Indian nationals, stranded in Iran, amid an increase in hostilities with Israel.

The government first facilitated the travel of 110 Indian students from Iran to Armenia through its diplomatic missions, and then arranged a special flight to bring them back to New Delhi.

Due to the diplomacy of the Modi government, Iran made an exception and opened its airspace for the rescue of Indian nationals. It arranged a special flight and evacuated 290 more Indian students on Friday (20th June).

An additional 117 Indians were brought to New Delhi through another special evacuation flight from Turkmenistan. According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, about 517 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran.

An estimated 1000 Indian nationals will be airlifted under ‘Operation Sindhu.’

Modi govt evacuates Indian nationals from Syria in 2024

On 10th December last year, the Modi government rescued 75 Indian nationals, who were stuck in Syria, following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad by rebels.

Amid the civil war, the Indian government did not shy away from its responsibility and coordinated with its embassies in Beirut and Damascus to facilitate the evacuation.

In a statement, the MEA pointed out, “The Government of India today evacuated 75 Indian nationals from Syria, following recent developments in that country.”

Indians evacuated from Syria, image via The Hindu

“The evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ from Jammu and Kashmir who were stranded at Saida Zainab. All Indian nationals have safely crossed over to Lebanon and will return by available commercial flights to India.”

Operation Kaveri in 2023

Between 24th April and 5th May 2023, the government of India launched Operation Kaveri to evacuate Indians from war-hit Sudan. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan went to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to manage the evacuation.

Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar regularly updated about the evacuation process on social media. Apart from Indian Nationals, foreign nationals were also evacuated by India.

The Indians were evacuated from Port Sudan to Jeddah after the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to extend their ceasefire amid ongoing violence in the capital Khartoum and the western Darfur region.

An estimated 3,862 people were evacuated in less than 2 weeks.

Operation Ganga in 2022

Operation Ganga was one of India’s biggest rescue operations. Under the mission, around 25000 Indian nationals were rescued from Ukraine amid the outbreak of war with Russia. Besides, 147 foreign nationals were also evacuated.

Operation Ganga was launched on 26th February 2022 and lasted until 11th March that year. Several special flights from Poland, Romania, and Hungary were organised to bring the students home.

Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and SpiceJet had also joined the mission, operating multiple flights from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries to Delhi and Mumbai.

The Indian government had sent 4 Union Ministers, namely, Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju, and General (Retd) VK Singh to Hungary, Romania and Moldova, Slovakia, and Poland, respectively, to coordinate Operation Ganga.

It must be mentioned that the Ukrainian airspace was closed for civilian aircraft from the day the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out. As such, the Indian embassy in Ukraine had to coordinate with the embassies of neighbouring countries in Poland, Romania, and Hungary to create safe evacuation channels.

Under ‘Operation Ganga’, Indians were first taken in batches from Ukraine to bordering countries via buses/commutes arranged by the embassy. They were then airlifted to Delhi or Mumbai through chartered Air India flights.

Operation Devi Shakti in 2021

Operation Devi Shakti was launched by the Modi government to bring back Indians stranded in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country in 2021. IThe evacuation mission was launched on 16th August than year and lasted until 21st August 2021.

An estimated 800 people were airlifted by the Modi government from Afghnaistan. Apart from Indians, several foreign nationals were also rescued by India during the operation.

The evacuation mission was jointly carried out by the Indian Air Force and the Ministry of External Affairs carried out the operation Devi Shakti.

The Modi government in December 2021 facilitated the evacuation of Sikhs from Afghanistan and brought them to India along with 3 hand-written Swaroop of Shri Guru Granth Sahib.

They were received at the airport by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs V Muraleedharan.

Operation Samudra Setu and Operation Vande Bharat in 2020

The COVID outbreak hit the world in 2020, leading the world to a grinding halt and chaotic situation. A large number of Indians also got stranded abroad. The Modi government launched ‘Operation Samudra Setu’ and ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ to rescue stranded Indians worldwide.

The Navy deployed its ships Jalashwa, Magar, and Airavat, along with Shardul, for this purpose. During this period, the Navy safely brought back 3992 people from different countries.

While flights were suspended worldwide during the COVID, the Modi government, through the ‘Vande Bharat Mission,’ brought back its citizens from more than 100 countries.

In a reply given in Parliament in March 2022, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that it had provided assistance to 2.97 crore people. During this time, Indians were rescued from countries including China, the United States, and Russia.

2019: Modi govt brings back stranded CRPF troops from Libya

With the security situation on the ground rapidly deteriorating in Libya, the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in April 2019 announced that an entire contingent of CRPF troops was removed from the conflict zone. The root of the crisis that continues to plague Libya to this day is the unrest that sparked the Arab Spring in 2011. 

