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Congress mocks Modi govt’s united stance against Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror atttack, says BJP could not find enough party MPs to represent India’s policy globally

OpIndia Staff
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Congress mocks Modi govt’s united stance against Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror atttack, says BJP could not find enough party MPs to represent India’s policy globally

At a time when the Modi government is making efforts to put up a united front at the global stage and present India’s zero tolerance policy towards terrorism, the Congress party is mocking the government for showing inclusivity.

India sent seven multi-party delegations across various countries to expose Pakistan’s support for terrorism and India stance towards terrorism.

However, All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba questioned the Modi government intention behind including members of different political parties in the multi-party delegations.

Addressing the media on Sunday (25th May), Lamba alleged that the BJP did not find enough leaders in their own party that they sought the help of other political parties to send their members for the purpose of forming the multi-part delegations.

“When it comes sending MPs to foreign countries for to put forward your case against terrorism, you do not find enough MPs in your own and therefore you turned to us. In the country’s interest, our MPs are exposing Pakistan and terrorism in foreign countries,” Lamba claimed.

Throughout the media briefing, Lamba kept lashing out at the Modi government accusing it of taking the entire credit for the success of Operation Sindoor.

Ironically, while the goverment took the initiative of sending delegations that included members from various political parties to send out a message that India stands united against terrorism irrespective of internal political differences, the Congress party is accusing the government of not listening to the opinions of other political parties.

India sends multi-party delegations

India has sent 7 multi-party delegations to various countries in an effort to expose Pakistan’s support for terrorism and highlight India’s policy of zero-tolerance on terrorism on the global stage.

These delegations include Member of Parliaments from various political parties which have been divided into seven groups consisting of 8-9 members. A leader has been assigned for each group who will lead the delegation on global level.

‘Only people of one religion were identified and killed’: Shashi Tharoor, part of all-party delegation mission of Modi govt, tells the truth of Pahalgam terror attack to the world

OpIndia Staff
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‘Only people of one religion were identified and killed’: Shashi Tharoor, part of all-party delegation mission of Modi govt, tells the truth of Pahalgam terror attack to the world

In a powerful recounting of the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor laid bare the chilling religious targeting that defined the assault. Tharoor is part of the all-party delegation dispatched by Modi government to different countries in batches to tell the world about the attack and India’s response.

While speaking at the Indian Consulate in New York, United States, Tharoor did not mince words in calling out the motives of the terrorists, stating that the attackers “identified the religion” of the victims and executed them purely on that basis.

Attack aimed at halting Kashmir’s growth story

Tharoor noted that the timing and brutality of the attack were calculated to damage the rising trajectory of Kashmir as a safe and flourishing tourist destination. He noted, “Last year, more tourists visited Kashmir than Aspen, Colorado. That’s not just normalcy, it is prosperity.” The resurgence in tourism was a visible sign of peace and growth under the Modi government’s developmental push post-Article 370 abrogation, a success story that enemies of peace sought to disrupt.

Tharoor emphasised that the attack was not a random actor of terror, but a deliberate, targeted assault meant to destroy communal harmony. He said, “It was not someone blowing people up indiscriminately — it was a group identifying people by their religion and killing them.”

‘Hindus were singled out, and the message was clear’

Out of the 26 people who lost their lives, 25 were Indian nationals and one was a Nepalese citizen. All of them, Tharoor pointed out, were Hindu and killed for that reason. He recounted the incident where a Hindu professor survived only because he could recite the kalma, the Islamic verse, tricking the terrorists into believing that he was a Muslim.

He recounted, “In some cases, the husband was shot, and the wife was told to go back and tell the world that he was killed for his faith.” Yet he lauded the people of India for not falling prey to the provocation. “I am proud to say there was no backlash,” he said, adding that Indian society stood united in grief and defiance.

Terror outfit claimed responsibility within an hour

The terror group The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility within an hour of the terrorist attack. “India had no reason to doubt where it came from,” Tharoor said, hinting at Pakistan-backed terrorism without naming it.

