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Credit appraisal not needed for small ticket loans up to ₹2.5 lakh with gold given as collateral: RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra

ANI
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Credit appraisal not needed for small ticket loans up to ₹2.5 lakh with gold given as collateral: RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra

The credit appraisal for small ticket loans up to 2.5 lakh Rupees where gold is given as collateral will not be needed, said Sanjay Malhotra, Governor of the Reserve bank of India (RBI).

The RBI Governor said that the regulations on the gold loans were draughted, and final guidelines will be released by Friday evening or at the latest by Monday.

Speaking during the press conference after announcing the outcome of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), Governor Malhotra said, “There was nothing new in this (draft) that we have released. We have consolidated and reiterated our old rules. Because it was seen that some regulated entities were not following them. Because there was no clarity in it… whatever the final regulation is, we will release it if not today, then by Monday.”

The statement comes after the government last month asked the RBI to see that the needs of small gold loan borrowers are not affected by the central bank’s proposed new rules on lending against gold as collateral.

The Finance Ministry in a post on social media platform X informed that it has suggested to the central bank that Draft Directions on Lending Against Gold Collateral issued by the RBI have been reviewed by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the guidance of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The DFS has shared its suggestions with the RBI and requested the central bank to ensure that the new rules do not make it difficult for small borrowers to get gold loans. These borrowers often depend on small-ticket loans to meet urgent personal or business needs.

The finance ministry also said that these new guidelines may require time to be implemented properly at the ground level. Therefore, the DFS has suggested that the RBI implement the new directions from January 1, 2026.

To further protect small borrowers, the ministry has proposed that those taking loans below Rs 2 lakh should be kept out of the new requirements. This, it said, would help ensure faster and smoother disbursal of small gold loans.

The RBI is currently getting feedback from stakeholders on the draft guidelines. The Finance Ministry said that it expects the RBI to carefully consider the concerns raised by various stakeholders and suggestions from the public before finalising the rules.

The Reserve Bank of India draft guidelines to harmonise regulations for loans against gold as collateral will be applicable to banks, cooperative banks, and NBFCs.

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

Madras HC slams Stalin govt for opening more liquor shops in the state instead of striving to enforce prohibition, orders closure of a TASMAC shop causing nuisance

OpIndia Staff
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Madras HC slams Stalin govt for opening more liquor shops in the state instead of striving to enforce prohibition, orders closure of a TASMAC shop causing nuisance

Ordering the closing down of a Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor shop located on a roadside. While passing the order, Madras High Court pulled up the MK Stalin government in Tamil Nadu saying that a welfare government should strive to enforce prohibition rather than establishing more TASMAC shops which adversely affect public health. TASMAC is a company owned by the Tamil Nadu state government, having a monopoly over wholesale and retail branding of alcohol beverages in the state.

“…it is a constitutional philosophy and the Directive principles insist that a welfare Government should strive wholeheartedly to enforce prohibition, rather than establish more TASMAC shops which adversely affect public health,” said a bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and Justice AD Maria Clete.

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court told the Tamil Nadu government that it was contradictory for a welfare state to establish more hospitals on one hand, and simultaneously establish TASMAC shops on the other. The court added that a welfare state should strive to prohibit alcohol beverages in a gradual, phased manner to reduce harm to public health.

“It is contradictory for a welfare Government to establish more hospitals on the one hand and simultaneously establish TASMAC shops on the other. This is not in consonance with the constitutional ethos. When the right to health is a fundamental right, the State must ensure that the prohibition is slowly implemented in a phased manner to reduce harm to the public health,” the court observed.

The court’s remarks came during the hearing of a petition seeking closing down of a TASMAC shop located at Trichy Road in Dindigul Town. The petitioner, K Kannan, informed the court that the shop was located on a road which was used by school children and was causing nuisance to passers-by. He added that because of the shop, the commuters were finding it difficult to use the road freely.

