In a remarkable feat of endurance, passion, and cultural connection, Japanese national Nozomu Hagihara has arrived in Varanasi as part of his 2,000-kilometre journey dribbling a football across India.
His mission is to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest distance dribbled with a football. Starting his journey from Kolkata on March 3, Hagihara aims to reach the Japanese Embassy in New Delhi by May 15th.
Hagihara, who has spent the last four years living in India, began his journey not just as a personal challenge but as a reflection of his deep bond with the country and its people.
“My challenge is to break the Guinness World Record for the longest dribbling,” Hagihara told ANI.
“It’s been four years since I have been in India. I was managing an organic farming project with the Japanese government in Bihar. Being in a Bihar village, I had nothing much to do, and a bunch of students came to me and asked me to teach them football,” he added.
That humble request sparked a new purpose. What began as casual coaching in a rural village gradually evolved into a personal mission that combines his love for football with a message of determination and cultural harmony.
On reaching Varanasi, a city known for its spiritual depth and vibrant traditions, Hagihara reflected on its significance, “Varanasi is the heart of India and a special place for Japan. This is not only a holy place for Hinduism but culturally rich also.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 17th April, the Calcutta High Court issued a directive for central forces to remain present in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal after violent Muslim mobs attacked Hindu families in the under the pretext of Waqf (Amendment) Act agitation. Additionally, the court emphasized the need for restraint, advising all parties to avoid making instigating comments during this period of heightened tension.
“We will continue with the central force deployment. No provocative speeches will be allowed. This implies to all,” the court pronounced. The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC)-led state administration was also directed by a division bench of Justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Chowdhury to assemble a team to restore and rehabilitate individuals who were compelled to flee to nearby districts in an attempt to escape the violence.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of the horrible events. Given the seriousness of the situation, it declared on 15th April that a team from its investigative division will carry out a field investigation in Murshidabad. The action comes after a complaint was submitted to the commission, citing several social media posts that reported a father and son were killed during the anti-Hindu riots.
The court recommended that a three-person panel, consisting of one representative from each of the State Legal Services Authority, West Bengal State Human Rights Commission and National Human Rights Commission visit the impacted areas of the district to supervise the rehabilitation of those displaced by the violence and ensure the restoration of peace.
The center’s attorney asked the court to extend the CAPF’s (central armed police forces) deployment in Murshidabad in light of the delicate circumstances. There are currently about 17 companies of central forces stationed in the district’s troubled areas of Suti and Samserganj-Dhulian. On 12th April, the high court ordered the CAPF to be deployed in the district to restore peace after BJP leaders including Adhikari submitted a plea.
Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, also petitioned the court, contending that bombings occurred during the violence in the Muslim-majority district and seeking that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) be given the reins of the investigation into the unrest. He asserted that there was a major national security threat from the incident, which implicated elements from Bangladesh. Another petitioner asked the state government to take action to help those who were displaced return to their homes.
The court was briefed by the state administration on its attempts to bring peace back to the impacted districts. Additionally, it asked the court to prevent visit to Murshidabad until the situation with law and order improves. Two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) have been established to look into the violence during the protests, according to the administration of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It further claimed that the state administration has implemented prohibitory orders and halted internet services in Murshidabad as a precaution.
“We are carrying out drone surveillance. Thirty-eight families have been rehabilitated. Seventy-nine people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man and his son. We have registered two cases under the Explosives Act,” the state claimed.
The relatives of the victims rejected the government’s offer of compensation, according to the administration. It also rejected Adhikari’s charge that Murshidabad was “burning” and claimed, “That’s not true.” The state also expressed no opposition to the deployment of central forces. The suffering of Hindu victims who have sought safety in a temporary relief camp established in a school in the nearby Malda region after the violence upended their lives and compelled them to leave their homes was also discussed during the hearing.
The turmoil in places like Suti, Jangipur, Shamsherganj and Dhulian resulted in three fatalities and hundreds of homeless Hindus. Their properties were burned and looted, they were assaulted and even threatened with murder. Hindu women were molested and received rape threats. Their drinking water was poisoned and they had to flee to Malda with their infants.
Vehicles were set ablaze and railways were obstructed. Cops were also injured during stone pelting. On 14th April, more violent episodes shook the Bhangar neighborhood in the South 24 Parganas district, despite police claims that the law and order situation was under control.
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri said that the National Herald case is an open and shut case of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday (17th April 2025), Puri said, “I want to share with you my understanding of the National Herald case…This is an open and shut case of fraud, corruption and money laundering… Congress party has used their lawyers to somehow delay and derail the case…”
It is an open-and-shut case of fraud, corruption, and money laundering.
The land allotted to The Associated Journals Limited in 1963 for running a press was found in 2016 to have no printing activity. Instead, it was being rented out to the Passport Office and TCS Pvt Ltd for… pic.twitter.com/A91VlMonxD
The BJP leader slammed the Congress over its allegation of political vendetta, saying that the party need to introspect, as they are misleading the Congress party workers.
“When ED filed the chargesheet, Congress people started making statements that it is a political vendetta that we are using central agencies against them. I would like to advise them to introspect, as they are misleading the Congress party workers. The party workers must protest against their own leaders,” the BJP leader further said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Harish Rawat has termed the ED’s filing of a chargesheet against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case an effort to “murder democracy.
“Speaking to ANI, Rawat claimed that the ED’s chargesheet is based on a plain lie.”It is an effort to murder democracy. Everyone knows the relationship between the National Herald and Congress, and this (ED’s chargesheet) is based on a plain lie… if anyone had any objection, a civil suit could have been filed, but involving ED is an effort to induce fear and malign the image of opposition leaders,” the former Uttarakhand CM said.
