Uttarakhand police on Thursday (5th June) arrested accused Azhar Tyagi and his accomplice Ayush Kumar alias Sikandar in connection with the murder of local BJP leader Rohit Negi. The accused were nabbed by the police after an encounter that took place near Muzaffarnagar-Manglaur border late night on Thursday, June 5. Azhar was shot thrice, in both his legs and on one arm.
Rohit Negi was former Mandal President of BJP Yuva Morcha, and was killed on May 3 by Azhar.
As per reports, the police had received information about their location through sources. SSP Ajai Singh said that the two accused were spotted near Manglaur from where they were planning to move to Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. When the accused reached Purkazi, they realised that they were being followed by police. Azhar and his accomplice Ayush opened fire at the police and tried to flee. However, they sustained injuries in retaliatory firing by police and were arrested. Azhar Tyagi reportedly received gunshot wounds on both legs and one arm while Ayush Kumar sustained injuries on both knees. They were taken to CHC, Gurukul Narsan, from they were referred to AIIMS Rishikesh.
Rohit Negi had confronted Azhar for misbehaving with his female friend
The Uttarakhand Police was on a lookout for the accused ever since former Mandal President of BJP Yuva Morcha Rohit Negi, was shot dead on 3rd May.
On the day of the incident, Negi was reportedly at a party with his friends when Azhar called Negi’s female friend Anya Khan and started misbehaving with her over the phone. Since the phone was on speaker, Rohit Negi also heard Azhar abusing Anya Khan. Negi then confronted Azhar after which a heated argument took place between the two on the phone.
Azhar threatened Negi and asked him to meet at DBIT Chowk. Negi and his friends reached the location in their cars. Azhar along with Ayush was already present at the location waiting for Negi. As soon as Negi arrived, Azhar opened fire at him and a bullet hit his neck. Negi was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead.
A case of murder was filed against Azhar and Ayush by Negi’s friend at Premnagar police station. Several teams of police were deployed to nab the culprits.
US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) again claimed credit for brokering a cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, adding that he used trade as a weapon, leading to both countries stopping the war immediately.
Trump pointed out that a war between India and Pakistan could have gone nuclear if the US had not intervened between the two countries.
“You know, I did something that people don’t talk about, and I don’t talk about very much, but we solved a big problem, a nuclear problem potentially with India and with Pakistan. I spoke to Pakistan, I spoke to India, they have really great leaders, but they were going at it, and they could have gone at it nuclear,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
Lauding the leadership of India and Pakistan, Trump said, “Both nuclear countries, strong nuclear countries, and I talked about trade and said, ‘We’re not doing trade if you guys are going to be throwing bombs at each other.” They both stopped, and I stopped that war immediately. It was going much further, and hopefully, it would not go to nuclear, but it might have gone to nuclear. In fact, it might have gone to nuclear in the next round, but we stopped it, and I’d like to commend the leaders of both countries, Pakistan and India.”
The issue stands as a bone of contention between the US and India, as on Friday, Aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yury Ushakov, endorsed US President Donald Trump’s claim of having brokered a cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. Ushakov said that the India-Pakistan conflict was resolved with ‘personal’ involvement of US President Donald Trump, as was discussed in a telephonic conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The Middle East was discussed, as well as the armed conflict between India and Pakistan, which has been halted with the personal involvement of President Trump,” he said.
Earlier, All-Party Delegation Leader and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that the delegation, during their meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, cleared the air around US President Donald Trump’s claim of mediating between the India-Pakistan crisis.
“The meeting with Vice President Vance was outstanding, very good, very clear. I think we made our position amply clear on this question of mediation, and Vice President Vance fully understood our points,” he said.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for stopping hostilities between India and Pakistan after New Delhi’s effective response to Islamabad’s aggression following precision strikes on terror infrastructure.
India had conducted Operation Sindoor early on May 7 and hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. India effectively responded to subsequent Pakistani aggression and pounded its airbases. India and Pakistan agreed to stop military action following a call made by Pakistan’s DGMO to his Indian counterpart.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
People from the Jain community, once again, saved the lives of hundreds of goats ahead of Bakrid by purchasing them at higher prices in Uttar Pradesh. The saved goats were kept in a goat shelter called Jeev Daya Sansthan in Aminagar Sarai of Baghpat. The community also donated money for the maintenance of the goats.
Jeev Daya Sansthan was started in 2016 by people from the Jain community with the objective of protecting goats meant for sacrifice. Hundreds of goats, meant to be sacrificed on Bakrid, were brought into the shelter from Baghpat and nearby districts by people from the Jain community who purchased them by paying more than the market value. Around ₹20 lakh was spent on purchasing the goats.
Hundreds of goats taken care of at the shelter
Manoj Jain, President of Jeev Daya Sansthan, patron Satyabhushan Jain, and General Secretary Manoj Jain said that every year before Eid, people of Jain community across the country buy goats from different places and save them from sacrifice. All the goats saved from sacrifice have been kept in the goat shelter. More than 800 goats are currently sheltered at Jeev Daya Sansthan which has the capacity of housing 1800 goats.
