Uttarakhand on Wednesday notified the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) which contains clarity of legal provisions for marital conditions and protection of individual rights and social harmony, an official statement read.
According to the state government, this act applies to the entire area of the state of Uttarakhand and is also effective on the residents of the state living outside Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand has become the first state in India to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), aiming to simplify and standardize personal laws related to marriage, divorce, succession, and inheritance.
The UCC applies to all residents of Uttarakhand, except Scheduled Tribes and protected authority-empowered persons and communities.
This Act does not apply to the Scheduled Tribes (ST) notified under Article 342 and Article 366 (25) of the Constitution and protected authority-empowered persons and communities under Part XXI have also been excluded from its purview.
To streamline and simplify the legal processes related to marriage, a public welfare system promoting the protection of individual rights and social harmony has been provided in the Uniform Civil Code Act, 2024 of Uttarakhand, the statement added.
Under this, marriage can be solemnised only between those parties, none of whom has a living spouse, both are mentally capable of giving legal permission, the man should have completed at least 21 years of age and the woman 18 years of age and they should not be in the ambit of prohibited relationships.
Marriage rituals can be performed in any form under religious customs or legal provisions, but it is mandatory to register marriages taking place after the implementation of the Act within 60 days.
Whereas marriages taking place from March 26, 2010, to the implementation of the Act will have to be registered within 6 months. Those who have already registered as per the prescribed standards, although they are not required to register again, will still have to acknowledge the registration done earlier.
Marriages solemnised before March 26, 2010, or outside the state of Uttarakhand, where both the parties have been living together since then and fulfil all the legal eligibility criteria, can (although it is not mandatory) get registered within six months of the coming into force of the Act, said an official statement.
Similarly, the work of acceptance and acknowledgement of marriage registration is also required to be completed promptly. After receiving the application, the sub-registrar has to make an appropriate decision within 15 days.
According to the statement, if no decision is taken on the application related to marriage registration within the prescribed period of 15 days, then that application is automatically forwarded to the registrar; whereas, in case of acknowledgement, the application will be considered automatically accepted after the same period.
Along with this, a transparent appeal process is also available if the registration application is rejected. There is a provision of penalty for giving false information for registration under the Act and it has also been clarified that the marriage will not be considered invalid merely due to non-registration. Registration can be done both online and offline.
To implement these provisions, the state government will appoint a registrar general, Registration and sub-registrar, who will ensure the maintenance and monitoring of the relevant records.
This Act also lays down who can marry and how marriages are to be solemnised and also provides clear provisions on how both new and old marriages can be legally recognised, the statement added.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
January 22, 2025, marks one year since the culmination of the centuries-long struggle Hindus had waged to reclaim their God’s birthplace as PM Modi performed the Pran Prasthistha ceremony of Ram Lalla at the newly constructed sprawling and majestic Ram Mandir.
It was exactly a year back when Ram Lalla was reinstalled to his rightful abode, after 496 long agonising years when it fell victim to Islamic iconoclasm, losing its character when the Mughals destroyed a pre-existing temple and raised a mosque over it to humiliate the country’s majority, Hindus.
Across the country, the day occasioned celebrations as Hindus installed statues of Ram Lalla, Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, and Lakshman at several roubdabouts, open market places to commemorate the first anniversary of the epoch-making triumph of the Hindu civilisation.
More importantly, the day symbolizes a significant milestone in India’s path towards a steadfast Dharmic renaissance. The construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has awakened the long-slumbering Hindu consciousness, encouraging people to fight for what is rightfully theirs within the framework of constitutionally mandated recourse.
Echoes of “Jai Shri Ram” resonated from every corner of the country, creating an atmosphere of unity and triumphant celebration seldom seen on such an overwhelming scale, and second only to the day when Pran Prathistha of Ram Mandir was performed. The long-cherished prophecy, “Ram Lalla Aayenge, Mandir Wahin Banayenge,” had not only come true but had also gotten a year old.
Amidst the jubilant festivities, the moment also called for reflection on how the realisation of the Ram Mandir reinforced the cultural battle to reclaim what had once belonged to the Hindu heritage but had fallen victim to the iconoclastic attacks by invading Muslim marauders.
Ram Lalla’s return signifies not only religious fulfilment but the relentless courage of millions who kept the dream alive through generations. It is a testament to the enduring struggle against centuries of oppression, from the destruction wrought by Islamic invaders to the economic exploitation of British rule, and the marginalization under post-independence political narratives that suppressed Hindu identity and aspirations.