ED files chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi
On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a prosecution complaint, also known as a chargesheet, against top Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in connection with the National Herald money laundering case. The chargesheet also names Congress leader Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and others, including several firms.
The matter has been listed for arguments on cognisance in the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on April 25. The prosecution complaint has been filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, for the offence of money laundering, as defined under Section 3, read with Section 70, and punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002.
ED issues notices to take possession of properties worth ₹661 crore
Last week, the Enforcement Directorate has served notices to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow to take possession of assets worth Rs 661 crore. The ED served notices to property registrars in the three cities in connection with properties of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) on April 11, in accordance with Section 8 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and Rule 5(1) of the associated rules.
The probe agency said a notice under Rule 5(3) has been issued to Jindal South West Projects Limited, the occupant of the 7th, 8th, and 9th floors of Herald House in Bandra (E), Mumbai. “The company has been directed to transfer monthly rent payments to the Director of the Enforcement Directorate,” the agency said.
ED said these properties were attached after an extensive investigation, which revealed “signification generation, possession and use of proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 988 crores”.
Notably, ‘National Herald’ is owned by ‘Young India Private Limited’. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have 38-38% shares in this company. That is, both of them are majority shareholders in this company.
In April last year, the adjudicating authority of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) upheld the attachment of assets worth Rs 750 crore of Congress-held Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and later acquired by Young India. In its order, the authority stated that it noted that the equity shares and movable assets that the ED had attached were proceeds of crime and were connected with money laundering offences.
ED investigation reveals acquired properties by undervaluing their worth
The investigation under PMLA 2002 has revealed that Young Indian, a private company owned by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, acquired AJL properties worth Rs 2000 crores for a mere Rs 50 Lakh, significantly undervaluing its worth. The findings from the ED also indicate that Young Indian and AJL properties were used “for generation of further Proceeds of Crime in the form of bogus donations to the tune of Rs 18 crore, bogus advance rent to the tune of Rs 38 crore and bogus advertisements of Rs 29 crore”.
To stop the further generation, utilization and enjoyment of the proceeds of crime and in compliance with Section 8 of PMLA 2002 and Prevention of Money Laundering (Taking Possession of Attached or Frozen Properties Confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2013, the Directorate of Enforcement “has initiated the proceedings to take possession of the tainted properties”.
It must be recalled that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress party, and a few other party leaders were questioned earlier. The agency recorded their statements in relation to the case. The ED had revealed that the Congress party relaunched the news operations of the National Herald in 2016 to make it appear as if it was still engaged in newspaper publishing. The brand relaunch took place after ED and other agencies started probing into company affairs.
Back in 2020, it was reported that huge land in Mumbai was acquired by Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) meant for a Dalit hostel at a throwaway price and converted into a commercial property. Approximately 3,500 square meters of land was allotted to AJL in 1983, which was valued at Rs 262 crore in 2017.
National Herald Scam
The National Herald scam is one of the most notable legal cases in Indian history, as the Gandhis are directly accused. The Mother-Son duo of Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, along with their aides – Oscar Fernandez, Motilal Vohra and Sam Pitroda are alleged to have involved in massive ‘cheating and breach of trust’ in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL), as assets worth crores of rupees had been allegedly transferred for purposes other than originally intended for a paltry sum. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi got unconditional bail in December 2015.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar harshly criticised the recent Supreme Court verdict regarding the powers of the Governor and the President under Articles 200 and 201 of the Constitution. In the Judgment passed on 8th April, a division bench of the Supreme Court set a time limit, not envisaged in the Constitution, on the exercise of power to grant or refuse assent to a state Bill by the President and the Governor. The Supreme Court prescribed a deadline of 3 months on the President’s power to grant or refuse assent to a Bill reserved by the Governor for his consideration.
Without mincing words, VP Dhankhar questioned the Supreme Court for issuing a direction to the President of India. He reminded the Supreme Court that its power is limited to interpreting the Constitution. “We cannot have a situation where you direct the President of India, and on what basis? The only right you have under the Constitution is to interpret the Constitution under Article 145(3), ” said the Vice President in an address during the Valedictory Function of the 6th Rajya Sabha Internship Program at Vice-President’s Enclave on Thursday (17th April).
“The President is called upon to decide in a time-bound manner, and if not, it becomes law. So we have judges who will legislate, who will perform executive functions, who will act as super-parliament, and absolutely have no accountability because the law of the land does not apply to them,” he said.
VIDEO | Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar (@VPIndia) says, "We cannot have a situation where you direct the President of India and on what basis? The only right you have under the Constitution is to interpret the Constitution under Article 145(3). There it has to be five… pic.twitter.com/b6mA4XPfC0
Highlighting the fact that the judgment, which had the effect of modifying the concerned provisions, was delivered by a bench of two judges which did not represent the majority of the total number of judges in the Supreme Court. “When Article 145(3) was there, the number of judges in the Supreme Court was eight, 5 out of 8, now 5 out of 30 and odd. But forget about it, the judges who issued a mandamus virtually to the President and presented a scenario that it will be the law of the land, have forgotten the power of the Constitution. How can that combination of judges deal with something under Article 145(3) if preserved, it was then for five out of eight. We need to make amends for that also now. Five out of eight would mean interpretation will be by majority. Well, five constitutes more than the majority in eight. But leave that aside. Article 142 has become a nuclear missile against Democratic forces, available to the judiciary 24 x 7,” Dhankhar added.