The Modi government’s prompt response in sending a united political delegation to different countries around the world, one of which is led by Tharoor himself, sent a strong message of resolve and national solidarity. Though a section of opposition is rattled by the formation of all-party delegation and selection of likes of Tharoor, Centre’s strategy of involving all voices, even those ideologically different, added credibility to India’s narrative and details of Operation Sindoor on global platforms.

From Maoist stronghold to the arrival of first bus, top results in board exam: PM Modi highlights transformation in Gadchiroli, Dantewada in Mann ki Baat

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From Maoist stronghold to the arrival of first bus, top results in board exam: PM Modi highlights transformation in Gadchiroli, Dantewada in Mann ki Baat

From the first-ever bus service in Maharashtra’s Katejhari village to the stellar academic achievements in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday detailed the transformation of once-Maoist-dominated areas into vibrant centres of progress and education and painted a picture of resilience and development, underscoring the government’s relentless fight against Naxalism.

During episode 122 of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday, PM Modi spoke of a poignant story of change about the Katejhari village in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, which was affected by Maoist violence.

He noted that the villagers had waited for years for a bus service, and when the first bus finally arrived, they celebrated its arrival with drumbeats.

PM Modi also mentioned the positive changes in Katejhari were felt throughout the surrounding area, where the situation has quickly returned to normal.

“It is such a common thing to travel by bus. But I want to tell you about a village where a bus arrived for the first time. The people there were waiting for this day for years. And when the bus arrived in the village for the first time, people welcomed it by playing drums. There was a paved road in the village; people needed it, but a bus had never run here before. Why, because this village was affected by Maoist violence,” PM Modi said.

“This place is in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, and the name of this village is Katejhari. This change in Katejhari is being felt in the entire surrounding area. Now the situation here is rapidly becoming normal. Due to the collective fight against Maoism, basic facilities have started reaching even such areas. The villagers say that with the arrival of the bus, their lives will become much easier,” he added.

PM Modi also highlighted educational progress in areas once affected by Naxalism, particularly in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, where students have excelled despite the challenges.

He noted that students from the district achieved impressive results in the 10th and 12th board examinations, with around a 95 per cent pass rate; Dantewada topped the 10th-grade results and secured the sixth position in the 12th-grade exams in Chhattisgarh.

“In ‘Mann Ki Baat’ we have already discussed the Bastar Olympics held in Chhattisgarh and the Science Labs in Maoist-affected areas. The children here have a passion for science. They are also doing great in sports. Such efforts show how courageous the people living in these areas are. These people have chosen the path of improving their lives amidst so many challenges.

I am also very happy to know that the results of Dantewada district in the 10th and 12th examinations have been excellent. With about a 95 per cent result, this district topped the 10th results. In the 12th examination, this district secured the sixth position in Chhattisgarh,” the Prime Minister stated.

As Katejhari welcomes new progress and students in Dantewada achieve notable success, Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ highlights the positive changes happening across the country, showing that improvement is possible even in challenging areas.

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

India has overtaken Japan to become the 4th largest economy, says NITI Aayog CEO citing IMF data

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India has overtaken Japan to become the 4th largest economy, says NITI Aayog CEO citing IMF data

NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer (CEO) BVR Subrahmanyam said that India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, citing data by the International Monetary Fund.

Addressing a press conference of the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting on ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat 2047’, Subrahmanyam stated that India’s economy has reached the USD 4 trillion mark.

“We are the fourth largest economy as I speak. We are a USD 4 trillion economy as I speak, and this is not my data. This is IMF data. India today is larger than Japan. It’s only the United States, China, and Germany which are larger, and if we stick to, you know, what is being planned, what is being thought through, it’s a matter of another 2, 2.5 to 3 years; we would become the third largest economy,” said BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog.

“It’s only the United States, China, and Germany which are larger, and if we stick to what is being planned, what is being thought through, it’s a matter of another 2, 2.5 to 3 years; we would become the third largest economy,” Subrahmanyam added.

According to the IMF’s April edition of the World Economic Outlook report, the nominal GDP for fiscal 2026 is expected to reach around USD 4,187.017 billion. This is marginally more than the likely GDP of Japan, which is estimated at USD 4,186.431 billion.

India was the fifth largest economy in the world till 2024.