Goat shelter operators, Saurav Jain, Mayank Jain, Dinesh Jain, said that all the goats brought to the shelter had a red thread tied around their necks which indicated that they were to be sacrificed by the Muslim community on Eid. It was told that people from Delhi also saved the lives of 101 goats and brought them to the town. The goats are being taken care of here.
Jain monk inspired people to open the shelter
Sachin, who is associated with the shelter, said that 10 years ago Jain monk Rajshree Rajendra Muni visited the area and told people that goats should die a natural death. He expressed the desire for a goat shelter like cow shelters. That’s how Jeev Daya Sansthan came into existence. A year ago, the Sansthan was expanded by adding around 5000 square feet of land.
Another person connected with the Sansthan, Dr. Shashikant said that the sheter follows Lord Mahavir’s message which sayd ‘live and let live’. He said that goats are taken care of like children at the shelter. Sick goats also receive treatment.
Jain community saved goats on Bakrid last year
During Bakrid, last year, people from the Jain community, saved more than 100 goats by purchasing them and keeping them in a temple premises, Chandni Chowk. Chartered accountant, Vivek Jain, who was part of the initiative, said that a group of people from the Jain community dressed as Muslims and visited goat markets in Old Delhi. They bought the goats and kept them at Naya Jain Mandir in Dharampur area to protect them on Eid.
This presents a remarkable social contrast where one community kills vulnerable animals for celebration on its festival, while the other community spends huge amounts of money for saving these voicless animals.
On 10th June, India will make history as Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will pilot the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla’s journey to space will put an Indian astronaut in space four decades after Rakesh Sharma’s historic 1984 voyage. It is not just a moment of national pride, but this mission represents a strategic leap forward for India’s human spaceflight ambitions and scientific outreach.
A new dawn for India in space exploration
If the weather permits, on 10th June 2025, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida carrying four astronauts on a two-week journey to the International Space Station (ISS). Among them will be Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a distinguished pilot from the Indian Air Force, representing India’s return to crewed space missions after 41 long years.
The mission has been named Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). It is being spearheaded by Axiom Space, which is a Houston-based private company that has rapidly established itself as a key player in low-Earth orbit operations. Shukla will be the first Indian astronaut on the ISS, making it a milestone moment.
What is the Axiom-4 mission and why does it matter
Axiom-4 is the fourth crewed mission by Axiom Space in partnership with NASA and SpaceX. It is a private, commercially operated spaceflight designed to conduct over 60 scientific experiments across disciplines such as human physiology, Earth observation, material science, and space agriculture.
It is significant for many reasons. It demonstrates the success of public-private collaboration in space and extends human presence aboard the ISS. The mission allows countries like India, Poland and Hungary, absent from human spaceflight for decades, to re-establish their space credentials.
Furthermore, it is a stepping stone for the company’s ambitious plan to build the world’s first commercial space station. The temporary ISS-based research mission offers hands-on operational experience that will provide crucial information for the company’s future orbital infrastructure, which is expected to be launched by the end of the decade.
A highly qualified international team on board
There are four distinguished members who are part of the Axiom-4 mission.
Commander Peggy Whitson (USA): A NASA legend, former ISS commander, and America’s most experienced astronaut with over 675 days in space and ten spacewalks to her name.
Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India): Fighter pilot, test pilot, and one of the four astronauts shortlisted for India’s Gaganyaan mission.
Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland): A CERN engineer and ESA reserve astronaut with a background in radiation science and high-energy physics.
Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary): A mechanical engineer trained under the Hungarian HUNOR astronaut programme, specialising in space radiation and life sciences.
Together, they represent a new generation of global cooperation in space exploration.
Meet Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla – The man who carries a billion hopes
Shubhanshu Shukla was born in 1985. He joined the Indian Air Force in 2006 and quickly rose through the ranks to become a Group Captain. He has over 2,000 hours of flying experience across fighter jets and transport aircraft. Shukla was handpicked by ISRO for the Gaganyaan mission and underwent rigorous training in Star City, Russia.
Now, as the pilot of Ax-4, he holds a critical role, second-in-command to the mission commander, responsible for navigation, docking, and emergency manoeuvres.
Shukla, emotional yet composed, recently told the press, “As I go into space, I carry not just instruments and equipment, I carry hopes and dreams of a billion hearts. I request all Indians to pray for the success of our mission.”
From Gaganyaan to ISS – Why Shukla’s role is strategic for ISRO
India has invested Rs 500 crores in securing Shukla’s seat. It is not merely symbolic, but a tactical move to ensure ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission, which is scheduled for 2025–2027, benefits from real-time international exposure and operational readiness.
According to ISRO Chairman V Narayanan, “The benefit we will get from this mission is phenomenal in terms of the training, exposure to the facilities and the experience of jointly conducting experiments in space.”
Shukla will bring back critical insights on microgravity adaptations, international mission protocols, and space station operations. These will feed directly into ISRO’s preparations, which will help India to execute its first crewed space mission using indigenous hardware confidently.
The value of Ax-4 for India goes beyond optics. It serves as a live testbed for Gaganyaan and India’s larger ambitions to establish its own space station by 2035 and land an astronaut on the Moon by 2040.