Counsel for TASMAC opposed the petition claiming that the shop was located within a commercial area. He claimed that this exempted the shop from the restriction that no shop should be established in areas having an educational institution or a place of worship within a distance of 50 metres. Rejecting the claim, the court said that mere adherence to the distance criterion did not suffice when other mitigating circumstances were raised by aggrieved citizens. The court noted that the shop was causing inconvenience to school-going children and other commuters.

“In view of the fact that the closure of one TASMAC shop would not cause any prejudice but would rather benefit the public at large, this Court is inclined to consider the relief sought for. Consequently, the respondents are directed to forthwith close the TASMAC shop No.3110 situated at Trichy Road, Dindigul Town, within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order,” the court ordered.

Supreme Court allows NBE to reschedule NEET-PG exam on 3 August after number of centres doubled due to the court’s order to conduct it in single shift

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court allows NBE to reschedule NEET-PG exam on 3 August after number of centres doubled due to the court’s order to conduct it in single shift

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences to reschedule the NEET-PG exam to August 3, 2025. A bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Augustine George Masih allowed NBE to postpone the exam as the number of centres have doubled.

Originally, the exam was scheduled to be held on 15th June. But on 30 May, the Supreme Court ordered that the NEET-PG will be held in a single shift, instead of two shifts. Following this order, NBE said that it will need to double the number of exam centres to accommodate all the candidates in a single shift, and approached the apex court seeking extension of time.

NBE said that more time is needed for security and other arrangements at 900 centres instead of originally planned 450. It had added that 3 June is the nearest available date for the same.

During the hearing today, the court initially questioned NBE why it needs so much time to hold the exam, saying it should be held in second or third week in July.

NBE’s counsel said that time is needed to ensure that the exam is not compromised in any way. He said that selecting new centres and making all the arrangements will take time. He also presented a letter sent by TCS, which said that the earlier the exam can be held in double the number of centres is 3 June.

When the bench asked why the exam can’t be held in July, NBE pleaded to grant next hearing on Monday to come up with more explanation. However, the court decided to accept the request and dispose the petition.

The bench said that it was satisfied that the NBE’s prayer was bona fide and allowed it to conduct the exam on August 3, 2025. The bench further clarified that no further time extension will be granted.

RCB’s parade of death: Karnataka govt knew, cops warned, but political clout crushed public safety—How police plea was ignored and lives lost

Shraddha Pandey
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RCB’s parade of death: Karnataka govt knew, cops warned, but political clout crushed public safety—How police plea was ignored and lives lost

In the Bengaluru stampede case, it has emerged that the Karnataka State cricket Association (KSCA) had written to the Karnataka government on 3rd June, asking for a felicitation ceremony for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team at the Vidhana Soudha.

The KSCA letter addressed to the secretary of the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR), informed the government that in case RCB wins the final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL), DNA Entertainment Network, an event management firm, would plan a felicitation ceremony at the Vidhana Soudha Grand Steps.

“On behalf of the M/s. DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited, KSCA requests to inform that after the TATA IPL 2025 Finals on 3rd June 2025, in case Royal Challengers Bengaluru wins the IPL 2025 title, M/s. DNA Entertainment Networks shall make plans for the felicitation ceremony at the Vidhana Soudha Grand Steps,” the letter signed by KSCA’s Chief Executive Officer Shubhendu Ghosh stated.

The letter further mentions about the guest list which included Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

“This is also to inform that the Honourable Chief Minister and the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister shall be gracing the occasion & felicitating the RCB Players & Support Staff (sic),” the KSCA letter stated, adding that the Association would extend full cooperation to the authorities.

This letter was received by the government by 7:30 pm on 3rd June, which essentially means that the government was fully aware that massive celebrations would happen if RCB wins its maiden IPL title.

KSCA, RCB and the Karnataka government announced celebrations even as Bengaluru Police denied permission: Clout chasing trumped public safety?

As reported earlier, the Bengaluru Police have filed a case against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Karnataka State Cricket Association, and DNA Entertainment over the stampede on Wednesday, June 4, that killed 11 and left 56 injured.