The vice president added that the President of India is a very elevated position, who takes an oath to preserve, protect and defend the constitution. He said, “If you look at the Indian Constitution, the President is the first part of the Parliament. Second and third are Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.”
President of India is a very elevated position. President takes oath to preserve, protect and defend the constitution. This oath is taken only by the President and the Governors.
If you look at the Indian Constitution, the President is the first part of the Parliament. Second… pic.twitter.com/Tfr8c6dPot
Talking about the Supreme Court judgment, the VP said, “Recent there was a directive to the President, by a recent judgement. Where are we heading? What is happening in the country? We have to be extremely sensitive. It is not a question of someone filing a review or not. We never bargained for this. President being called upon to decide in a time-bound manner, and if not, it becomes law. So we have judges who will legislate, who will perform executive functions, who will act as super Parliament, and absolutely have no accountability because law of the land does not apply to them.”
Dhankhar questioned the handling of the Justice Yashwant Varma case
Vice-President raised questions on how the Supreme Court handled the matter relating to the discovery of huge amounts of unaccounted cash at the house of Justice Yashwant Varma. “An event happened on the night of the 14th and 15th of March in New Delhi, at the residence of a judge. For seven days, no one knew about it. We have to ask questions to ourselves. Is the delay explainable? Condonable? Does it not raise certain fundamental questions? In any ordinary situation, and ordinary situations define the rule of law, things would have been different. It was only on 21st March, disclosed by a newspaper, that people of the country were shocked as never before, ” the Vice-President remarked.
Let me take incidents that are most recent. They are dominating our minds. An event happened on the night of the 14th and 15th of March in New Delhi, at the residence of a judge. For seven days, no one knew about it. We have to ask questions to ourselves: Is the delay… pic.twitter.com/fqiT8t5a3l
“Thereafter, fortunately, in the public domain, we had input from an authoritative source, the Supreme Court of India. And the input indicated culpability. Input did not lead to doubt that something was amiss. Something requires to be investigated. Now the nation waits with bated breath. The nation is restive because one of our institutions, to which people have always looked up with the highest respect and deference, was put in the dock,” he added.
The Supreme Court judgment
In the verdict passed in The State of Tamil Nadu v The Governor of Tamil Nadu and Anr, the Apex Court examined the ambit of powers of the President and the Governor conferred under Articles 200 and 201 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court held that the President should decide on the Bills sent to him by the Governor for consideration within 3 months, and that any delay beyond the prescribed time limit should be justified by recording reasons. Besides, the Court ruled that if the President fails to decide on a Bill within 3 months, then the State government can seek the issuance of the writ of mandamus from the Supreme Court against the President. The judgment is being widely criticised for alleged judicial overreach or a judicial attempt to effectively amend the constitution.
The Uttar Pradesh government is developing Naimisharanya in Sitapur district on the lines of Ayodhya, an official statement said on Thursday.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had met saints in Naimisharanya in 2023, a day before Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, and assured that there would be no shortage of funds for its development.
He had said that the effort would be to ensure Naimisharanya is developed even better than Ayodhya.
The government has formed the Naimisharanya Tirtha Parishad for the planned development of the pilgrimage site. A new ghat will be built between Rajghat and Dashashwamedh Ghat. Old ghats are being renovated and beautified. Work on some of these is complete while others are underway. Roads in the area are being widened.
The development plan includes Lalita Devi, Bhuteshwarnath and other temples and places connected to sages and saints. Basic facilities will be arranged for the convenience and safety of visitors. The Chief Minister has said that the sentiments of saints will be respected and antiquity will be preserved along with modern works.
A helicopter service connecting Naimisharanya with Lucknow, Ayodhya and Varanasi will start soon. A heliport has been built at a cost of Rs 9 crore on Thakurnagar Rudravart Dham road. It can handle three helicopters at once. Services will begin after completion of formalities. Rail and road connectivity will also be improved, as stated in a statement.
Naimisharanya is located on the banks of the river Gomti. It is considered the Tapobhoomi of 88 thousand sages. According to belief, the Mahapuranas were written here. The story of Satyanarayan was told here for the first time. Lord Ram completed the Ashwamedha Yagya here. The place is also linked to Maharishi Valmiki, Luv-Kush, Yudhishthira and Arjuna. A visit to Naimisharanya is considered necessary in the Char Dham Yatra.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Pakistan’s Army chief, General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah reiterated the long-standing narrative of the Pakistan military establishment and urged Pakistanis to teach their children about the “stark differences between Hindus and Muslims” as the rationale behind the foundation of Pakistan. Munir, in a fake accent, invoked the divisive “Two-Nation Theory” that resulted in the bloody partition of India in 1947. He then amplified the rhetoric by claiming that Kashmir is and will continue to be the “jugular vein” of Islamabad, insisting that the nation “will not forget it.”
Speaking on 16th April at the Overseas Pakistani Convention in Islamabad, General Asim Munir asserted that they have a “superior ideology and culture” and should not forget that they are the nation’s ambassadors. He did not expand on whether the superiority pertains to sending terrorists to all corners of the world, especially to nearby countries like India, in the name of jihad. Interestingly, Pakistanis refer to themselves as Indians when they are in foreign countries. It is apparent that they are suffering from an inferiority complex due to the dismal status of their nation.
Who can forget the shocking visuals involving Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi being frisked at an airport in the United States or the emotional reaction of popular actress Saba Qamar to the humiliation endured by Pakistanis at international airports? Nevertheless, the notions of truth and humiliation have never affected a Pakistani living in their parallel universe where they are great, and think that others merely trail behind them.