The global financial body projects that India will remain the fastest-growing major economy over the next two years. India’s economy is expected to grow by 6.2 per cent in 2025 and 6.3 per cent in 2026, maintaining a solid lead over global and regional peers, the April 2025 edition of the IMF’s World Economic Outlook added.

India is projected to remain the fastest-growing large economy for 2025 and 2026, reaffirming its dominance in the global economic landscape.

In contrast, the IMF projects global economic growth to be much lower, at 2.8 per cent in 2025 and 3.0 per cent in 2026, highlighting India’s exceptional outperformance.

NITI Aayog CEO further stated that India is at a turning point and at a take-off stage where it can grow very, very rapidly.

Sharing more information on the matters discussed during the Governing Council Meeting, NITI Aayog’s CEO said that the Centre and States discussed the strategies for manufacturing services, rural, non-farm, urban, informal, and the green economy sectors.

“We had sub-themes for manufacturing services, rural, non-farm, urban, informal, and the green economy, as well as the circular economy. These were the broad themes that were there,” Subrahmanyam said, explaining the other details of the meeting that took place in New Delhi on Saturday.

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

Terrorists used to say ‘Subhanallah’ after terror attacks on India, now say ‘Ya Allah’ following PM Modi’s response: Sudhanshu Trivedi on Operation Sindoor

OpIndia Staff
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Terrorists used to say ‘Subhanallah’ after terror attacks on India, now say ‘Ya Allah’ following PM Modi’s response: Sudhanshu Trivedi on Operation Sindoor

BJP MP Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi took a dig at Pakistan’s terror establishment in journalist Rajat Sharma’s show ‘Aap ki Adalat‘.

Sharma told Trivedi about a social media joke about Pakistanis asking for India’s BrahMos missile. Responding to this Dr Trivedi mentioned how India carried out precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, including Markaz Subhanallah, the headquarters of Jaish-e-Muhammad, with BrahMos missiles.

He jokingly remarked, the terrorists who used to celebrate and thank Allah after carried out terrorist attacks in India were calling Allah for help after their establishments were hit by BrahMos missiles.

“There was time when terrorist attacks used to happen across India and terrorists sitting in Markaz Subhanallah used to cheer and say Subhanallah! Subhanallah! But Modiji has hit them so hard that now they are crying ‘Ya Allah! Ya Allah!” Dr Trivedi said.

After the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 Hindu tourists were killed by Pak-sponsored terrorists who verified their religion before killing them, India launched Operation Sindoor on 7th May, to eliminate terror establishment in Pakistan and PoK. India inflicted heavy damage on 9 major terror launchpads in Pakistan as well as on Pakistan’s military establishment after the Islamic country attacked India with swarms of drones and missiles following India’s retaliation against terrorists.

On 10th May, Pakistan, which was on its knees after India’s military action, approached India requesting a ceasefire to which India agreed on its own terms.

Operation Sindoor: How a 10-hour long Indian air assault on Pakistani military bases forced it to beg for ceasefire

OpIndia Staff
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Operation Sindoor: How a 10-hour long Indian air assault on Pakistani military bases forced it to beg for ceasefire

With every passing day, intriguing details about India’s Operation Sindoor and its success are surfacing before the world. In a detailed report published by Strat News Global, National Security Analyst Nitin A. Gokhale revealed new information on a 10-hour, multi-phase air assault launched by India on 10th May.

Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces as a direct response to the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent Hindus. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack. In the following days, as India prepared for a war-like situation, the Indian Armed Forces planned a military strike on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

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

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

It is not merely the scale or firepower that makes Operation Sindoor significant. It was the message that rattled not only Pakistan but also its supporters. The message was that India will no longer absorb terror attacks silently. The surgical precision, swiftness of escalation, and decisive outcome of Operation Sindoor have added a new chapter to India’s evolving doctrine of retaliation and deterrence.

A timely warning and a clear directive

The events leading up to the operation were set in motion on the night of 9th May. Notably, the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, called Prime Minister Narendra Modi at around 10:30 PM. The call reportedly carried a grave warning that Pakistan was likely to carry out a massive strike within hours.