The Ram Janmabhoomi movement stood against historical iconoclasm, typified by sites like Mathura’s Krishna birthplace and Varanasi’s Gyanvapi complex. These locations remain symbols of India’s unresolved heritage conflicts, where temples were replaced by mosques under imperial rule. Despite independence, efforts to reclaim cultural pride faced ideological resistance from politicians and intellectuals committed to minority appeasement.
The Ram Mandir has, therefore, become a rallying point for civilizational healing and revival. It reaffirmed the notion that the wrongs of history can be righted, inspiring future efforts to reclaim heritage sites and restore spiritual centres central to the Indic worldview.
The realisation of Ram Mandir emboldened Hindus to believe in their ability to overcome centuries of injustice and oppose decades of gaslighting by Marxist-Nehruvian “distortians”, who guilt-tripped Hindus to suppress their demands to reclaim their civilizational heritage.
The Pran Pratishtha was not just the end of a struggle but a call to renewed action in safeguarding cultural and religious freedoms. The return of Ram Lalla to Ayodhya heralded a broader restoration of dharma and civilizational pride, inspiring continued devotion, service, and efforts toward a more harmonious and just society. With its first anniversary, we have completed a significant milestone, a launch pad to prepare ourselves for similar battles ahead as Gyanvapi and Sambhal beckon us.
Taking advantage of the uncertainty surrounding TikTok in the USA, Meta has announced a program under which cash rewards will be given to eligible TikTok creators for posting reels on Facebook and Instagram. On Tuesday, the company promised cash bonuses, content deals and support to grow their communities to eligible TikTok creators who will join the company’s social media platforms.
The TikTok creators will reportedly also get access to the Facebook Content Monetisation program which allows creators to earn for their videos, photos, and text posts on Facebook. In addition, some selected TikTok creators will also get a one-year trial of Meta Verified including a verified badge, account support, and impersonation protection.
Creators can make up to $ 5,000 within 90 days
The program named ‘Breakthrough Bonus’ will allow creators to earn up to $5,000 within 90 days for regularly posting videos on Instagram and Facebook. The eligibility requirements for the program are that the creators must be adults based in the US and have an ‘existing presence on a third-party social app’ like TikTok and link to it in the application, have a professional Instagram or Facebook account. Besides, the creators should not be participating in any of Facebook’s other monetisation programs.
Meta will be paying “eligible TikTok creators to help jumpstart their growth on our apps,” a Meta spokesperson told Business Insider. The spokesperson added that Meta will soon ink “content deals” with some TikTok creators “to help grow their communities on Instagram and Facebook.”
As per the program, the creators will be required to post at least 20 reels on Facebook and 10 reels on Instagram each month during the first 90 days of the program, and also share content at least 10 days each month. Meta has also optimised its ranking systems to allow newer creators to break through to new audiences. Creators can also show their Instagram, TikTok or YouTube handles and follower counts in their Facebook profiles to boost their credibility. Meta is also taking measures to promote Reels, its short-term video format, among TikTok creators. The company has notably increased the time limit for Reels from 90 seconds to 3 minutes.
Meta is also making changes to its short video format Reels to make them more appealing for TikTok users. One major change is increasing the length of Reels to 3 minutes in the USA, double the length of the current 90-minute limit.
Meta also said that it has optimised its ranking systems to allow newer creators to break through to new audiences. The company will also allow creators to show their Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube handles and follower counts in their Facebook profiles to boost their credibility on its platform.
Trump delayed Tik Tok ban by 75 days
On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to delay the TikTok ban deadline by 75 days. He told the Department of Justice not to enforce the penalties of the ban. While the app had gone offline in the USA, it was back online after 12 hours. However, the app is still missing from the app stores of Apple and Google.
The troubles of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan do not seem to end anytime soon. While the actor was discharged from hospital after treatment for injuries sustained in the knife attack during an alleged robbery attempt at his house in Mumbai, his ancestral properties worth Rs 15000 crore in Bhopal belonging to his family may soon be taken over by the Central government.
This comes after the Madhya Pradesh High Court lifted the stay on the ancestral properties of the Pataudi family which means that the Central government may seize control of these properties under the Enemy Property Act 1968. This act allowed the government to take over the properties of those who migrated to Pakistan after partition in 1947.
The properties that may come under government control include the Flag Staff House, where Saif Ali Khan spent his childhood, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, and others.
On 13th December 2024, a single bench of the High Court directed the Pataudi family to bring their case to the appellate authorities within 30 days. However, it remains unclear whether the family had done so. “it is directed that if representation is filed within thirty days from today, then the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits. In the above terms, the petitions stand disposed of,” Justice Vivek Agarwal said.