“You should definitely tell Pakistan’s story to your children. Our forefathers believed that we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. Our religion is different. Our customs are different. Our traditions are different. Our thoughts are different. Our ambitions are different. That was the foundation of the Two-Nation Theory. It was laid on the belief that we are two nations, not one,” he declared to further isolate the diminishing minority Hindu community in Pakistan, which is already facing brutal oppression from his radical countrymen.
Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir spews hate against #Hindus and propagates the #TwoNationTheory, which failed in 1971 when Bangladesh got independence from Pakistan. He asserts that children must be taught such "falsehoods" since it's easier to brainwash youth. Shameful! pic.twitter.com/vaVZhEK4v8
Munir highlighted that it is essential for Pakistanis to recall and convey their nation’s history to the younger generation in order to “safeguard the identity of the nation.” He said, “My dear brothers and sisters and sons and daughters, please don’t forget the story of Pakistan and don’t forget to narrate the story of Pakistan to your next generation, so that their bond with Pakistan never weakens. Whether it is the third generation, or the fourth generation, or the fifth generation, they know what Pakistan is for them.”
Munir, often referred to as the “Hafiz e Quran” (one who has memorized the entire Quran) emphasized the core Islamic principles that underpins Pakistan, claiming that the nation’s “foundation was built upon the Kalima” (the Islamic declaration of faith). It is a fact that the two-nation theory is frequently brought up by other notable Pakistanis, including cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. This venom has permeated deeply into their being, irrespective of their status or who they are.
The two nation theory
Notably, the two nations ultimately transformed into three following the humiliation of Pakistani forces by Indian troops in 1971, which resulted in the birth of Bangladesh. Interestingly, the authentic history of Pakistan, which is seldom conveyed to its citizens, involves the oppression of its own people, the violation of its women, the plundering of its regions, electoral manipulation, the establishment of dictatorships, the severe consequences of the jihadist entities it fostered and most importantly, a consistent record of military failures against India.
In fact, the Pakistan Army is mocked by the people of Pakistan via a popular saying: Jung kabhi jeeta nahi aur election kabhi haara nahi (they never lose an election and never win any war), pointing to its ineptness on battlefield and prowess at being anti-democratic. The army commander added that Pakistan’s founding fathers have fought tirelessly to establish the nation and announced, “Our forefathers have sacrificed immensely, and we have sacrificed a lot for the creation of this country, and we know how to defend it.”
If by sacrifices he referred to betraying their own homeland, then they certainly accomplished that. Furthermore, the sacrifices of the Pakistani army are encapsulated in the phrase, “While every nation possesses an army, the army of Pakistan has a nation.” The entire nation is fundamentally subject to the authority of the army, which supersedes every institution within the country and exerts significant control. They are, in essence, the true rulers, and the country exists primarily to serve their interests. Its influence could even overshadow that of some African dictators.
Munir also raked up Kashmir and added, “Our stance is absolutely clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle.” The statement’s duality is illustrated by the fact that Pakistan has already ceded Shaksgam Valley, or the Trans-Karakoram Tract, to China under the Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement, resulting in the loss of 5,180 square kilometers of territory in the Hunza-Gilgit region.
Furthermore, what has Pakistan accomplished in relation to Kashmir aside from renaming its highway after Srinagar, a name derived from Sanskrit that translates to “city of Lakshmi” or “city of the Sun,” merely to appease its own pride and mislead its populace? The sole action taken by Pakistan concerning Kashmir has been constant whining and empty protests against the abrogation of Article 370.
Empty vessel makes noise
Munir also promised to strengthen measures against insurgents in Balochistan, emphasizing that “even ten generations of terrorists cannot harm Balochistan and Pakistan.” It is evident from the betrayal of Balochistan, coupled with the exploitation of its natural resources, lack of development and the suppression of dissenters as well as iron-fisted control over Kashmir which has stripped its inhabitants of both progress and liberty, that the true terrorists are either the Pakistani army or its affiliates.
The infamous forced disappearances in Balochistan along with the ongoing independence movement that persists despite severe crackdowns is a testament to the same. Likewise, the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have repeatedly engaged in massive protests against the repressive measures of the Pakistani government and military and have even indicated a willingness to ally with India for their independence.
“Do you think terrorists can take away the destiny of the country? The 1.3 million-strong Indian Army, with all its wherewithal, if they cannot intimidate us, do you think these terrorists can subdue the armed forces of Pakistan,” Munir boasted.
At the risk of being repetitive, it is worth mentioning that in 1971, General Amir Abdullah Niazi, the chief of Pakistan’s Armed Forces, surrendered along with 93,000 soldiers to the Indian army. Pakistan has lost all four wars with India. India has successfully taken control of Siachen and has thwarted all of Pakistan’s attempts to gain control over Kashmir. The limited successes Pakistan has achieved have primarily stemmed from cowardly terror attacks on Indian soil. Otherwise, their military has faced considerable setbacks in warfare.
“We will beat the hell out of these terrorists very soon. You think, these 1500 terrorists belonging to BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army), BLF (Balochistan Liberation Front) and BRA (Balochistan Republican Army), etc, can take away Balochistan from us? Do Pakistan’s enemies think that a handful of terrorists can decide the fate of Pakistan? Balochistan is Pakistan’s pride, even ten generations of terrorists cannot harm Balochistan and Pakistan. Insha’Allah, we will defeat them. Pakistan will not fall.” he further declared.