India’s scientific contribution – Experiments that could change how we live and eat
Out of Ax-4’s 60-study suite, India will be conducting seven experiments. Each of these experiments is designed to address critical questions about sustaining life in space and on Earth. One experiment will study six varieties of crop seed to understand their adaptability in microgravity. The aim of the experiment is to advance the possibilities of space farming while also contributing to the development of climate-resilient crops on Earth. Another experiment will analyse three strains of microalgae to assess their potential use as food, fuel, or life-support components in long-duration space missions.
Researchers will also examine the resilience of tardigrades, micro-animals known for surviving extreme conditions. The experiment will help to understand how biological life might be protected in hostile space environments. A separate study will focus on muscle atrophy in zero gravity and will investigate rehabilitation methods that are crucial for the health of astronauts on extended missions. Another experiment will assess how screen interaction in microgravity affects eye movement, stress levels, and mental alertness. The findings could inform future spacecraft interface designs to support astronaut wellbeing.
A timeline to launch – When and how will Ax-4 lift off
Ax-4 has already been delayed due to adverse weather conditions twice. It is now scheduled to launch on 10th June at 8:22 AM EDT or 5:52 PM IST from Launch Complex 39A at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The four astronauts will ride aboard a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, boosted by a Falcon 9 rocket. Once separated, the capsule will autonomously dock with the ISS at approximately 12:30 PM EDT on 11th June.
The crew will remain aboard for up to 14 days, conducting scientific experiments and outreach events. They will return via splashdown off the California coast, where SpaceX recovery teams will retrieve the capsule.
About Axiom Space
Axiom Space was founded in 2016 by former NASA leaders Michael T Suffredini and Kam Ghaffarian. It has positioned itself as a disruptor in the New Space economy. Apart from operating full-service missions to the ISS, the company is also developing Axiom Station, which is a commercial successor to the ISS. It is expected to be launched before 2030.
Axiom’s previous missions included the first private Israeli astronaut and sent Saudi astronauts to space. The company conducted joint missions with the EU and has proven that privatised international missions are viable and valuable.
What it means for India – National pride, global relevance
For a generation born after 1984, the idea of an Indian astronaut has lived in nostalgic black-and-white frames of Rakesh Sharma’s flight. As Shukla is now heading to space, that memory will turn into a living, breathing 4K reality.
ISRO has confirmed that Shukla will conduct interactive sessions from space with Indian students as part of the outreach programme to inspire the next wave of engineers, astronauts, and dreamers. His journey is not just a mission but a message that Indian talent can match global standards. India’s tryst with space has only just begun, and the cosmos is not out of reach.
On Saturday (7th June), Congress MP Rahul Gandhi wrote a misleading opinion piece in The Indian Express, wherein he desperately tried to dub the party’s loss in the 2024 Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election as the result of ‘industrial-scale rigging.’
The article was titled ‘Match-fixing Maharashtra.’ At the very onset, Rahul Gandhi claimed, “The scale of rigging was so desperate that, despite all efforts to conceal it, tell-tale evidence has emerged from official statistics, without reliance on any nonofficial source, revealing a step-by-step playbook.”
How to steal an election?
Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy.
My article shows how this happened, step by step:
Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll Step 3: Inflate voter… pic.twitter.com/ntCwtPVXTu
To substantiate his outrageous claims, the Congress dynast suggested that the BJP government ‘rigged the panel for the appointment of umpires.’
He pointed out how the government removed the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the panel to appoint the Election Commissioners and ensured its 2:1 majority.
Rahul Gandhi insinuated that this was somehow an attempt to remove a ‘neutral arbiter’.
It must be mentioned that since the first election in 1951-1952 to until March 2023, the appointment of Election Commissioners were always made by the President of India on the recommendation of the Union Cabinet (100% in control of the ruling party).
Following the enactment of the 2023 Election Commissioners Appointment Act, at least 1/3rd of the selection panel has a representative from the Opposition (which did not exist during all elections that were won by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party).
The legislation introduced by the Modi government put a halt to arbitrary judicial activism and sent a strong message to the Judiciary about the powers vested in the Executive and the Legislature. Not only that, the amendment by the Modi government actually ended the brute power that the ruling party had in the appointment of the election commissioners – a luxury that Congress gave itself for the decades it was in power. Earlier, as explained, the party in power at the centre could arbitrarily decide the election commissioners, it was the Modi government, which diluted its own power (a power Congress enjoyed in power) by including the leader of opposition in the process as well.
While Rahul Gandhi criticises the Modi government for making the process fair, he must also remember that when Congress was in power, Sonia Gandhi, the Super PM, appointed the Election Commissioners despite not holding any constitutional post and power to do so. It is often said that those who have a lot to hide accuse others of what they themselves are guilty of – this adage seems to be an appropriate one for Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party.
Misleading claims of inflated voter registration
Rahul Gandhi also misled the readers of The Indian Express about ‘inflated registration of new voters. He falsely claimed that the number of voters in the 2024 Maharashtra election were higher than the total number of adults in the State.