The infighting between warring factions had escalated in 2019 with the launch of a military campaign known as the Western Libya campaign, initiated on 4 April 2019 by Operation Flood of Dignity of the Libyan National Army to capture the western region of Libya and eventually the capital Tripoli held by the United Nations Security Council-recognised Government of National Accord. 

The Indian government initiated a massive evacuation plan to rescue the marooned people from the country. Later, the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that the evacuation of an entire contingent of CRPF forces was carried out as the situation in Tripoli had worsened.

During this time, some Indians residing in Tripoli were still hesitant to leave everything behind and get rescued from the war-torn country. With more than 500 Indians still in Tripoli, the then EAM Sushma Swaraj requested families and friends of people in Libya’s capital city Tripoli to persuade them to leave immediately amid an emergency.

‘Operation Sankat Mochan’ in 2016

In 2016, a severe conflict erupted in the newest country in the world, South Sudan. The situation escalated into a civil war between the government and rebels. The then-president of South Sudan accused his former ally of rebellion. The country was already grappling with various problems, and the situation worsened. In July 2016, the Modi government announced ‘Operation Sankat Mochan’ to rescue its stranded citizens from the conflict-hit nation.

Under Operation Sankat Mochan, 300 Indians stranded in violence-hit South Sudan were rescued by the Modi government. Additionally, Indian armed forces also rescued other foreign nationals including Nepali citizens. 

Again, it was General VK Singh who rose to the occasion and oversaw the execution of the rescue mission while remaining in the Middle-eastern region. The same was widely appreciated by the citizens for his relentless efforts in service of the nation like that of a soldier.

Operation Maitri in 2015

In April 2015, high seismicity earthquakes wreaked havoc in Nepal and some parts of India but given the strained economic and social condition of the Himalayan nation, it needed support and aid from multiple channels.

Acting swiftly, the Modi government announced  ‘Operation Maitri’ to give a massive thrust to its rescue and relief mission in quake-devastated Nepal. 

India had deployed 12 heavy-duty military aircraft and 18 helicopters. Additionally, the country opened its four land routes to connect to Kathmandu and Pokhara Valley to safeguard men and materials.

In addition to aiding Nepal, India successfully evacuated over 43,000 stranded Indians via land routes by 30th April that year.

The Air Force and Army conducted more than 11,000 evacuation missions, totaling over 2200 sorties, to transport people to safety.

Moreover, Indian forces delivered over 1700 tons of aid supplies during this time. Additionally, Indian forces also conducted numerous rescues of Nepalese citizens.

Operation Raahat in 2015

In April 2015, as fighting raged between the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government, thousands of Indians got stranded. This prompted the Modi government to launch ‘Operation Rahat’ to evacuate Indian citizens and foreign nationals from Yemen. 

Since Yemen was not accessible by air due to a no-fly zone announced by Saudi Arabia, India chose Djibouti initially as a centre to carry out initial evacuation by sea. The Indian government also sent the then Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs General (Retd) V.K. Singh to oversee operations from the nearest port of Djibouti city.

The operation was launched on 1st April 2015 and ended on 11th April after ensuring the safety of all stranded Indians. 

Under Operation Rahat, India rescued about 4,640 Indians stranded in Yemen, along with 960 foreign nationals from more than 41 countries including the US and the UK.

Some of the countries did not have the operational capability to carry out a complex evacuation process so they sought India’s help. India happily obliged and rescued the beleaguered foreign nationals.

The then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had later revealed that PM Modi’s personnel connect in the form of a direct phone call to the Saudi King had facilitated this massive evacuation mission. 

2014: Evacuation of Indian nurses from ISIS captivity in Iraq

In June 2014, depressing news trickled in from strife-torn Iraq, where the Islamic State was making rapid territorial gains. The ISIS terrorists had managed to intrude into Tikrit as the Civil War between them and the Iraqi Army escalated. A contingent of Indian nurses was deployed to a hospital in Tikrit to look after the injured and sick. It was just weeks after Narendra Modi had sworn in as the Prime Minister with a very new cabinet.

46 Indian nurses were stranded in the hospital. All except one of the 46 nurses were from Kerala. For days on end, the nurses lived in perpetual fear of being assaulted and executed at the hands of their ISIS captors, who were also known for committing unspeakable atrocities against women and holding them as sex slaves. 

Throughout their ordeal, the Indian Embassy in Baghdad steadfastly kept in touch with them on the phone and at times recharged their prepaid cell phones. On June 30, the nurses were ferried to the border by the ISIS terrorists. From their office at the border, another bus was arranged to transport the nurses to the Indian rescue team.