Similar audacious declarations and the ambition to transform the lineage of East Pakistan culminated in the formation of Bangladesh, and it seems that a similar pattern is unfolding in Balochistan. Despite the self-congratulatory remarks, the harsh truth remains that Baloch rebels have been consistently inflicting casualties on Pakistani forces. While such self-affirmation may resonate well in a public setting, those familiar with the actual situation are aware of how hollow these claims truly are.
The truth of Pakistani army
The reality is that the snakes nurtured by Pakistan to harm India have started to cause significant turmoil within the country. Additionally, the independence movements in Balochistan and the slogans of “Azaadi in Kashmir” are giving sleepless nights to the Pakistani army. Moreover, their assertion of strategic depth in Afghanistan has proven ineffective, as the Taliban continue to launch attacks against them on a regular basis.
This situation is unfolding as the country faces a significant economic crisis, relying heavily on financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Pakistan is struggling with a severe economic downturn, worsened by catastrophic floods that have drastically diminished GDP growth. Despite these challenges, last year’s national budget indicated a 15.4% rise in defense expenditures, amounting to 18,000 crore Pakistani rupees, while the nation grapples with soaring inflation and pervasive poverty.
Meanwhile, the military establishment in Pakistan has continued to prosper through its wide-ranging economic activities, even amid the country’s severe economic crisis. Known as “Milbus,” an abbreviation for military business, this underground economy features substantial real estate enterprises, powerful conglomerates and offshore wealth, perpetuating inequality and undermining the foundations of democratic governance.
With Pakistan on the verge of economic collapse, struggling with an inflation rate of 38 percent, nearly exhausted foreign reserves, and over 100 million individuals living below the poverty line, a striking contradiction is revealed as the military elite of the country revels in extraordinary wealth. Their luxurious lifestyles, high-end housing communities, and flourishing business interests sharply diverge from the daily adversities experienced by the general population.
Therefore, the armed forces necessitate a perpetual foe to appease the relentless appetite of its insatiable devotees while masking the shortcomings. The significantly radicalized populace which harbors deep resentment towards non-Muslims, particularly Hindus, serves them ideally. As a result, the military consistently employs the same rhetoric to enrich itself, despite its defeats against India, inability to curb the independence movements within the country, as well as countering terrorist groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.
This propaganda serves as a means for them to reinforce their control over a morally bankrupt and extremist nation, all while they continue to amass wealth, keeping the rest of the population beneath their heel. Additionally, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma correctly emphasized that India must recognize that a nation governed by a jihadi mindset cannot maintain friendly relations with a country it despises.
He added, “The delineation is clear, our paths are divergent.” Sarma pointed out that it is imperative for India to strengthen the nation, uphold the dharma and honor our civilizational values. “By doing so, we can ensure that our nation’s stature and influence ascend to unparalleled heights,” he further stated.
In his recent address, Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, unequivocally emphasized the deep-rooted ideological divide between India and Pakistan. He asserted that the two nations are fundamentally distinct, stating that their religions, customs, traditions, thoughts, and…
The development followed closely on the heels of India’s condemnation of Pakistan for once again raising the Kashmir issue during a United Nations discussion on peacekeeping reforms. India urged Islamabad to relinquish areas of its territory that it asserted Pakistan has “illegally occupied.”
In a massive achievement, India’s mobile phone exports have risen to an unprecedented peak in the first 10 months of fiscal year 2024-25. During this time period, India’s smartphone exports reached $18.31 billion. Department of Commerce’s data shows that based on harmonised system codes, smartphones are India’s largest individual export commodity by value over 10 months of any financial year, during the April-January period of FY 2024-25.
Smartphones surpassed automotive diesel fuel exports, which stood at $16.04 billion. During the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year (FY24), smartphones ranked 4th among HS-coded exports, followed by automotive diesel fuel, aviation turbine fuel, and diamonds.
Smartphones becoming the top exported product from India shows the remarkable success story of the Modi government’s initiatives under the Make in India campaign. When the govt took over in 2014, smartphones ranked towards the bottom of the exported products list with a rank of 167. It shows that the productivity-linked incentive scheme of the government has been a big success.
The rise of smartphones to the peak of exports hierarchy was fuelled by a dramatic surge in shipments during April-January FY25, which increased by 54.7 per cent from $11.83 billion in the same period a year earlier.
This remarkable growth is attributed to a concerted ramp-up of exports to the US from India in anticipation of President Trump escalating a global tariff war. As per a Business Standard report, smartphone exports to the US, led by Apple Inc’s iPhones, soared by 208 per cent year-on-year, reaching $1.63 billion. Between April and January of FY25, smartphone exports from India to the US increased by over 64 per cent, totalling $6.6 billion.
Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced that India’s smartphone exports have reached a historic milestone, crossing Rs 2 lakh crore in the previous fiscal year 2024-25.
“Smartphone exports have achieved a new record of Rs 2 lakh crore, making mobile phones among the top exported goods from India said Vaishnaw. “This represents a 54% growth over the fiscal year 2023-24, with iPhone exports alone accounting for approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore.”
“Smartphone PLI scheme reaches new highs: Smartphones emerged as India’s largest export in first 10 months of FY25. In FY14, smartphone exports were ranked 167th. Number 1 position is result of a 10-year government-industry partnership. In FY25, smartphone exports reached a record Rs. 2 lakh cr. Lakhs of new jobs especially for women, expanding opportunities for Indian MSMEs,” Minister Vaishnaw posted on X.
Smartphone PLI scheme reaches new highs:
▶️ Smartphones emerged as India’s largest export in first 10 months of FY25.
▶️ In FY14, smartphone exports were ranked 167th. Number 1 position is result of a 10-year government-industry partnership.