As per the FIR filed by Cubbon Police Inspector, the police was under strain after a massive crowd gathered at the MG Road, Church Street, UB City, and Vittal Mallya Road late on 3rd June to celebrate RCB’s victory over Punjab Kings. All the police officers from Cubbon Park Police Station and the sub-division were on duty till 5:30 AM the next morning.

However, regardless of the mounting pressure on the local police to handle the swelling crowd on 3rd June, KSCA CEO Shubhendu Ghosh reached the police station to obtain permission for holding a grand celebration at the stadium the following evening, as per the FIR. The police, however, denied the request, citing possible overcrowding and requirement of time to ensure safety arrangements.

“It was clearly conveyed to KSCA that holding an event on 4 June could lead to massive crowding, disrupt public movement, and pose serious safety challenges. Permission was denied,” the FIR states.

Despite the police’s denial of permission, the organisers allegedly pushed ahead regardless.

OpIndia pointed out earlier that the Bengaluru traffic police had posted on X saying that no victory parade will take place. However, after RCB franchise’s official handle posted that the parade will indeed take place, the Bengaluru traffic police deleted its post.

The RCB on the team’s social media pages on Wednesday (4th June), posted that the victory parade will take place at 5 pm and also announced limited free passes. This came hours after the Bengaluru Police had stated that no such parade will take place due to security reasons. The local police also denied permission for an open-top bus parade.

Now the FIR is also reported to have mentioned that RCB’s official handles began announcing victory parades and celebrations, inviting fans to the Chinnaswamy stadium. These posts, however, were published without any official clearance. Since emotions were running high among RCB fans and their passion to get glimpse of their cricket icons, around 2 to 3 lakh people gathered outside the stadium, which has capacity of only 32,000.

“RCB, DNA Networks, and KSCA went ahead with the event despite being denied permission. They failed to plan fan entry, gave misleading information about passes, and let misinformation circulate on social media, prompting lakhs to gather,” the FIR adds.

The complaint has been filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 125(12) (acts endangering life or personal safety of others), Section 142 (unlawful assembly), Section 121 (abetment of an offence), and Section 190 (liability of members of an unlawful assembly for offences committed in pursuit of a common object).

As per reports, the RCB management exerted pressure on Karnataka’s political leadership to hold immediate victory celebrations on 4th June even as the police sought time make proper plans for crowd management and then organise the event. The police wanted time to carry out mock assessment before holding such a big event, however, the RCB management and the government remained indifferent.

The police officials were already handling crowd on 3rd June and were exhausted due to continuous duty, they deserved a break and some time to regain their strength, make proper plans for crowd management and then the celebrations should have been organised. By then, the emotions of RCB fans would also have settled, however, RCB’s insensitivity, Congress government’s desperation to gain political mileage and restlessness of fans took centre stage and public safety.

So far, four people, including the Head of Marketing And Revenue of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, have been arrested in this case.

The police wanted the celebratory event to be organised after a week, however, the RCB management did not heed their advice and exerted political pressure to make sure that immediate celebrations are held.

“RCB chairman is the main guy responsible for the fiasco. Home Minister (G Parameshwara) also agreed with our assessment. He was over ruled. There was no time to plan,” a police source told TimesNow.

“Whole night till 4 every cop was busy. How can you prepare something by afternoon? For such a big event, we carry out a mock assessment. However, we did not get time to do it this time. Had we gone a day or two, we would have prevented it,” the police source added.

In a face saving move, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced that several top officials including Bengaluru Commissioner of Police has been suspended. T he CM said that the Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police, and DCP of the central division and the Cricket Stadium in-charge have been suspended. Along with them, the Police Inspector, Station House Master and Station House Officer of Cubbon Park Police Station have also been suspended.

The Congress government’s attempt at shifting the blame on police to evade accountability has sparked criticism. Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao called the move “the darkest day in the history of Karnataka Police” adding that the Karnataka government is acting in “panic mode”.

Even as the news of a stampede broke on Wednesday, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar arrived at the stadium for celebrations and said how he is very proud of RCB and Karnataka and Kohli’s loyalty has paid royalty.