PM Modi’s reply was clear and firm. India was ready not only to endure but to hit back with greater intensity, and this is exactly what the Armed Forces delivered. This stance had already been communicated publicly after the Pahalgam attack, but the call from Vance triggered the final go-ahead.

Soon after, India’s war council, which comprises NSA Ajit Doval, CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs, Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, went into a rapid strategy session. Contingency plans were no longer on the table, and targeting protocols were initiated.

Pakistan strikes first, India replies with fire

At 1:30 AM, Pakistan made its move. It launched its heaviest strike in recent years on Indian airbases in the north and west. However, India’s advanced, layered air defence systems, led by the formidable S-400s stationed at Adampur and other key bases, intercepted and neutralised much of the incoming fire. India had been preparing for such an attack for a long time, and it paid off well.

Then came India’s counterpunch

At 2:30 AM, the Indian Air Force unleashed a barrage of BrahMos, Scalp, and Crystal Maze missiles, along with indigenously developed loitering munitions like Harop and Nagastra. These attacks were focused, relentless, and devastating. Pakistan was not prepared for such an attack, or it might have been, but its defence system was on its knees from the beginning.

The Nur Khan airbase near Rawalpindi, which is located dangerously close to the Army’s GHQ in Pakistan, was hit in the very first wave. India was deep inside Pakistan, and there was nothing that could stop the wrath of the Indian Armed Forces. Two mobile command centres were taken out. A C-130 aircraft was destroyed on the ground. Far to the south, Rahimyar Khan airbase was rendered unusable after its runway, taxiways, and apron were pounded.

Meanwhile, Indian Army units stationed along the LoC and International Border used M-777 howitzers loaded with Excalibur ammunition to hammer Pakistani positions, which put additional pressure on Islamabad.

Strikes get deeper, panic spreads

India did not stop there. The second wave of Indian attacks intensified the psychological damage. Sargodha and Murid, which are prized airbases hosting F-16 squadrons, were targeted with chilling accuracy. The impact of precision strikes reaching so deep inside Pakistan’s airspace sent alarm bells ringing in both Islamabad and Washington.

By 9:30 AM, Pakistan was panicking. The first attempt at backchannel communication was made through its High Commission in Delhi. However, India refused to engage and made it clear that if Pakistan wanted to talk, it could only happen through the military hotline. Simultaneously, Gen Asim Munir was desperately calling American officials, signalling readiness to cease fire.

The final phase – breaking Pakistan’s military spine

As the Pakistani leadership scrambled to restore calm, India pressed on with the third and fourth waves of attacks. Airbases and radar sites at Rafiqui, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Bholari, Chunian, Pasrur, Arifwala, and Murid came under fire. Especially critical was the continued assault on Nur Khan, effectively blinding Pakistan’s centralised air defence coordination.

At some point before dawn, Gen Munir reportedly called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. By now, Pakistan had clearly understood the scale of damage and the futility of further provocation.

India halts with upper hand, Pakistan retreats

By 12 noon, India paused its assault. At 12:30 PM, Pakistan’s DGMO attempted to contact his Indian counterpart but could not get through until 3:30 PM. India, as per its stated doctrine, agreed to cease operations from 5 PM IST. This happened only after Pakistan formally requested it through the military hotline.

It has been two weeks since Operation Sindoor was launched and later paused. The guns have remained silent. However, Operation Sindoor has done what words and dossiers could not. It demonstrated that India’s response to terrorism is no longer limited to diplomatic statements or defensive posturing. It is precise, overwhelming, and timed to inflict maximum cost.

India has long been plagued by cross-border terrorism. Operation Sindoor was a bold and necessary message, India will not only defend itself but ensure that provocations are met with punishing consequences. Though a so-called ceasefire is in place, India has made it clear that Operation Sindoor is not over, and any terror attack will be seen as an act of war.

Doctor, who tampered blood report in Pune Porsche case to show no alcohol in accused’s body, found involved in kidney racket: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Doctor, who tampered blood report in Pune Porsche case to show no alcohol in accused’s body, found involved in kidney racket: Details

Tainted Dr Ajay Taware, who is in judicial custody at Yerwada Central Jail on the allegations of swapping the blood samples of the accused in the Pune Porsche Case, has also been linked to a kidney transplant racket.