The minister highlighted the remarkable growth trajectory of India’s electronics sector over the past decade. “Electronics manufacturing has increased more than fivefold, while electronics exports have grown more than sixfold in the last 10 years,” he stated.
“Production is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 17%, while exports are expanding at over 20% CAGR.”
Vaishnaw emphasised the rapid development of India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem, with over 400 production units of various sizes now manufacturing a diverse range of components. “Like many other countries that went through this cycle, India started with finished goods, then moved to assemblies, and is now progressing to components,” he explained.
The minister also announced that the notification for the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme would be issued on Tuesday. Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the Production-linked Incentive scheme with a funding of Rs 22,919 crore to make India Atmanirbhar in the electronics supply chain. Vaishnaw said that after the issuance of the notification, the process of holding consultations with the industries will begin for framing the guidelines for the implementation of the scheme.
“The electronics components supported under this scheme will be used in consumer electronics, medical electronics, power electronics, automobiles, electrical grids, and practically every sector. This will have a multiplier impact across many industries,” Vaishnaw said.
He further clarified that the scheme would cover both active and passive components, two major categories in electronics manufacturing.
In related developments, Merck and Linde are setting up manufacturing facilities in India, and the government will support the manufacturing of capital equipment domestically.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (15th April 2025) dismissed a petition challenging the use of Urdu in the signboard of a municipality in Maharashtra. Describing Urdu as the best example of Ganga-Jamuni or Hindustani Tehzeeb, the Supreme Court said that language is part of the culture and it should not become a reason to divide people. At the same time, the apex court has declared English as the official language in court proceedings.
In the case of Maharashtra, the decision of the Bombay High Court was challenged in the Supreme Court. The Bombay High Court had allowed the use of Urdu on the signboard of the new building of the Municipal Council located at Patur in Akola district. This petition was dismissed by a division bench of Supreme Court Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K. Vinod Chandran.
The bench said that the display of any additional language is not a violation of the Maharashtra Local Authority (Official Language) Act 2022. There is also no restriction on the use of Urdu in this Act. The Supreme Court noted that the purpose of using Urdu on the signboard is only ‘effective communication’. Therefore, the diversity of language should be respected.
Justice Dhulia said in his order, “The job of the Municipal Council is to provide services to the local community of the area and to meet their daily needs. If the people or group of people living in the area under the Municipal Council are familiar with Urdu, then there should be no objection to the use of Urdu at least on the signboard of the Municipal Council instead of the official language i.e. Marathi.”
Justice Dhulia said, “Language is a medium of exchange of ideas, which brings people with different ideas and beliefs closer. It should not become a reason for division between them. Let us make friends with Urdu and every language. Urdu is not foreign to India. It was born in India and it has developed here.”
The Apex Court observed, “The prejudice against Urdu stems from the misconception that Urdu is foreign to India. This opinion is wrong, because like Marathi and Hindi, Urdu is also an Indo-Aryan language. It is a language that was born in this country. Urdu developed and flourished in India due to the need of people belonging to different cultural environments.”
The apex court also said that the language used by the common people of the country is full of words of the Urdu language, even if one is not aware of it. The court said, “Everyday conversation in Hindi cannot take place without using Urdu words or words derived from Urdu. The word ‘Hindi’ itself comes from the Persian word ‘Hindavi’!”
It said that vocabulary is exchanged both ways as Urdu has borrowed many words from other Indian languages including Sanskrit. “Language is not religion. Language does not represent religion. Language belongs to a community, region, people and not to a religion. Language is culture. Language is a parameter to measure the civilization journey of a community and its people,” the bench observed.
The apex court further said, “Same is the case with Urdu, which is a fine example of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb or Hindustani Tehzeeb. There is a mixed cultural nature of the plains of northern and central India. However, before becoming a means of learning a language, its first and primary purpose will always be communication.”
The court said, “When we criticise Urdu, we are in a way criticising Hindi also, because according to linguists and literary scholars, Urdu and Hindi are not two languages but one language. A barrier was created between Hindi and Urdu by fundamentalists on both sides and Hindi became more Sanskritised and Urdu more Persian.”
The court further said that the colonial powers took advantage of this division by dividing both the languages on the basis of religion. Now Hindi came to be considered the language of Hindus and Urdu the language of Muslims. It added that in reality this is an attempt to deviate from the concept of unity in diversity and universal brotherhood.
The court explained how Urdu is also used in court proceedings. Regarding this, the Supreme Court said, “Urdu words have a great influence on the language of the court, whether it is criminal or civil law. From court to affidavit and hearing, the influence of Urdu is clearly visible in the language of Indian courts.”
The Supreme Court also commented on the use of English in court proceedings. It said that according to Article 348 of the Constitution, the official language of the Supreme Court and High Courts is English, but even today many Urdu words are used in this court. These include Vakalatnama, Dasti etc.
Language of court proceedings is English: Supreme Court
At the same time, the Supreme Court clearly said that the language of court proceedings is not Hindi, but English. The Supreme Court said this in September 2024. Earlier in March 2023, the then Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had said that the Supreme Court would not use regional languages in court proceedings.
In fact, last year the Supreme Court had objected to a petitioner presenting arguments in Hindi. The apex court had stressed that the official language of the court is English. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti was hearing a special leave petition (SLP) filed against an order of the Allahabad High Court.
During the hearing, Justice Roy said, “This court conducts its proceedings in English. You appeared in person, and we did not interrupt you to fully state your point. There are two judges present. You cannot present arguments in Hindi without ensuring that the court understands your point.” After this, the petitioner presented his arguments in English.