Inside the stadium, celebrations were going on, with Karnataka CM and deputy CM and RCB players and management rejoicing, all while the fans of the same team were dying, enduring injuries and battling to come out alive. While it is being said that people inside the stadium were largely unaware of what tragedy unfolded outside the stadium, however, it is impossible that the state’s chief minister and deputy chief minister, who are responsible for ensuring the safety of their people, especially during such massive events, were unaware of the stampede.

While the police was repeatedly denying permission for the event and seeking a later date for the same, deputy CM posted on X giving out open invitation to everyone to join the celebrations of RCB’s victory despite knowing the fact that the fan frenzy was uncontrollable. The Congress government hastened the celebrations even as there was a lack of adequate security and crowd management arrangements.

Despite knowing the popularity of RCB in Bengaluru and the significance of the franchise’s first IPL title, the state government grossly underestimated the turnout or perhaps they were not much concerned about the possibility of a stampede-like situation as they were engrossed in encashing the triumphant moment.

The Congress government was very well aware of the kind of crowd that would turn up if RCB wins and an immediate celebration is organised in the city. As more and more details emerge, it is becoming clearer that the government made a huge blunder by allowing immediate celebrations that transformed a moment of joy into a gut-wrenching tragedy.

Reports say that around 5,000 police personnel were deployed, however, this number was woefully inadequate for a crowd of lakhs in such a small place. There was a lack of proper barricades, entry protocols, and crowd dispersal strategies leading fans who were already running high on emotions to breach gates, climb over barriers. Meanwhile, the collapse of a temporary slap over a drain under the weight of the crowd near the stadium also contributed to escalating panic.

Besides, rumours of free tickets being distributed at the main entrance became nothing less than a death trap as massive crowd turned over to claim their free tickets even though there no such official announcement.

While the stampede unfolded outside Chinnaswamy stadium, the state’s Chief Minister, Deputy CM and other leaders appeared disconnected from the crisis. Their celebratory mood persisted even as the reports of the stampede emerged, with the event inside the stadium continuing as if nothing tragic happened at all. A lap of honour and brief speeches continued for about 30 minutes and eventually the program was abruptly halted.

Rajasthan: POCSO Court denies bail to Bijainagar Ex-councilor Hakim Qureshi in the case of mass rape, blackmail and forced conversion of minor Hindu girls

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: POCSO Court denies bail to Bijainagar Ex-councilor Hakim Qureshi in the case of mass rape, blackmail and forced conversion of minor Hindu girls

A POSCO court in Ajmer, on Wednesday (4th June) rejected the bail plea of former councilor of Bijainagar Hakim Qureshi who is an accused in the Bijainagar rape and conversion case. Qureshi is accused of leading an Islamist gang involved in sexual exploitation and forced conversion of minor Hindu girls in Bijainagar. The court denied bail to Qureshi citing the serious nature of charges against him. The court said that forcing minor girls to convert and recite Kalma was a serious charge.

Public Prosecutor Prashant Yadav said that three FIRs were filed in connection with a rape and conversion case in which several minor girls were targeted in an organised and collective manner. Qureshi is named as an accused in one of the FIRs. Yadav said that Qureshi is accused of pressuring a victim to convert to Islam and recite Kalma, observe roza, and wear a burqa. Qureshi also forced the victim to live with the main accused, Suhail Hussain. He told the victim that after becoming an adult, she will be married to Suhail Hussain. Yadav added that the accused in the case used to gift mobile phones to minor girls to establish contact with them. Once the girls started talking to them, then the accused used to force them to introduce their friends to them. Qureshi was arrested on February 23, 2025.

The Bijainagar rape and conversion case

The shocking case of sexual exploitation and blackmail of school-going girls in the Bijainagar police station area came to light on 15th February after a victim’s family approached the police. A gang of Muslim men was reportedly acting in an organised manner to target minor Hindu girls for sexual exploitation and extortion. The gang members used to follow their victims in a planned manner. Once their victims responded, they lured them and entered into relationships with them. They sexually exploited their victims and captured their obscene photos and videos to blackmail them and extort money from them. Moreover, the culprits used their victims’ social media accounts to contact more girls. The victims’ families said that the girls were forcibly subjected to religious practices and pressured to convert to Islam.