He had alleged, “Election Commission (EC) data show that the number of registered voters in Maharashtra in the 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections was 8.98 crore, which rose five years later to 9.29 crore for the May 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But a mere five months later, by the November 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections, the number had leaped to 9.70 crore. A crawl of 31 lakh in five years, then a leap of 41 lakh in just five months.”
If we look at the historic data on the number of voters added between the past 5 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections—without considering the results—the percentage increase in the number of voters between Lok Sabha Elections and Assembly Elections has remained almost the same four times, at around 4%.
Source: Election Commission of India
It can be attributed to the table above. As it is evident, while 4.26% of voters increased in 2024, 1.31% increased in 2019, 3.48% in 2014, 4.13% in 2009 and 4.69% (more than 2024) in 2004.
Further, when these allegations were dismissed by the Election Commission of India right after Rahul Gandhi had made the exact same noise post the election, it was made clear that Congress was involved in the voter registration process and had access to the lists. No objections were raised at the time.
The EC had emphasized that all political parties, including Congress, had access to the voter lists. In fact, the process was overseen by 97,000 Booth Level Officers and 1.03 lakh Booth Level Agents, including 27,099 appointed by Congress itself.
If Rahul Gandhi truly believes that the voter registration numbers were inflated, he should perhaps question the 27,099 booth level agents appointed by his own party why they didn’t catch it. Or more pertinently, was it them who “inflated the numbers” that Rahul Gandhi imagines as inflated?
As such, the desperate attempt by Rahul Gandhi to link higher voter registration to fraud falls flat.
Rahul Gandhi lies about ‘inflated’ voter turnout
The Gandhi scion alleged fraud in the voter turnout on the election day.
He claimed, “The polling turnout at 5 pm was 58.22 per cent. Even after voting closed, however, turnout kept increasing more and more. The final turnout was reported only the next morning to be 66.05 per cent. This unprecedented 7.83 percentage point increase is equivalent to 76 lakh voters — much higher than previous Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra.”
The Election Commission had debunked this repetitive lie of the Congress party back in November 2024.
In Maharashtra, Voters were in queue at 6 pm in many of the polling stations. In Jharkhand, there are less than thirty thousand polling booths. In Maharashtra there are more than one lac polling booths. (2/2)
Maharashtra Chief Electoral Office S. Chockalingam had pointed out back then that the increase in voter turnout after polling hours was not unusual and based on standard procedures.
“In Maharashtra, voters were in queue at 6 p.m. in many of the polling stations. Even in 2019, the percentages were 54.43% (approx) at 5 p.m. and 61.10% at final [count]. In urban and semi-urban areas, which constitute a large chunk in Maharashtra, a large number of voters come in the evening,” he had stated.
“It is important to note that two-hourly voter turnout information on the day of polling up to 5 p.m. is based on oral telephonic communication only. On the other hand, Form-17C which is given at the ‘Close of Poll’ to polling agents, matches with the final percentage and votes counted. Information in Form-17 C is matched by Candidate’s counting agents while counting,” the Chief Electoral Officer further emphasised.
The ECI had also clarified that the average voting rate is that of 58 lakh votes per hour – which means that up to 1.16 crore votes could have been cast in the final two hours. In the elections that Rahul Gandhi is trying to discredit, 65 lakh votes were recorded in the final two hours – which can actually be considered below average. Despite these pointed clarifications, Rahul Gandhi continues to lie.
Rahul Gandhi deliberately conflates Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha results
The Gandhi scion tried to rationalise the Congress party’s disastrous performance in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election by conflating it with the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the State.
“The BJP bagged 132 out of the 149 seats it contested in the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections, a strike rate of 89 per cent, far beyond what it has scored any time or anywhere. In comparison, the BJP’s strike rate in the Lok Sabha elections only five months earlier had been 32 per cent,” he alleged by making a selective list of booths where Congress performed poorly.
It is a known fact that electorates vote differently during Lok Sabha election and Vidhan Sabha election. A case study can be drawn from the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Odisha and the Vidhan Sabha election, which was carried out simultaneously.
But the results were starkly different. While the BJP secured 38% of the seats (8 out of 21) in the Lok Sabha poll in Odisha, it won only 15.6% of the seats (23 out of 147) in the Vidhan Sabha election.
As pointed out earlier, the polls were conducted together. In Maharashtra’s case, there was a difference of 5 months between the two elections.
A deliberate attempt was thus made by Rahul Gandhi to paint differential voting pattern across two different elections as evidence of ‘rigging.’
Lies about hiding ‘evidence trail’
The Congress party has a habit of peddling lies and then conveniently shifting goalposts, when met with criticism and facts.
It started out by casting aspersions about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), then voter turnouts and even addition/ deletion of electoral rolls (which have been debunked by the Election Commission from time to time).
Rahul Gandhi tried to demonise the Election Commission by claiming, “The EC has met all Opposition queries with silence and even aggression.”
In reality, the nodal electoral body has been upfront about addressing concerns raised by the Congress party about the Maharashtra election from the start.