This is not the first time that the Supreme Court has imposed a ban on language. In the year 2022, when a petitioner tried to present arguments in Hindi, Justices KM Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy reminded him that the language of the Supreme Court is English. In that case, a lawyer was appointed to assist the petitioner in presenting his arguments in the proper language.
In March 2023, the then Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju had said that the Supreme Court did not accept the proposals of the governments of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Karnataka, which asked to allow the use of Tamil, Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali and Kannada in the proceedings of the High Courts of these states.
In fact, Rijiju had given this in a written reply to the question of Villupuram MP D Ravikumar in the Lok Sabha. He said, “The advice of the Chief Justice of India was sought on these proposals and it was reported that the full court of the Supreme Court rejected the decision after due deliberation.” Rijiju had said that the central government is committed to making legal matters understandable to common citizens by translating orders and other legal material into regional languages. He said that the Bar Council of India under the Ministry of Law and Justice has constituted the ‘Indian Language Committee’ under the chairmanship of former Chief Justice of India SA Bobde.
What does the Constitution say about the language of the court
The Constitution of India mentions the language of proceedings in the Supreme Court and the High Court. Under Article 348 of the Constitution, all proceedings in the Supreme Court and the High Court will be in English until Parliament makes any other provision. This provision allows the use of Hindi or other regional languages in the proceedings of the High Court, but requires the prior consent of the President.
According to Article 348, the official texts of laws and judgments should also be in English. However, former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had advocated conducting judicial education and proceedings in regional languages, so that the justice system could be made more accessible. He had emphasized the possibility for lawyers to present cases in their preferred languages.
After retirement, former CJI Chandrachud had further suggested that local languages can play an important role in improving justice delivery in the country. However, Chandrachud was the Chief Justice of India at the time when the government had sought the opinion of the Supreme Court for court proceedings in local languages in the High Courts.
If the language is unifying, then why doesn’t Supreme Court use vernacular languages
The Supreme Court has made several comments on Urdu signboards in Maharashtra, in which the language has been described as a unifying force. At the same time, the Supreme Court said that language is a medium of effective communication. In such a situation, the use of local language in the High Courts of local states and the use of Hindi language in the Supreme Court will connect the common man more with the judicial system.
It is believed that only 10 to 15 percent of the total population of India understands English. This number is also of urban areas. In rural areas, local languages, such as Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, Marathi, etc. are more understood.
It is clearly stated in the law that until the Parliament gives any alternative, English is the medium of court proceedings. In such a situation, Urdu is being described as a language that was born and nurtured in India and is being called its unifying language, whereas English is a foreign language which most people do not even understand, then why does the Supreme Court want to keep it as the medium of proceedings in the courts, this is the main question.
Actually, there is a misconception in India that people who speak English consider themselves to be elite class. They feel that they are far above the common Indians. In such a situation, the Supreme Court’s obsession with English will also try to establish this misconception further. In this country, every Indian has the right to know and understand the judicial system in his own language. Therefore, the Supreme Court should reconsider this.
In a historic judgment passed on Tuesday (16th April), the UK Supreme Court dealt a major blow to the woke ideology by defining the term ‘woman’ in terms of biological sex under the Equality Act 2010. The verdict was unanimously passed by a panel of five judges, namely Lord Reed, Lord Hodge, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lady Rose and Lady Simler in the matter of For Women Scotland Ltd (Appellant) v The Scottish Ministers (Respondent). Upholding women’s rights, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the terms ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a ‘biological woman’ and ‘biological sex’.
The Court clarified that the ruling should not be seen as “a triumph of one side over another,” noting that transgender individuals retain protections against discrimination, harassment, and indirect discrimination under the Act through the characteristic of gender reassignment.
The scene outside the UK Supreme Court on Tuesday, after the landmark verdict, was a sight to behold. Women curiously waiting outside the Supreme Court building burst into celebration as Susan Smith and Marion Calder from For Women Scotland came out of the court visibly exhilarated.
Susan Smith and Marion Calder (via AP)Visuals from outside the UK Supreme Court (via New York Post)
Bestselling author JK Rowling, who has been supporting the Women Scotland and has been vocal about women’s rights issues, hailed the Supreme Court verdict and credited the women activists who approached the Court for protecting women’s rights. “It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court, and in winning, they’ve protected the rights of women and girls across the UK,” Rowling wrote on X.
Rowling has constantly been at the target of woke liberals for her stance regarding the gender issues and their impact on women’s rights. She has been facing smear campaigns, abuses and threats for saying that women-only spaces like abuse shelters, washrooms, women’s prisons, participation in sporting events, and private areas, should not be accessible to biological males who only ‘identify themselves as women’.
JK Rowling has been unofficially associated with For Women Scotland through unspecified financial support and campaigns, and lending her voice to the group.
It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they’ve protected the rights of women and girls across the UK. @ForWomenScot, I’m so proud to know you ??????????????????????????????? https://t.co/JEvcScVVGS
The judgment was delivered in an appeal filed by For Women Scotland, an organisation that campaigns and works to protect women’s and children’s rights in Scotland, challenging the Scottish government’s interpretation of the term ‘woman’ with respect to the Equality Act and the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018. The Scottish government passed the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 as an affirmative action measure in relation to the appointment of women to non-executive posts on the boards of certain public authorities. To ensure appropriate representation, the Act sets out that 50% of the non-executive members on the boards should be women. However, the Act included transgender women within the definition of women, thus counting their appointment to the public boards under the women’s quota. The Scottish government argued that transwomen holding Gender Recognition Certificated (GRCs) are entitled to the sex-based protections provided to born females which include access to women-only spaces and even positions reserved for women in public boards.