Afterwards, the families of four more girls also sought help from the authorities. The victims stated that the teenage girls from a private school were sexually abused. They were blackmailed and their obscene pictures and videos were recorded. They were also forced to read Kalma and observe roza. The police started investigation by registering a case under several sections including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. So far, the police have arrested 13 persons and 4 minors in connection with the case. An 895-page chargesheet was filed by police in the case on 17th April.

Declaring the Jain community a minority was a conspiracy to create factions within Sanatan Dharma: Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain

OpIndia Staff
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Declaring the Jain community a minority was a conspiracy to create factions within Sanatan Dharma: Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain

Speaking at an event of Jain community, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain said that the conferment of minority status on the Jain community was a conspiracy to create factions within the Sanatan Dharma. Questioning the previous Congress government for declaring the Jain community as a minority, Advocate Jain said that the community makes a significant contribution in India’s GDP and does not require a minority status. He said that the Jain community is an integral part of the Sanatan Dharma.

Jain said that the rights of minority in the country have become synonymous with Muslim rights in the country, adding that the rights of other minority communities are neglected. He said that the Muslim community enjoys the benefits all the government schemes for minority communities, which currently amount to ₹32,00 crore, while only a negligible amount goes towards the welfare of Jain community.

“On what basis were the people of Jain community declared a minority in 2013? The Central Government is running a scheme of Rs 3200 crores for minorities, all of which is being given to the Muslim community and the minority status given to the Jain community is so that we can be separated from the Sanatan society. Therefore, the demand should be raised to end the minority status of the Jain community, we are not a minority but an integral part of this mainstream,” Jain wrote on X on Friday (6th June).

The word ‘secularism’ was addded in the Constitution without discussion: Jain

Pointing out the disparity in the treatment the Muslim Community and other communities in the country, Jain said that while the so much discussion is happening around the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 and a Joint Parliamentary Committee has been formed to discuss the Act, no discussion was held at all when the word ‘secularism’ was introduced in the Constitution.

“Today the Wakf Act is being discussed; a joint parliamentary committee was also formed for it, but when the principle of ‘secularism’ was added in the preamble of the constitution by the 42nd amendment, then why was this issue not discussed?” Jain questioned.

Supreme Court gives preferential treatment to the Muslim community: Jain

Advocate Jain questioned the judiciary for giving preferential treatment to the Muslim community. He said that a judge of the Supreme Court recently claimed that most incidents of hate speech happen against the minority community, wherein by minority community the judge meant the Muslim community exclusively.

Jain asked why the judiciary fails to take suo moto congnizance of crimes committed against other minority or majority communities. “When a Jain Muni was brutally murdered in Karnataka, why did the Supreme Court not take suo motu cognizance? When incidents of love jihad are happening in the country, why is it not taken into account that this is ethnic cleansing?” Jain asked

Advocate Jain said that the voices of the majority community are suppressed by misusing the “bogus” and “imposed” principle of secularism.

What is happening in US politics: The controversy over ‘Big Beautiful Act’ and timeline of the public feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk

Dibakar Dutta
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What is happening in US politics: The controversy over ‘Big Beautiful Act’ and timeline of the public feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk

The feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now in the public eye. The two key figures in American politics are making outrageous claims against each other on their respective social media platforms, namely X (formerly Twitter) and Truth Social.

The camaraderie that once existed between Trump and Musk has faded, and they have fallen out of favour. While many are led to believe that the public spat began on Wednesday (4th June), in reality, it started 2 weeks ago on 22nd May 2025.

At the heart of the controversy lies the ambitious ‘Big Beautiful Act (BBA)’ of the Trump administration. The Republican Party succeeded in passing the Bill in the US House of Representatives by a margin of 215-214.

The legislation aims to introduce multi-million dollar tax cuts, enhance government spending and thereby increase the country’s national debt ceiling.

Elon Musk, who was heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration, felt that the ‘Big Beautiful Act (BBA)’ was counter-productive to the work that he was doing at the federal agency.