Reports say that since the situation was unclear, the Bhopal district administration declined to comment in this regard. However, Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh stated that any action will be taken only when there is clarity on the High Court order.
Notably, Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last king of Bhopal, had two daughters: Abida Sultan and Sajida Sultan. According to custom, the eldest child, Abida Sultan, inherited the property. However, Abida moved to Pakistan in 1950, and following her father’s death, her sister Sajida Sultan, who stayed in India, became the legal owner.
Sajida Sultan, Saif Ali Khan’s grandmother, inherited the land after Abida left. The Enemy Property Act was passed in India in 1968, and the ownership of Nawab’s property has been a source of contention since the Custodian of Enemy Property for India designated it as enemy property in 2014.
Two years later, the Modi government’s ordinance said that heirs would have no rights over “enemy properties” which also included those claimed by the Pataudi family.
In the year 2019, the court recognised Sajida Sultan as the legitimate successor, and her grandson, Saif Ali Khan, inherited a portion of the property. However, since Abida Sultan migrated to Pakistan, the Central government claimed the assets as enemy property.
Congress’s benevolence towards “enemies” of India to the Modi government’s “seize and auction” action
Interestingly, back in 2016, the Congress party notorious for its Muslim appeasement politics vehemently opposed the Modi government when it tried to make amendments to the Enemy Property Act even at the cost of jeopardising national security.
In December 2016, the President of India re-promulgated the Enemy Property Act Ordinance for the 5th time. While the Modi government’s bill to amend the Act was passed in Lok Sabha, it faced immense opposition, particularly from Congress and Samajwadi Party. A PIL was also filed by Congress leader Hussain Dalwai in the Supreme Court in this regard, however, the Supreme Court refused to entertain the plea.
As the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), there are about 13,000 enemy properties in India including those which belong to people who migrated to Pakistan and China. These properties are worth thousands of crores. However, given the lack of imperative to amend the Act to unlock its full potential and strict implementation, these properties fell into the hands of either the heirs of those who moved to enemy countries at the time of conflict or in the hands of dubious elements. Meanwhile, Pakistan enacted the Enemy Property Act there and in 1949, Pakistan promulgated the Evacuee Property Act, which stated that the property of a person even though he was a Pakistani citizen, who had a distant relative who had migrated to India would have their property marked as “evacuee property”.
OpIndia earlier reported about how Bangladesh enacted the Enemy Property Act to arbitrarily declare Bengali Hindus as “enemies” and confiscate their properties. Not only Pakistan and Bangladesh but even China has disposed of enemy properties over the years.
While Congress’s Muslim appeasement politics is no hidden secret, the party gave a ticket to Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, the son of Raja of Mahmudabad who migrated to Pakistan after partition. Raja of Mahmudabad was treasurer of the Muslim League and a close ally of Mohammad Ali Jinnah who was responsible for India’s bloodied partition.
In 1985 and 1989, Congress gave a ticket to the Raja’s son Amir in state assembly elections. Even the Supreme Court ruled in Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan’s favour and conceded enemy property to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore. In this case, Amir was represented by Congress leader and advocate Salman Khurshid. Later, Congress and other ‘secular’ party leaders made sure that the UPA government did not even table the Enemy Property Act ordinance before the parliament.
It was only after the Modi government brought the amendment of Enemy Property Act in 2017, which ensured that the heirs of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during Partition and afterwards will have no claim over the properties left behind in India, that enemy properties were taken over by the government on large scale and sold. This amendment nullified the 2005 Supreme Court order in favour of Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan. With this amendment, any transfer of enemy property by people or entities declared as enemies post-1968 war, was declared void.
Back in 2018, the Modi government decided to auction off over 9,400 ‘enemy properties’ worth over Rs. 1 lakh crore. These properties belong to those who have left for Pakistan and China and took the citizenship of these countries. In 2018, OpIndia reported that the highest number of these properties were located in Uttar Pradesh numbering 4,991, followed by West Bengal with 2,735. Of the total properties, about 9,280 belong to Pakistani nationals and some 126 belonged to the Chinese. By 2023, Indian government earned around Rs 3400 crore by selling movable assets such as shares and gold assets marked as enemy property.
On Wednesday, 22nd January, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal released a ‘middle-class manifesto’ ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections and raised seven demands including education, health, tax rebate, and pension from the centre. The party also demanded that the Union Budget slated to be presented in February this year should completely be dedicated to middle-class men.
Addressing a press meeting, Kejriwal said that the party would become the voice of middle-class people and would ask the government to stop tax-terrorizing them. “Today, we appeal to the Central government to recognize India’s true superpower the middle class. I announce that AAP will be the voice of the middle class from the streets to the Parliament. We demand that the next national budget be dedicated to the middle class,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal made 7 demands to the Central government, which are as follows-
The education budget should be increased to 10 per cent from 2 per cent, and the fee for private schools should be capped.