The Gandhi scion further alleged, “It summarily dismissed requests to make available voter rolls with photos for the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.”
As a matter of fact, detailed information on voters for each constituency in Maharashtra is publicly available on the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maharashtra’s website.
Rahul Gandhi did not stop here but also suggested collusion between the ruling BJP government and the Election Commission in ‘concealment of evidence.’ The Indian Express published his litany of lies without any verification or fact-checking.
Did BJP win in “most of the seats” voters increased?
Rahul Gandhi in his Indian Express article claims, “There are about 1 lakh booths in Maharashtra, but most added voters were targeted in only about 12,000 booths across 85 constituencies in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had performed poorly in the last Lok Sabha elections. That’s an average of over 600 voters at each booth after 5 pm. Optimistically assuming that each voter needs a minute to vote, voting would need to continue for 10 hours. Since this never happened, it begs the question — how were the extra votes cast? Not surprisingly, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won most of these 85 seats”.
First and foremost, one has to marvel at the infinite capacity of Rahul Gandhi to spin yarns that defy all logic. Gandhi claims that it would take 10 hours (600 minutes) for 600 people to cast their vote and therefore, the voter turnout numbers were “inflated” because that would be an impossible feat. Maybe Rahul Gandhi votes in some other country as well and conflated the calculations, but in India at least, it certainly does not take 1 minute to cast a vote. Once a person’s turn comes, it takes a maximum of 30 seconds perhaps to walk up to the machine, wait, vote, see the VVPAT slip and leave. Further, Rahul Gandhi assumes that each booth would have only 1 polling room and 1 voting machine. That too, is not the case. Each polling booth has multiples rooms and therefore, multiple people actually vote simultaneously in the same booth.
Further, Rahul Gandhi’s claim that BJP won most of the 85 booths which recorded an increase in voter registration is also wildly false. There are several seats – 53 of them – where there was an increase in voter turnout and the seat was not won by BJP, but opposition parties.
Take Mumbadevi for example. There was an increase of 5,730 voters here from 2024 Lok Sabha to 2024 Vidhan Sabha. Congress won this seat with a margin of 36,566 votes, which is 6 times the increase in voter registration.
Palus Kadegaon too was won by Congress. Here, the increase in electors was 8,291 and Congress won by a margin of 30,064 votes.
In Nagpur North, the increase in electors was 23,421 and Congress won with a 28,467 margin.
In Dharavi, the increase in electors was 8,653 and Congress won with a margin of 23,459 votes.
In total, there were 16 seats which recorded an increase in voters and Congress won those seats. In 37 other seats which clocked an increase in electors, other opposition parties won.
One has to wonder – is it Rahul Gandhi’s argument that BJP “rigged” the elections only to ensure that 53 seats were won by its opposing parties? Either that, or Rahul Gandhi, as usual, is lying through his teeth.
Conclusion
Towards the end of his vicious, falsehood-ridden opinion piece, Rahul Gandhi who himself have been casting aspersions on the Election Commission suggested ‘public apprehensions’ about the conduct of 2024 Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election.
“There is apprehension that this election rigging playbook has been in play for years. Doubtless, the examination of records will also throw up the modus operandi and the cast of complicit characters. However, the Opposition and the public are blocked at every turn from accessing these records,” he alleged.
Instead of self-introspection and course correction, the Congress party is back at its usual blame game tactics, conspiracy theories, and outlandish claims of institutional corruption (wherever it fails to win elections).
The development comes at a time when India is fighting Pakistan as part of ‘Operation Sindoor’ meant to avenge the killings of innocent civilians (primarily Hindus) in the Pahalgam terror attack.
While the Modi government has sent multi-party delegations to keep India’s narrative forward, Rahul Gandhi is busy beating the dead horse of 2024 Maharashtra election.
It is crystal clear that the drubbing faced by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (of which the Congress party is an ally) in the Maharashtra elections, conducted 7 months earlier, still haunts the Gandhi scion.
In a tragic incident, a teenage girl in Arizona, United States lost her life while performing the ‘dusting challenge’, the new online trend. 19-year-old Renna O’Rourke, went into cardiac arrest while attempting the deadly viral social media trend called the ‘dusting’ or ‘chroming’.
The dusting challenge is a viral social media trend in which the participants are required to record themselves sniffing keyboard cleaning spray to get high and gain views on their profiles and posts. As per reports, Renna O’Rourke was trying this challenge when she went into cardiac arrest. She was rushed to the hospital where she remained for a week before being declared brain dead. She died of sudden sniffing syndrome.
Her parents had no idea
Grieving parents of Renna O’Rourke heard about the dusting challenge for the first time after their daughter fell victim to it. Her father, Aaron O’Rourke, recalls how she used to tell him that she would get famous one day. “She always said, ‘I’m gonna be famous, Dad. Just you watch. I’m gonna be famous,’ and unfortunately, this is not under the most optimal of circumstances,” said the heartbroken father.
Renna’s mother, Dana O’Rourke said that the challenge is easily accessible to youngsters as it requires no ID proof. “There’s no ID required. It’s odorless. It’s everything kids look for. They can afford it, they can get it, and it doesn’t show in mom and dad’s drug test,” the mother said.