In an interview with CBS News on 28th May this year, he remarked, “So, I was like disappointed to see the massive spending bill frankly…which increases the budget deficit. And I am reminded of the work that the DOGE team is doing. I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful. But I don’t know if it could be both.“

Soon after, news stories emerged that Elon Musk was leaving the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Tesla CEO confirmed the development in a tweet on 28th May 2025.

“I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he tweeted, adding that the mission of DOGE would continue nonetheless.

In the meantime, Democrats and their supporters began campaigning on social media for legislators to shoot down the ‘Big Beautiful Act’ in the Senate, which now has Republican Majority.

On Wednesday (4th June), Elon Musk fired off a tweet labelling Trump’s ambitious legislation as ‘outrageous, pork filled Congressional spending bill.’

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” he tweeted.

Screengrab of the tweet by Elon Musk

US President Donald Trump hit back at Elon Musk soon after during a White House Press briefing.

He claimed, “I’m very disappointed with Elon. I’ve helped him a lot. He knew the inner workings of the bill better than anybody sitting here. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden, he had a problem & he only developed the problem when he found out we’re going to cut the EV mandate.”

Donald Trump emphasised that he would have won from Pennsylvania even without the support extended by Elon Musk.

“I have helped Elon a lot…Elon worked hard at DOGE and I think he misses the place…I think he got out there and he’s no longer in this beautiful Oval Office…it’s not just Elon, I think when some people leave they miss it so badly they develop a type of TDS…some embrace it and some become hostile,” he further claimed.

The remarks made by the US President further riled up Tesla CEO, who stated in no uncertain words that he he had no prior knowledge about the Big Beautiful Act.

“False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!” Elon Musk slammed Donald Trump.

Screengrab of the tweet by Elon Musk

In another set of tweets, he highlighted, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Democrats would control the House, and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude.”

Screengrab of the tweets by Elon Musk

The public feud got uglier when Donald Trump vowed to cancel government contracts of SpaceX, a space exploration company run by Elon Musk.

In a post on Truth Social, the US President stated, “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”

In response, Elon Musk made it clear that SpaceX will immediately begin the process of decommissioning of the Dragon spacecraft.

Screengrab of the tweet by Elon Musk and post on Truth Social by Donald Trump

Donald Trump continued, “Elon was “wearing thin,” I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!”

Elon Musk was quick to label it a an ‘obvious lie.’

Screengrab of the tweet by Elon Musk and post on Truth Social by Donald Trump

In the meantime, the Tesla CEO floated the idea of a ‘new political party’ in the US.

He even endorsed the idea of ‘impeachment’ of Donald Trump as the President of the United States and the latter’s replacement with Vice President JD Vance.

Screengrab of the tweets by Elon Musk

Things took a drastic turn when Elon Musk labelled Donald Trump a close confidante of the deceased child sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

Screengrab of the tweets by Elon Musk

In a set of tweets on Thursday (5th June), the Tesla CEO declared, “Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT! Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

This tweet gave further ammunition to Democratic party leaders to target Donald Trump. Republicans who have supported Elon Musk and Donald Trump throughout the entirety of the campaign are left hanging in the balance and are forced to pick one side.

36+ attacks in 34 years, Amarnath Yatra targeted again and again by terrorists: For how long will Hindus be victims of Islamic terror in ‘Hindustan’

विवेकानंद मिश्र
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36+ attacks in 34 years, Amarnath Yatra targeted again and again by terrorists: For how long will Hindus be victims of Islamic terror in ‘Hindustan’

The Amarnath shrine, nestled in the Himalayas, is once again ready to reverberate with the chants of devotees. According to the Jammu and Kashmir administration, this time the yatra will begin from 3rd July 2025 and continue till 9th August 2025. It is expected that this year more than 5 lakh devotees will arrive to have darshan of ‘Baba Barfani’.

The preparations for the Amarnath Yatra for the year 2025 have picked up pace and the administration seems to be alert on every front regarding security and convenience of the devotees. Due to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, strict security arrangements have been made for this yatra.