Subsidies and scholarships be given for higher education.
The health budget should be increased to 10 per cent, and tax should be removed from health insurance.
The income tax exemption limit should be increased to Rs 10 lakh from the present Rs 7 lakh.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) should be removed from essential commodities.
A strong retirement plan and pension schemes for senior citizens should be announced, and there should be free medical services for senior citizens in all government and private hospitals across the country.
Senior citizens should get a 50 per cent concession in rail travel.
Kejriwal slammed the Centre for its financial policies and alleged that it was imposing ‘tax terrorism’ on the middle-class people. “People have to pay taxes while they are alive, but now the government has created a situation where they have to pay even after death. Amid this tax terrorism, how can someone even dare to chase their dreams?” Kejriwal said.
“For a married couple, family planning has become a financial decision. Due to such issues, many Indians are leaving the country. In 2020, around 85,000 people left India for foreign nations. This is a matter of great sorrow for our country,” he added further criticizing the political parties for reducing the middle class to what he described as a ‘slave mindset’.
Meanwhile, PM Modi took cognizance of the event and said that AAP was notorious for making false promises. It is important to note that the AAP has been making false promises to the citizens in the past few months in the wake of the Delhi Assembly elections and every time has been exposed rightly. In the given case, he claims to be standing behind the middle-class people saying that he will be the people’s voice but apparently fails to actually make any kind of promise to the middle-class. Instead, he is attempting to make a place in the minds of the voters by targeting the Centre as he asks them to ensure the fulfilment of 7 demands that he has made today.
AAP made fraudulent promises to women, and senior citizens last month
It is crucial to note that the AAP in December had made a promise to offer free medical and healthcare services to citizens aged above 60. Former AAP CM Arvind Kejriwal while announcing the scheme stated that the citizens would be able to avail the benefits of the scheme at private and government hospitals.
It also promised Rs 2100 per month to every woman under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana. For this, the party members had begun collecting data from the women claiming that they would get money based on the forms filled. On 25th December, the AAP revealed that around 1.15 million people had already signed up for the said schemes and that around 1,50,000 among them who are senior citizens had signed up for free health care.
However, later the fraud of the AAP leaders was exposed after the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Women and Child Development Department, of the Delhi Government said that no such schemes were announced by the state and that no persons were authorized to collect the data for the schemes.
Issuing an official notification the Women and Child Development Department of the Delhi Government said, “It is emphasized that since no such Scheme is in existence, the question of acceptance of the form/application for registration under this non-existent Scheme does not arise. Any private person/political party who is collecting forms/applications or collecting information from applicants in the name of this scheme is committing fraud and has no authority.”
केजरीवाल कितना बड़ा फ्रॉड कर रहें है दिल्ली की बहनों के साथ
एक तरफ़ केजरीवाल महिलाओं के फॉर्म भरवा रहें है दूसरी तरफ़ दिल्ली सरकार का आज के अखबारों में नोटिस देखिए
दिल्ली सरकार ख़ुद विज्ञापन दे रहीं हैं कि ऐसी कोई योजना नहीं और ये फॉर्म फ़र्ज़ी हैं
It warned the women citizens of Delhi to stop sharing personal information through fraudulent forms. It added that the data could be leaked posing a threat to the identities of women applicants. “No official authority has been ordered to collect personal data of the citizens in the name of the fraudulent schemes,” it added.
Kejriwal has a huge history of making fake promises and telling lies to the citizens of Delhi for the political benefit of the party. Be it during the COVID spread or free ration scheme or regarding the cleanliness of the Yamuna River, AAP’s promises and boasts somehow almost always end up in hot air. OpIndia has time and again exposed Kejriwal for making fraudulent promises to the public. All such reports can be read here.
Notably, AAP during the Punjab elections had also promised to provide a monthly financial aid of Rs 1,000 to women in the state. This promise too remained unfulfilled forcing the Punjab women to protest against the government. “Why hasn’t Kejriwal kept the promises made to us three years ago? When will he fulfil them? We filled out a form for Rs 1,000 three years ago. It’s been more than three years, but we still haven’t received any money,” the women yelled as they protested outside the residence of AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on January 4th.
The education model by AAP stood exposed in the past
The AAP supremo in the press meeting stated that the party raised its education budget from Rs 5000 crores to Rs 10000 crores and then to Rs 16000 crores aiming to provide better education to the Delhi students. He said that his party believed that education was the only mode through which a major push could be given to the civilians to make this country a better place.