Pune Police Commissioner, Amitesh Kumar confirmed during a press briefing on Friday (23rd May) that Dr Taware will be made a co-accused in the kidney transplant racket involving a private hospital.

“A probe committee headed by a retired judge was constituted to investigate the kidney racket following a complaint registered at Koregaon Park Police Station,” the Commissioner said.

The committee has submitted its findings to the state government which indicate Dr Taware’s involvement in the kidney racket after which he will officially made a co-accused.

The racket was uncovered after police received a complaint filed by Dr Sanjog Sitaram Kadam, Deputy Director of the Health Services Board regarding illegal financial transactions during a transplant procedure.

An investigation carried out based on the complaint exposed an entire network involving private hospital staff, brokers, donors and recipients. Around 15 persons have been indicted based on the complaint.

As per reports, during the investigation of the Pune Porsche Case, some documents were uncovered which linked Dr Taware to a transplant scam.

Dr Taware headed an eight-member transplant approval committee during the time the alleged illegal activities were carried out.

In April 2025, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) suspended registrations of Dr Ajay Taware, Sassoon General Hospital’s former head of forensic sciences department, and Dr Shrihari Halnor, former casualty medical officer (CMO).

Dr Taware was reinstated as SGM medical superintendent

Dr Taware was reportedly asked to step down in April 2022 as the medical superintendent of Sassoon General Hospital after an illegal organ transplant case was exposed at Ruby Hall Clinic in March 2022.

The case came to light after a complaint was filed by a widow alleging that she was promised ₹15 lakh in exchange for a kidney.

However, Dr Taware was reinstated as the superintendent of SGH in December 2023 on the recommendation of NCP MLA Sunil Tingre. Tingre wrote a recommendation letter to medical education minister Hasan Mushrif for reinstatement of Dr Taware.

“Dr Ajay Taware, known to me, is a professor and head of the forensic medicine department. He has handled the post of medical superintendent and performed commendable duties during the Covid pandemic. Therefore, I request that appropriate action be taken at your level to appoint him as the medical superintendent of Sassoon hospital,” the letter read.

Pune Porsche Case

The hit-and-run case that happened on 19th May 2024, in Maharashtra’s Pune in which a 17-year-old son of a builder, Vishal Agarwal of Brahma Realty and Infrastructure, rammed his Porsche Taycan car into a vehicle in an inebriated state and killed two people named Aneesh Awadhia and Ashwini Koshta.

The case sparked widespread public outrage as multiple cover-up attempts were made in the case and the accused was granted bail within 15 hours of the incident.

Dr Shrihari Halnor was the CMO who attended to the accused after the accident. According to Pune Police, Dr Halnor swapped the blood samples on the instruction of Taware.

Both were arrested on 27th May 2024, after the accused teenager’s blood sample test conducted at two hospitals gave different results. The results confirmed the Pune Police’s suspicion that the samples at the Sassoon hospital were swapped.

RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav drops a bombshell: Goes public with 12-year love story with Anushka Yadav

OpIndia Staff
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RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav drops a bombshell: Goes public with 12-year love story with Anushka Yadav

In a move no one saw coming, Tej Pratap Yadav, the irrepressible elder son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, has hit the headlines by shining light on a deeply personal chapter of his life. With a single social media post, he’s stirred the political cauldron of Bihar once again.

On Saturday, Tej Pratap took to Facebook and made a dramatic declaration: he has been in a committed relationship with Anushka Yadav for the last 12 years.

“I am Tej Pratap Yadav, and the person in this photo with me is Anushka Yadav! We have known and loved each other for the past 12 years… I have wanted to share this with all of you for a long time but didn’t know how to,” he wrote in an emotional post, accompanied by a candid picture of the couple.

The post exploded online, triggering a whirlwind of reactions—from stunned silence to curious speculation, from political gossip to tabloid frenzy.

A love story in the shadows: Tej Pratap reveals he is in love with Anushka Yadav for last 12 years

Tej Pratap’s personal life has long been a fixture of headlines, often rivalling his political stunts in drama and unpredictability. His 2018 fairy-tale wedding to Aishwarya Rai, daughter of former Bihar minister Chandrika Rai, was followed by a bitter fallout and a prolonged divorce battle that has yet to be resolved, six years on.