After losing their child to the dangerous social media challenge, the parents are now trying to spread awareness about the social media trend to prevent other children from falling victim to it.
How the trend is threatening the lives of youngsters
Describing the dangers of the social media trend, Dr Randy Weisman, the head of the Intensive Care Unit at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Centre, said that the trend is “extremely concerning”. He said that when the participants inhale the chemicals while trying the challenge, the oxygen in their lungs and bodies is replaced by the chemicals. This can make them feel high for a few minutes but it causes irreversible and fatal damage to their bodies.
“When they inhale these chemicals in the gas it will actually replace the oxygen within their lungs and within the rest of their body,” the doctor explained adding that it can lead to failure of liver, heart or lungs.
“She’s not the only one that this has happened to. Several other teenagers have succumbed to this same disorder,” the doctor said.
This is not the first time that a dangerous social media trend has resulted in loss of life. Several similarly dangerous social media challenges have emerged over the last few years which have resulted in the death of naive youngsters. One such challenge called the Blue Whale Challenge surfaced in 2016. It was an online game which involved performing 50 tasks over a period of 50 days which ultimately ended in the participants committing suicide. Several youngsters are said to have lost their lives due to this game.
How to protect teenagers from this dangerous trend
The very obvious step is to have regular interactions with your child and educate them about the risks involved with following these dangerous online trends. Making them aware about the dangers is the very first step.
Social media companies can also play a major role in this. This dusting challenge has gone viral thanks to videos shared on TikTok and other social media apps. These apps can take note of the content being shared on their platforms, and can censor or remove these dangerous challenges that they know jeopardise the health of immature kids who don’t know any better than following the latest trend.
Another area that can be looked at is bringing in new laws. Making sure that minors can’t buy the substances that can be dangerous to them and can be used for self-harm is another step that can be taken. In fact, Renna’s parents are planning to advocate for this measure so that another teen doesn’t lose their lives like their daughter.
Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the interim govt of Bangladesh, on Friday announced that the much-awaited elections will take place in first half of April in 2026. Addressing the nation on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, he said that the Election Commission will provide a detailed roadmap for the elections in due course.
The Chief Advisor said, “After reviewing the ongoing reform activities related to trial, reform, and elections, I am announcing to the nation today that the next national election will be held any day in the first half of April 2026. Based on this announcement, the election commission will unveil a detailed election roadmap to you at an appropriate time.”
He said that the interim govt had three major tasks, reform, justice and elections. He said, “In that regard, I believe that by the next Eid-ul-Fitr, we will be able to reach an acceptable point on reform and justice. Especially, all will be able to see visible progress on the trial of crimes against humanity – which is the government’s collective responsibility towards the martyrs of the July mass uprising.”
He added that the govt has “held discussions with all parties to organise the most free, fair, competitive and acceptable elections in history.” Yunus said, “There is immense public and political interest regarding the timing of the election. As I’ve said before, it will be held between December and June. The government is working to ensure an environment conducive to a credible election within this timeframe.”
Notably, Yunus has been saying for last several months that the elections will take place between December 2025 and June 2026. On the other hand, several political parties, specifically the BNP, have been demanding polls by December this year. They say that the elections should take place first and major changes in the constitution should be done by an elected government.
On the other, some other parties including Jamaat-e-Islami say that the elections should take place only after reforms are completed.
Notably, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman had also said that elections should take place before December 2025. He had added that the interim govt should not take major decisions like allowing a UN corridor to Myanmar through Bangladesh and handing over operations of Chittagong port to foreign companies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he has been invited by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to attend the G7 summit in Canada later this month. The G7 summit is being held in Kananaskis in Alberta from 15th to 17th June. PM Modi also confirmed that he will attend the summit, as he added in his post on X, “Look forward to our meeting at the Summit.”
Notably, the invitation comes amid claims that India was not being invited to the summit over deteriorated bilateral ties between India and Canada. Several media houses had published reports claiming that India has not been invited, prompting the Congress party to launch an attack on the Modi government.
Bloomberg led the misinformation with its report on 5th June, as its headline claimed “Modi Not Invited to G-7 Summit in Sign of Frayed Canada Ties.” Citing unnamed officials in Delhi, the report claimed that the Indian PM has not received an invitation to the summit. It added that it is the host nation’s prerogative to invite non-members.
G7 is a group of seven nations- US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan. However, every year, some non-member countries are also invited to attend the summit. India has been regularly invited to join the G7 summit since 2019.
The Bloomberg article was reproduced by several Indian media houses, including Financial Times and National Herald. Pakistan’s Dawn also published a report with the same claim.
On the other hand, some other reports claimed that PM Modi will not attend the summit even if he is invited. India Today said that Indian government is not inclined to attend, citing govt sources saying that the relationship must improve before any such high-profile visit takes place.
Moreover, the report cited security concerns that need to be addressed if PM Modi visits Canada, given the increasing Khalistani activities in the country.