Security arrangements for Amarnath Yatra

It is said that when faith collides with mountains, it becomes immortal. Shri Amarnath Yatra is not only a symbol of religious faith, but is also a living example of India’s cultural unity and devotion, that is why devotees from all over the country are excited to have the darshan of ‘Baba Barfani’ and the administration is also making strong arrangements for their security.

Actually, pilgrims go to the cave through two routes for Amarnath Yatra, one of which is the Pahalgam route which is 48 kilometers long and relatively easier to follow, but a few days ago there was a terrorist attack there, in which 26 innocent Hindu tourists lost their lives. The other is the Baltal route which is 14 kilometers shorter but it is a challenging path for the pilgrims. After the Pahalgam attack, the government has given the highest priority to the security of the Yatra, so that the devotees can travel in a safe environment.

For this purpose, this year, the maximum number of security personnel will be deployed for the safety of the pilgrims in this 38-day long yatra, about 50 thousand. These include the jawans of the central paramilitary forces like Jammu Kashmir Police, CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. Apart from these forces, there will also be bomb squads at various places and the yatra will be monitored not only by CCTV cameras, but also by AI technology including drones etc. At the same time, when the convoy of devotees will pass, the roads leading to the National Highway will also be blocked. There will be a jammer mounted on every convoy. CRPF jawans will also have satellite phones in their hands. Not only this, the pilgrims will be given radio frequency IDs which will be with them in the convoy and security personnel will be deployed at every step.

Overall, this time the government has taken every necessary step to make the Amarnath Yatra completely safe and peaceful, so that the devotees can complete their journey without any fear.

History of terrorist attacks on Amarnath Yatra

The Amarnath Yatra has been the target of Islamic terrorists since 1990. According to a report of 2023, there have been about 36 terrorist attacks on the yatra in the past 32 years. The first attack took place in 1993 and after that for four consecutive years, i.e. till 1996, terrorists carried out continuous attacks every year. The biggest attack on the yatra took place in the year 2000.

At that time, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists opened indiscriminate fire at the Pahalgam base camp, in which 32 people died and about 60 people were injured. After this, there was another attack in 2001. This time grenades were thrown at the pilgrims’ camp near Sheshnag Lake, in which 12 people died and 15 people were injured.

There was another grenade attack in 2002 and in 2006, a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims was targeted. Then in 2017, there was another attack, when terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims, killing 7 people and injuring 32. After this, the security system has become so strong that there has been no major terrorist attack in the last 6 years (since 2017). But now, just two months before the pilgrimage was to begin, the Pahalgam terrorist attack has again tried to spoil the atmosphere of the Kashmir Valley.

Why is there so much threat to the faith of Hindus

It is worth noting that the stories of attacks on the faith of Hindus are not new. The attacks that have been happening for years make it clear that Islamic terrorists not only have a problem with Hindu religious places and pilgrimages, but they have a problem with Hindus in general. This is the reason why sometimes they target devotees visiting Vaishno Devi and sometimes tourists visiting Pahalgam.

Their effort is to create fear in the minds of Hindus and weaken them mentally so that such pilgrimages can never be successful, meanwhile whenever there is a Muslim festival or Namaz, have you ever heard of terrorist attacks there? Probably not.

In our country, there is no need to provide security to mosques, but temples and pilgrimages have to be protected like a fortress. From this, we understand that Hindus are unsafe in their own country. Hindus are definitely in majority in India, but despite this, they have to be cautious again and again while practicing their faith. This situation becomes more disturbing when this country is called ‘Hindustan’ but the Hindus themselves live in fear during their festivals, while visiting temples and during pilgrimages.

This is not limited to Amarnath Yatra alone. Controversies and protests are repeatedly raised at places like Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura. If a Hindu raises his voice for a temple, he is called a ‘fundamentalist’, but if a religious organization openly threatens Hindus, it is called the ‘right of minorities’.

This problem is not just of terrorism being spread from across the border, but of a fundamentalist mindset that has developed within the country, which repeatedly tries to belittle the faith of Hindus. People with this mindset are troubled by the worship, temples, and pilgrimages of Hindus. They openly say that if a temple is built in their area, they will have to demolish it. These people earn in India but when they get a chance, they show their religious fanaticism and express their love for Pakistan.