They were then taken to the military office, and then Erbil airport after their documents were verified. The Indian Government had arranged a special flight from Delhi to Erbil to fly the nurses back. After 23 days of traumatic experience, the nurses, unscathed and unharmed, finally boarded the flight on July 5 and returned home.

The then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had maintained a continuous touch with all the major countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It is believed that New Delhi activated informal channels and established peripheral contacts with ISIS, and other splinter groups in Iraq to precipitate the rescue.

Conclusion

Since 2014, the Modi government has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the safety and well-being of Indian citizens who were stranded abroad during a state of crisis.

It braved wars, natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and has successfully executed complex evacuation operations. The Modi government has always prioritised bringing Indians home safely.

This prompt action reflects a larger philosophy that the life of every Indian is valuable, irrespective of the nature of the situation in which they are stranded.

During the 12 rescue missions carried out in 11 years of seva, the Modi government used all available assets and diplomatic channels to ensure that every Indian national is protected from harm.

UK Navy’s stranded F-35 jet may have to be airlifted from Thiruvananthapuram airport due to its hydraulics failure: Officials

ANI
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UK Navy’s stranded F-35 jet may have to be airlifted from Thiruvananthapuram airport due to its hydraulics failure: Officials

The British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet, which had made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport, has developed a hydraulic failure, and possibly, it would be taken back in a military transport aircraft, said defence officials on Friday.

According to the officials, a bigger maintenance team is expected to come to recover the aircraft and if required, the aircraft may even be taken back in a military transport aircraft.

The officials said, “A few days ago, the F-35 fighter jet of the UK Navy had made an emergency landing due to low fuel, after which the Indian Air Force had provided all required support, including refuelling. However, when the aircraft was going back, it developed a hydraulic failure and could not go back.”

“A maintenance team of the UK Navy had come and tried to rectify the problem, but could not. A bigger maintenance team is expected to come to recover the aircraft. If required, the aircraft may even be taken back in a military transport aircraft,” they added.

Earlier, the Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed that a British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14 night.

The aircraft was operating from UK Aircraft Carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, it was undertaking routine flying outside Indian ADIZ with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield.

In a post on X, the IAF had said, “A Royal Navy F-35B fighter recovered off an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of 14 June 25. Operating from UK Aircraft Carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, it was undertaking routine flying outside Indian ADIZ with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield.”

“On having declared a diversion off an emergency, the F-35 B was detected and identified by the IAF’s IACCS network and cleared for the recovery. IAF is providing all necessary support for the rectification and subsequent return of the aircraft,” the IAF added.

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

New ECI rule cuts CCTV footage retention to 45 days post-results amid misinformation concerns

OpIndia Staff
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New ECI rule cuts CCTV footage retention to 45 days post-results amid misinformation concerns

In a decisive move aimed at curbing misinformation, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the destruction of election-related CCTV, webcasting, and video footage within 45 days of results declaration unless legally challenged. The directive, issued to state electoral officers on May 30, significantly shortens previous preservation mandates and intensifies debates over electoral transparency.

According to Indian Express report, the instruction sent to the chief electoral officers (CEO’s) of all states have cited “recent abuse”. The commission said that videography of the electoral process is not mandatory by Law, but merely the tool of internal management. The commission wrote, “In recent times there have been incidents of misuse of these materials by non-candidates, where they were distorted on social media, removed from context, spreading misinformation and malicious narratives. There was no legal consequences, so a review was necessary.”

The new directive is different from the previous guidelines issued on September 6, 2024, which said that recordings of different were preserved for 3 months to 1 year. For example, there were instructions to reserve prior to nomination for 3 months and recordings related to voting and counting from 6 months to 1 year. Now the commission has linked this to a maximum of legal time limit of 45 days for filing an election petition. If a petition is filed within this period, the recording will be reserved as long as the matter is pending in the court. These guidelines will be applicable in the future.

Amendment made after the High Court direction

The Amendments was made in December 2024 after the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the release of video recordings and documents related to the Haryana Assembly elections on a petition filed by Mahmood Pracha. This decision of the Election Commission has raised questions about transparency. Opposition parties and civic organisations also have demanded voter voting data and public availability of Form !7C. In march 2025, the Supreme Court heard a petition by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), seeking to publish booth-wise voting data within 48 hours. The commission had rejected the demand saying that it was legally bound to share Form 17C only with poling agents and not with the general public or the media.