Currently vacationing in the Maldives, Tej Pratap also posted a serene video of himself meditating by the turquoise sea, further stoking interest in his spiritual-meets-sensational lifestyle.

Bihar elections in the offing

As Bihar gears up for the high-stakes 2025 Assembly Elections, Tej Pratap’s revelation may be more than just a personal confession—it could be a calculated move. He’s reportedly planning a political comeback from the Mahua constituency in Vaishali district, shifting focus from his previous seat in Hasanpur.

Interestingly, Mahua is where Tej Pratap first tasted electoral success in 2015. A return could signal an attempt to reconnect with his political roots—this time, with a more emotionally transparent and relatable persona.

In a state where politics is often a family affair and public perception is everything, this unexpected love story might just become part of his campaign narrative.

Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 in Delhi attracts investment commitments of ₹4.3 lakh crore, several landmark MoUs signed

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Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 in Delhi attracts investment commitments of ₹4.3 lakh crore, several landmark MoUs signed

The Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 concluded with attracting investment commitments of Rs 4.3 lakh crore, according to an official statement.

Held under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and led by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), the two-day summit brought together investors from across the globe, reaffirming that the Northeast is not just a region but a strategic growth corridor for Viksit Bharat.

“Today, that acronym, NER, stands for the New Economic Revolution and New Economic Revival of India,” said Union Minister of Development of Northeastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia during the valedictory session.

“Our summit is not a culmination — it is a beginning. Ye poorna viraam nahi, prastaavna hai,” he added.

Several landmark MoUs were signed with major national and international investors across key sectors.

During the summit, the Sikkim government signed an MoU with SM Hotels and Resorts with an investment intent of Rs 250-300 crore. The Arunachal Pradesh government also signed an MoU of Rs 150 crore with the Farm Native Group. The Meghalaya government signed a Rs 4,000 crore MoU with Agri-Bio Fuels Global Ltd.

The Meghalaya government and Inlambi Pvt Ltd signed an MoU for Rs 1,000 crore. The Manipur government also signed a major MoU of Rs 1,000 crore with Inlambi Pvt Ltd. The Tripura government signed a Rs 500 crore MoU with the Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir Trust for Sri Sri University and an Ayurveda College and Hospital.

Beyond the marquee MoUs, the summit recorded a total of 803 investment intents through roadshows, B2G meetings, and PSU/public-private proposals. Roadshows held across states contributed Rs 99,533 crore in interest; PSUs brought in Rs 1.27 lakh crore; industrial houses pledged Rs 1.58 lakh crore; and B2G meetings during the summit itself resulted in over Rs 18,600 crore worth of commitments, as per the release.

“The seed sown by Vajpayee ji has grown into a banyan tree under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. Our Cabinet has visited the Northeast 730 times in 11 years, reflecting the Centre’s emotional and strategic commitment,” Scindia noted.

With delegations from over 80 countries, the summit reinforced the Northeast’s role as a global economic bridge to Southeast Asia and beyond.

“This isn’t just an investment in rupees and dollars — it’s an investment in trust, relationships, and India’s future economic geography,” the Minister said.

He also announced a new institutional framework: eight sectoral verticals led by Chief Ministers, supported by other states, to ensure implementation of the signed MoUs.

“There is no mainland and Northeast — there is only Akhanda Bharat, where the hearts, hands, and horizons of every Indian stand together,” he concluded.

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

Nehru yelled at Mountbatten and Liaquat Ali to appoint his sister as ambassador—having already made her a minister even before independence: The early seeds of dynastic politics in India

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Nehru yelled at Mountbatten and Liaquat Ali to appoint his sister as ambassador—having already made her a minister even before independence: The early seeds of dynastic politics in India

The first family that comes to mind when we talk about dynastic politics is the Nehru-Gandhi family. It is rare in the world for a single family to have held so many high offices of power. At present, Sonia Gandhi is serving as a Rajya Sabha member, her son Rahul Gandhi is an MP from Amethi, and her daughter Priyanka Gandhi is an MP from Wayanad. Priyanka’s husband, Robert Vadra, has also expressed interest in joining active politics on several occasions. Furthermore, a large faction within Congress sees potential in Priyanka and Robert’s son, Rehan, as a future leader.