The word ‘woman’ does not include ‘trans-woman’ with a ‘certificate’
Descrining the terms ‘transwoman’ and ‘transman’, the Supreme Court said, “A person who is a biological man, ie. who was at birth of the male sex, but who has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment is described as a trans woman. Similarly, a person who is a biological woman, ie who was at birth of the female sex, but who has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, is described as a trans man. A person with a GRC in the female gender does not come within the definition of “woman” for the purposes of sex discrimination in section 11 of the Equality Act.”
“That in turn means that the definition of “woman” in section 2 of the 2018 Act, which Scottish Ministers accept must bear the same meaning as the term “woman” in section 11 and section 212 of the Equality Act 2010, is limited to biological women and does not include trans women with a GRC,” the Court held. Emphasising that the representation of trans people on public boards was important, the Supreme Court clarified that the judgment should not be interpreted as discouraging the appointment of trans people to public boards. However, it noted that the appointment of a trans woman who has a GRC will not count as the appointment of a woman towards achieving the goal of having 50% women non-executive members in public boards.
The Scottish government’s woke ideology-driven gender reforms
The woke ideology has plagued Western society by rejecting the scientific facts that determine the biological sex of an individual. In the name of protecting the ‘vulnerable’ sections of people who do not identify with and reject the gender binary, the woke ideology has been trampling on the rights of women and children, which were earned after prolonged struggle. Women and children in the West have been on the receiving end of discrimination, injustice and even abuses due to the emergence of this ideology that considers gender as a fluid concept, which can be changed as per one’s whims and fancies.
In January 2023, the Scottish government faced flak after a transwoman who was convicted for raping two women before transitioning was remanded in custody inside a women’s prison as per the government’s gender recognition reforms.
Last year in April, the Scottish government introduced legislation that purported to criminalise behaviour that ‘stirred up hatred’ against select age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and variations of sex characteristics. As per the controversial legislation called the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, even ‘misgendering’ an individual could attract a penalty. This would mean that if a person referred to a biological male dressing and identifying as a ‘woman’, as a male then it could constitute a crime under the law A similar controversial legislation was passed by the Canadian Parliament in 2016 that stifled free speech in the name of preventing discrimination based on gender identities. Bill C-16, introduced by the Justin Trudeau government, potentially criminalised the use of incorrect pronouns and the discussion of gender identity.
How Biden’s Supreme Court nominee had failed to define the word ‘woman’
The UK Supreme Court’s verdict is significant considering the lack of spine displayed by stakeholders in the West, including politicians and judges, in calling out the woke gender ideology for imposing distorted gender identities, not backed by science, on the general public. We all remember how Ketanji Brown Jackson, an associate Justice in the US Supreme Court, failed to describe the term ‘woman’ during her confirmation in the Senate.
When asked by Senator Marsha Blackburn if she could define the word ‘woman’, Jackson, the former US President Joe Biden’s nominee to the US Supreme Court, replied with a plain “No”. She evaded the question, saying, with a laugh, that she was not a biologist to be able to define the term ‘woman’.
The judgment of the UK Supreme Court provides the silver lining for the rights of women and children in Western societies, where political correctness on gender issues has taken over the scientific facts and the truth.
India formally signed the Headquarters Agreement with the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) earlier today, solidifying its role as the host nation for the alliance’s permanent base, an official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.
The signing ceremony took place in New Delhi, where P Kumaran, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, and S P Yadav, Director General of IBCA, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective parties.
Official Spokesperson of the MEA, Randhir Jaiswal posted on X (formerly Twitter), sharing details about the same.
Secretary (East) P. Kumaran & DG @IBCA_official Dr. S.P. Yadav, signed the Headquarters Agreement between GoI & the IBCA in New Delhi.
GoI provides budgetary support of Rs 150 crore to IBCA for creating a corpus, building infrastructure, and meeting recurring expenditure for… pic.twitter.com/HzMMtMe5qr
“Secretary (East) P Kumaran & DG of International Big Cat Alliance S.P. Yadav, signed the Headquarters Agreement between GoI & the IBCA in New Delhi.
GoI provides budgetary support of INR 150 crore to IBCA for creating a corpus, building infrastructure, and meeting recurring expenditure for five years from 2023-24 to 2028-29.
The IBCA primarily aims for conservation of seven big cats namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar & Puma. This initiative seeks to foster international collaboration for a sustainable future for the big cats, as well as underscores India’s leadership & commitment to global wildlife conservation.”
The agreement designates India as the host country for the IBCA Headquarters and Secretariat, laying out a legal framework to ensure the alliance can function effectively and meet its long-term conservation goals.
It includes detailed provisions related to entry into force, visas, privileges and immunities for IBCA Secretariat members and personnel, and responsibilities concerning premises and general operations. The text also allows for supplementary agreements to address specific administrative needs over time, the MEA stated in the press release.
As part of its commitment, the Government of India will provide financial assistance of INR 150 crore to the IBCA. This funding will be used to create a foundational corpus, develop essential infrastructure, and cover recurring expenditures over a five-year period, from 2023-24 through 2028-29. This backing underscores India’s proactive support for the global initiative and its emphasis on international cooperation in conservation.
The IBCA was officially launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on April 9, 2023, during an event held in Mysuru that marked 50 years of Project Tiger. The alliance is centred on the conservation of seven key big cat species — Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
Its stated goals include promoting collaboration among stakeholders, sharing successful conservation models and expertise, and facilitating joint efforts to safeguard these species in the wild, the press release stated.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