As India rescues students from Iran under Operation Sindhu, read why most Indian students going to Iran for higher studies are Kashmiri Muslims

Aditi
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As India rescues students from Iran under Operation Sindhu, read why most Indian students going to Iran for higher studies are Kashmiri Muslims

Kashmiri students evacuated by Indian government from conflict-torn Iran under Operation Sindhu, are unhappy that they were not provided flights after arriving in India to return to their homes. Bringing these students back to India was not a cakewalk for the Indian government as the Iranian air space is closed due the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran which has entered its 7th day. They were first brought to Armenia via land border and from there they were flown back to India.

The rescue flight landed in Delhi, where bus services were arranged for the students for their journey back to their homes in Jammu and Kashmir. However, in a sheer display of entitlement and lack of gratitude, some of the Kashmiri students, who were brought back unharmed by Modi government from the middle of an ongoing war between Israel and Iran, began complaining about “poor transport arrangements” from Delhi.

While an ordinary reasonable person stuck in a similar situation would have felt immense gratitude towards the government of their country for bringing him back home safe from a war-torn region, these students were busy complaining about the lack of comfort in the last leg of their journey. There is no war situation in India, if they didn’t like the govt provided transport, they or their families could have easily arranged for their transport from Delhi to their hometown via air, train or road. But they complained about ‘bad transport’ arranged by govt.

Perhaps, this entitlement emanates from the historical legacy of Jammu and Kashmir region, which enjoyed a ‘special status’ for decades prior to the abrogation of Article 370. Their behaviour is reflective of the disdain felt by radical Kashmiris for the rest of Indians that arises from a deep embedded privilege and sense of superiority in their minds. The feeling that the central or the state government owes these students a comfortable and luxurious mode of transport, as per their own standards, to their homes, is rooted in this sense of superiority.

Nonetheless, one wonders what makes the Kashmiri students prefer Iran for higher studies over India which has a gamut of educational institutions, offering specialisations across disciplines.

Why Kashmiri students go to Iran for studying

Even a cursory comparison between the educational institutions of India and Iran can tell that the standard of education in India, across the fields, far exceeds that of Iran. India’s education sector is vast and growing. After the US and the Europe, India is a preferred educational destination among foreign students.

In the latest QS rankings of global educational institutions, three Indian universities of IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay and IIT Madras made it into the top 200 while no Iranian university was named in the top 200. A total of 54 Indian educational institutions made it to the list of QS rankings making India the fourth most represented nation in the list after the US, the UK and China.

And yet these Kashmiri students travel all the way to the Middle East, a perpetually conflict-ridden region, to pursue higher studies. Several reports suggest that these students go to the Shia country to study medicine and engineering. However, considering that Iran has not achieved any major breakthrough in either medicine or engineering in the recent past, it does not seem a plausible reason for attracting Indian students to Iran.  

Also, the political environment in Iran has been far from ideal to provide a conducive environment for the development of disciplines like medicine and engineering that require critical and rational approach. Iran’s political regime prioritises imposing regressive and sexist religious regulations like the hijab mandate.

The heavy-handed measures adopted by the Iranian regime to suppress anti-hijab protests, often resulting in deaths of protestors, underscores the troubled political environment in the country. Therefore, while students may claim that they go for studying medicine and engineering, it cannot be denied that religion plays a key role in their decision-making to opt for Iran as their choice of destination to pursue higher studies.

Iran is also a popular tourist destination among Indian Muslims, mostly Shias. The country houses the famous Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, which is a major tourist attraction among Muslims globally. The Shia shrine is one of the largest mosque complexes in the world. It has the mausoleum of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam, who belonged to the lineage of Hazrat Ali and Fatima Zahra – the daughter of the Prophet Mohammed. Around three crore people from all around the world visit his grave every year, with Indian Muslims forming a prominent part of the tourists.

What separates Kashmiri students from students hailing from other Indian states

This is not the first time that India has recsued its citizens from foreign countries affected by regional military conflicts or natural disasters. In 2022, when a war broke out between Russia and Ukraine, India rescued over 20,000  Indian nationals, mostly students, from Ukraine under Operation Ganga. These Indian students were pursuing medical studies in Ukrainian universities and were dispersed throughout the country after evacuating.

On the request of the Indian government, the Russian government worked on halting the war and creating a humanitarian corridor for evacuation. The students hailed from different states of India, including Kerala, UP, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar and Rajasthan. None of these students complained about “poor transport arrangements” or the lack of comfort in the offered mode of conveyance as they breathed a sigh of relief for being able to return to their home country safe and sound by escaping a war.

What separates the students evacuated from Ukraine from the students evacuated from Iran is the region they came from. While the students rescued from Ukraine were mostly non-Kashmiris, the students evacuated from Iran are mostly Kashmiris. This goes on to show how decades of exceptional, previleged treatment can permanently shape the minds of people and make them feel entitled to the country’s resources without realising their duty to contribute to the country’s growth.

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