When the roots of this mighty tree of dynasty are traced, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, stands at the centre. Among the leaders of India’s struggle for independence, he stands out prominently. He was the favoured disciple of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and was appointed as the first PM by Gandhi himself. Many leftist historians and political analysts consider him to be the architect of modern India.

However, when history is examined with an impartial mind and not merely through sentiment, another facet of the Nehru era emerges, a facet where the first seeds of dynastic politics were sown in Indian democracy. A seed which was not planted after Nehru became the PM, but much earlier, in the 1930s.

It is widely known that Nehru’s political career began with the legacy of his father, Motilal Nehru. Motilal had served as President of the Indian National Congress, and played a crucial role in establishing his son in politics. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Motilal Nehru turned the Congress into the political platform of the Nehru family. Dynastic politics was not an overnight malaise. Rather, it developed as a calculated process, and its first product was Jawaharlal Nehru himself.

As Nehru entered mainstream Congress politics, his stature grew with time. Even before independence, he had become so influential that Congress policies and their implementation began to revolve around him. This trend can be seen as early as the 1930s.

In 1937, provincial elections were held in the country. Congress formed governments in eight out of eleven provinces. In the United Provinces, a Congress government was formed under the leadership of Govind Ballabh Pant. In this government, Nehru’s sister, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, was given a ministerial post.

Durga Das, journalist and founding president of the Press Club of India (PCI), writes in his book “India From Curzon to Nehru and After” that it was Govind Ballabh Pant and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai who approached Nehru with the recommendation to appoint Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit as a minister. The real intention behind this was, “If we appoint a member of Nehru’s family as a minister, we will earn Nehru’s blessings, and he will not trouble us without reason.”

Source: India From Curzon to Nehru and After page 184

This fact confirms that even at that time, people began valuing Nehru’s familial ties to avoid his political interference. This was not a good sign for democracy, but rather showed that Nehru’s influence stood above reason, merit, and democratic norms.

After independence, he openly sowed the seed of dynastic politics in Indian governance. A particular anecdote, essential for those who regard Nehru as a champion of democracy and inclusivity, sheds light on this. It is mentioned by American historian Stanley Wolpert in his book “Nehru: A Tryst With Destiny“.

The book says that when the country became independent, an interim government was formed under Nehru’s leadership. Nehru was the Prime Minister of this government, Liaquat Ali Khan was the Finance Minister, and Lord Mountbatten was the Governor-General. Nehru proposed to appoint his sister, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, as India’s first ambassador to the Soviet Union. Liaquat Ali Khan strongly opposed the move, calling it an act of brazen dynasticism.

According to Liaquat Ali, this was not just a matter of diplomatic posting, but the first sign of power being personalised by the head of India’s largest political party. Nehru not only ignored Liaquat’s objections, but also brazenly threatened Mountbatten, saying that if Mountbatten supported Liaquat on the issue, he would resign.

Source: Nehru: A Tryst With Destiny page 398

This was not the behaviour of a democratic leader, but of a feudal mindset convinced that all state authority resided in his decisions. Dynastic politics becomes even more dangerous when it strangles the spirit of democracy under the guise of democratic legitimacy. Nehru exemplifies this situation perfectly. Though he never publicly endorsed dynasty, his actions consistently reinforced it.

One might argue that dynastic politics became common in Indian political life later, the Gandhi family, the Yadavs, the Abdullahs, the Karunanidhi family, the Pawars, and so on. However, it is essential to know where this trend began. When the country’s first PM himself practised dynasticism, it was inevitable that others would follow suit. The Congress party claimed to uphold democracy, socialism, and secularism, but during the Nehru era, a hidden elitism and dynasty quietly took root.

In other democratic nations of the world, dynastic politics has been met with resistance by the people. In the US, although the Bush and Clinton families have been active in politics, no political party could transform them into a royal dynasty. In France, Germany, and the UK, institutions have always remained bigger than individuals. But in India, institutions continued to appear dwarfed before individuals and families, and this tradition began with Jawaharlal Nehru.

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