Times of India also said that PM Narendra Modi is unlikely to attend the upcoming G7 summit in Canada. It said that any last-minute invitation will not be considered by the Indian govt because of logistical constraints.
In the meanwhile, the Congress party used the supposed non-invitation to target the Modi government, calling it a “big diplomatic bungle” after the “blunder” of allowing Donald Trump to mediate between India and Pakistan.
Senior Congress leader Jaram Ramesh said that when G7 was G8 including Russia till 2014, then PM Manmohan Singh was regularly invited to its summits. Adding that invitations continued even after 2014, the ‘non-invitation’ this year is “yet another major diplomatic blunder.”
G7 शिखर सम्मेलन 15 जून 2025 से कनाडा के अल्बर्टा प्रांत के कानानास्किस में आयोजित हो रहा है। इस सम्मेलन में अमेरिका और फ्रांस के राष्ट्रपतियों, ब्रिटेन, जापान, इटली और कनाडा के प्रधानमंत्रियों तथा जर्मनी के चांसलर की भागीदारी होगी।
Therefore, all the claims regarding the G7 summit, that India is not invited, and that PM Modi will not attend even if he is invited, have been proven wrong. Canadian PM Mark Carney called PM Modi to extend the invitation, and PM Modi said that he will attend the summit and meet the Canadian PM.
Congress prince Rahul Gandhi is on a tour to Bihar. He reached Gaya, went to “Mountain Man” Dashrath Manjhi’s village, garlanded his statue, met his family and pretended to love Dalits with great pomp and show. The purpose of all this performative tribute was to show ‘love for Dalits’, however, what happened there exposed the Rahul Gandhi’s fake love for Dalits.
Rahul Gandhi did not even look at Dashrath Manjhi’s statue while garlanding it
Garlanding a statue of a historical or reputed figure is a way of showing respect towards that figure, however, Rahul Gandhi’s tribute to Dashrath Manjhi was devoid of respect. Rahul Gandhi reached Dashrath Manjhi Memorial in Gehlaur village of Gayaji district. There he offered garland to the statue of Mountain Man. But the way he did it can make anyone’s heart turn sour. He offered garland twice, but did not even look at the statue.
Rahul Gandhi completed this ‘work’ in the same way, with one hand, tilting it as if he was doing something forcefully. The facial expressions, the glances towards the statue and the way of garlanding the statue – everything clearly showed that for Rahul Gandhi this was not genuine respect or devotion but rather political compulsion. Garland tilted with one hand, garlanding twice in a hurry without making eye contact and moving ahead.
#WATCH | Bihar: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visits Dashrath Manjhi Memorial in Gaya, along with the family of Dashrath Manjhi. pic.twitter.com/EaQB3GDqQb
People are also taunting that there is no need to put in any effort in garlanding Rahul Baba. Perhaps they are thinking that just let the photo be taken, the rest of the people will vote anyway.
Who was Dashrath Manjhi, who house Rahul Gandhi visited to gain political mileage
Dashrath Manjhi, also known as the Mountain Man, carved a path by cutting the mountain for 22 years. If Dashrath Manjhi is famous today, it is because of Rahul Gandhi’s family, clan, party, because the mismanagement due to which Dashrath Manjhi’s wife Falguni died in 1959 was the result of the Congress government of that time. From 1960 to 1982, Manjhi cut the mountain single-handedly, but the Congress governments remained conveniently indifferent as if in hibernation.
Even before this, Congress dominated the politics of India and Bihar and even after that Congress ruled for a long time, but instead of development work, the Congress party turned a blind eye to the problems and troubles of the common people. No roads were built, no hospitals, no help was provided. Congress not only took 22 years to take care of the path that Manjhi made with his hard work, but never took care of it at all. Today Rahul Gandhi is meeting the family of the same Dashrath Manjhi and praising his greatness.
Congress’s history of neglecting Dalits
Beyond the political theatrics, a careful look into the history of Congress, introduces one to the party’s legacy of ignoring Dalits. From the time of Dashrath Manjhi to later, Congress ruled Bihar for a long time. But what changed? There were no roads, no hospitals, no schools in the villages. People like Manjhi kept cutting mountains risking their lives and the Congress governments were busy in the politics of power. Later when the governments of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, who were allies of Congress, came, even then no one took care of Manjhi. For 15 years Lalu-Rabri pushed Bihar into jungle raj, and did nothing for people like Manjhi, all while pretending to be the messiah of the marginalised and poor.
It was the JDU’s Nitish Kumar and BJP duo, who got the road built by Manjhi paved. Nitish Kumar honoured Dashrath Manjhi, built a road in his name and sent his name for Padmashri. Not only this, he also gave him a state farewell after his death. But Rahul Gandhi is today going to Manjhi’s village and is eulogising the Mountain Man to garner support of Dalits.
Dear Rahul Gandhi, if your party had paid a little attention at that time towards building basic infrastructure, then perhaps Manjhi would not have had to break the mountain with a hammer and chisel for 22 years.