The original Hindi report can be read here.

IPL victory stampede: Bengaluru police commissioner and other top officers suspended, FIR filed against RCB, KCSA, DNA Entertainment and their officials to be arrested

OpIndia Staff
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IPL victory stampede: Bengaluru police commissioner and other top officers suspended, FIR filed against RCB, KCSA, DNA Entertainment and their officials to be arrested

A day after 11 people lost their lives in stampede at celebrations of IPL victory by RCB in Bengaluru, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced that several top officials including Bengaluru Commissioner of Police has been suspended. The incident took place at Chinnaswamy stadium, where the state government had organised the event to celebrate the first ever IPL win by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Addressing the media, the CM said that the Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police, and DCP of the central division and the Cricket Stadium in-charge have been suspended. Along with them, the Police Inspector, Station House Master and Station House Officer of Cubbon Park Police Station have also been suspended.

The CM also announced the formation of one-man commission headed by retired Justice Michael D’Cunha appointed to probe the tragedy on Wednesday. The commission will submit a report on the tragedy in 30 days.

Moreover, Siddaramaiah said that decision has been taken to arrest those responsible for crowd management at the event. This includes officials of IPL team RCB, the event manager DNA Entertainment, and representative of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.

Earlier in the day, an FIR was filed against these entities along with some others at the Cubbon Park Police Station. The FIR was registered accusing them of culpable homicide, criminal negligence and other serious charges. Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 115 (Voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means), 190 (liability of members of an unlawful assembly for offences committed in pursuit of a common object), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty), 125(12) (acts endangering life or personal safety of others), 142 (unlawful assembly) and 121 (abetment of an offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita have been invoked in the case.

The case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for inquiry. Earlier today, the Karnataka High Court issued a notice to the state government over the stampede incident near the Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed the lives of 11 people and left several injured. The High Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident and asked for a further status report.

Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, cattle smuggled from India largely missing in Bangladesh markets this year due to enhanced border vigilance: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, cattle smuggled from India largely missing in Bangladesh markets this year due to enhanced border vigilance: Reports

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, vigilance along the India-Bangladesh has been heightened by security forces of both the countries. While Indian security forces have started to catch large number of Bangladeshis trying to enter India. Bangladeshi forces also have increased border activities to prevent Awami League party members escaping into India.

As a side-effect of this heightened vigilance, smuggling of cattle from India to Bangladesh has also come down significantly. And this has come as good news for cattle growers of Bangladesh ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the Muslim festival of animal sacrifice.

Just days to go before the ‘Feast of Sacrifice’, when millions of animals including cattle, goat, sheep, buffalo etc are slaughtered, sacrificial animal markets in Bangladesh are witnessing a surge in activities. As per a report by Daily Star, farmers and traders are in a better position this year, largely due to absence of smuggled animals from India.

As a result of absence of Indian cattle, local farmers are getting better prices for their livestock sold for sacrificial slaughter. While cattle prices remained low in the country due to economic depression caused by political turmoil, absence of cows and buffalos smuggled from India have brought relief for local farmers.

One trader said, “This time, smuggled cows and buffaloes didn’t end up in the market. While prices are lower than last year, the lack of smuggling animals means better prospects for local farmers.”

As per reports, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has also stepped up vigilance along the frontier to prevent illegal cross-border cattle smuggling, to safeguard the local market ecosystem. A BGB officer said that precautionary measures have been taken to curb cattle and leather smuggling during Eid-ul-Azha. Strict surveillance going on to maintain border security, added the official.

Not just smuggling of animal, legal import is not taking place as export and import activities between India and Bangladesh have been suspended during Muslim festival. Indian officials said that trade will resume from 9th June.

However, while animal smuggling has come down, it is still taking place in lower numbers. Bangladesh Dairy Farmers’ Association have alleged that despite the rigorous surveillance at border, cows and buffaloes are still coming into Bangladesh through the borders with India and Myanmar.

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