Manjhi’s family and the politics of Congress ticket
Now let’s talk about Manjhi’s family. Dashrath Manjhi’s son Bhagirath Manjhi has joined the Congress. The family is now asking for a ticket from the Congress for the assembly elections . This is the same family, which the Congress never even asked about while Dashrath Manjhi was alive. Manjhi was alive till 2007, however the Congress party did not bother to look after him. Now when the assembly elections in Bihar are near, Rahul Gandhi remembered Manjhi’s village. He got photos clicked holding Bhagirath Manjhi’s hand, made videos and made them viral on social media. But the question is, is all this true love for Dalits, or is it a drama done for votes?
The Congress’s party’s shrewd tactic needs to be understood here. Congress has centered its entire leadership in Bihar around Dalits. The party’s command in the state has been handed over to Rajesh Ram. When he reached Darbhanga, he entered the Ambedkar hostel without permission and started interacting with Dalit students. When he reached Patna, he started watching a Phule film. When he reached Rajgir, he conducted a dialogue program with Dalits and tribals.
And now by visiting the Mountain Man’s house and offering garlands, Rahul Gandhi is continuing this pattern.. Perhaps, he will also give a ticket to Manjhi’s family for the assembly elections, so that he can prove himself to be the messiah of Dalits, but the public understands everything. If the Congress was so concerned about Dalits, then why did it forget Manjhi for 22 years? Why did it not pay attention even after his death 27 years later? Now when the need for votes arose, the drama of offering garlands and taking photographs has started.
Gandhi family’s anti-Dalit history
The Gandhi family’s attitude towards Dalits has always been questionable. During Indira Gandhi’s time, Babu Jagjivan Ram was prevented from becoming the Prime Minister, just because he was a Dalit. Not only this, Indira got his son’s sex scandal published in her daughter-in-law’s newspaper, so that Jagjivan Ram’s image is tarnished. Is this the Gandhi family’s love for Dalits? Today Rahul Gandhi is visiting Dalit homes in Bihar, but his heart is not there at all. Look at his face while offering garlands, it seems as if someone is forcing him to do so.
This Bihar tour of Rahul Gandhi is his fifth tour in the last five months. First Darbhanga, Patna, Samastipur, West Champaran and now Gaya, Rajgir, Bodhgaya. Everywhere the same drama – offer garland, get a photo clicked and make it viral on social media. Went to Jarasandha Memorial in Rajgir, offered garland to the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar and then met people from the extremely backward society. But how true is all this? If there was so much concern for Dalits and backward people, then what did Congress do for them in its 60 years of rule? BJP is also making the same allegation.
Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar tour and his visit to Dashrath Manjhi’s village is a well-planned political drama. The pretence of offering garlands, the drama of meeting the family and the viral video on social media – all this is for votes. Congress has a history of ignoring Dalits and the poor. Dashrath Manjhi cut mountains for 22 years, but Congress governments did not take care of him because Congress has a history of making promises, giving slogans but not turning them into reality. Today Rahul Gandhi is going to Manjhi’s village and praising his greatness, but the truth is that Manjhi did not get the respect he should have got under Congress rule.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed that no decision has been made to cancel any bilateral agreements with India, including the historic 1972 Simla Agreement, just a day after defence minister Khawaja Asif called the agreement “a dead document.” A senior foreign office official stated that although recent events have prompted internal deliberations in Islamabad, no formal steps have been taken to revoke current accords with New Delhi.
“At present, there is no formal decision to terminate any bilateral accord,” an official conveyed. He stated that all treaties, including the Simla Agreement, continue to be in effect. The defense minister claimed in a televised interview on 3rd June that the Simla Agreement was no longer relevant due to India’s “unilateral actions,” including the withdrawal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
“The Simla Agreement is now a dead document. We are back to the 1948 position, when the United Nations declared the Line of Control a ceasefire line,” he alleged relating it to the initial conflict between India and Pakistan. He added that the agreement’s intended bilateral framework has broken down, making multilateral or international institutions necessary to resolve future conflicts. He also raised concerns regarding the feasibility of alternative agreements such as the Indus Waters Treaty which was suspended by India, implying that “Simla is already over.”
This clarification is provided in light of the rising tensions that have emerged after the Pahalgam terror attack on 22nd April, along with the Indian strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7th, as well as the following attacks on critical military installations in the Islamic Republic in response to the assaults on civilian areas in the border states, especially Jammu and Kashmir.
Khawaja Asif recently grabbed eyeballs when he made a mockery of hismelf on CNN as he attributed his nation’s claims of having downed five Indian fighter jets, including Rafales during “Operation Sindoor” to ‘social media posts.’ Pakistan has been relentless in its propaganda in light of the rising tensions between the two countries.
“It is all on social media, and Indian social media, not our social media. The debris of the jets fell on their side. It is all over the Indian media,” he replied when CNN interviewer Becky Anderson asked him for any concrete evidence to back the claims. “You’re the defence minister, sir. The reason to talk to you today, is not to talk about content all over social media,” she interjected and pointed out that he was not summoned to talk about social media content but rather to present genuine proof.
When she again urged him to substantiate his statement with evidence, inquiring whether any Chinese equipment was utilized to bring down the Rafael jets, he denied and then continued to stumble over his words.