However, it is interesting to note that the Delhi model of education was exposed several times amid which several Delhi municipal authorities and opposition leaders revealed how the party was practising corruption in the name of providing better facilities to the school-going children. In 2022, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, the leader of the opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly criticized the party for claiming to have the best education model in the state. He said that as per the Performance Grading Index of 2019-2020, Delhi did not even stand in the top 5 of the list which includes all the states and the Union Territories.
“In the performance in the domain of learning outcome, Delhi stands in the 32nd position among all states and UTs. Delhi is in the 6th position from the bottom. This implies that even after hefty spending in the name of education, students of schools in Delhi are performing very poorly,” he said calling the AAP’s policy a sham.
Bidhuri stressed that the condition of Delhi University colleges funded by the Delhi Government was also very poor. The government was unable to pay salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff in the colleges fully funded by the Delhi government. Bidhuri stressed that the condition of Delhi University colleges funded by the Delhi Government was also very poor. The government was unable to pay salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff in the colleges fully funded by the Delhi government. According to a November 2021 news report, 12 Delhi University colleges financed by the Delhi government experienced a funding crisis since their assigned funds were reduced.
In 2019, several Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools had posts for teachers, and principals vacant and the student enrolment had also drastically reduced. More than 5,000 students in 14 schools were forced to sit on floors, as there were no desks and benches, and 44 schools did not have Jal Board water connections. The same was the plight of 40,000 students in 100 schools of North MCDA. There were 14 schools without a campus of their own.
Kejriwal claimed that students from private schools began joining government schools. However, data by 2018 showed that the number of enrolments in private schools had been on the rise and that in the government schools were reducing.
Recently, in 2022, the vigilance directorate recommended a detailed investigation by a specialized agency into the alleged irregularities and corruption by the Kejriwal government in the construction of 2,405 classrooms in 194 government schools in Delhi. The Central Vigilance Commission had outlined “grave irregularities” in the Public Works Department’s (PWD) construction of over 2,400 classrooms in Delhi government schools in a report dated February 17, 2020. The report was not taken seriously by the AAP until the then-governor, ordered an investigation into the matter.
Health scheme saw cut in Delhi budget last year
Notably, Kejriwal asked the Center to increase the health budget by 10% and also said that senior citizens deserved free medical aid. However, in the last Delhi Budget, the AAP government reduced the budget allotted to the health sector by around Rs 1000 crores. The budget was reduced from Rs 9742 crores in 2023 to Rs 8685 crores in 2024. For schemes and projects also, the allocation was reduced from Rs 4830 crores to Rs 3423 crores.
In her Budget speech, then-Finance Minister Atishi said the government was providing free treatment to more than 81,000 OPD patients daily and 65,806 IPD patients monthly in its 38 hospitals. She added that 64,000 people received free medicines, tests, and treatment at the 530 mohalla clinics every day.
While the AAP time and again lauds the Moholla clinics, the failure of the scheme cannot be ignored. In August 2023, senior Congressmen and the minister for health and family welfare in the government of Karnataka, Dinesh Gundu Rao visited the Delhi government’s mohalla clinic at Panchsheel Park on 4 August and termed it “overhyped.” He even went one step ahead and called his experience “disappointing.”
In 2022, a case of a toddler falling sick because of dextromethorphan poisoning in the Moholla clinic came to the fore. The child was taken seriously ill after she was administered dextromethorphan syrup by a mohalla clinic in the city. The toddler was then immediately rushed to Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital and put on a ventilator support system after suffering from respiratory failure.
In December 2021, 16 children were poisoned and admitted to Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital in New Delhi after allegedly consuming a cough syrup that was administered by a mohalla clinic run by the state government. 3 of those 16 children died in the incident.
It is worth noting that Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) had launched ‘Mohalla Clinics’ as their flagship healthcare model to strengthen the primary healthcare system in the city. However, several such incidents were reported after which the truth of the Moholla clinics was exposed.
Focus on freebies could derail Delhi’s capex
Ahead of the state assembly elections, the AAP in Delhi is focusing too much on providing freebies to civilians to obtain votes. Amid this, the revenue expenditure for the state could increase eventually burdening the state’s capital. A report by PRS Legislative Research highlights that in FY25, the revenue expenditure would increase by 8% over the revised estimates for FY24 while the capital outlay is estimated to decrease by 29% in the current fiscal over the RE for the last fiscal. “Between 2015-16 and 2021-22, on average, Delhi spent 39% lower on capital outlay than budgeted. This was much higher than average underspending on capital outlay by states (19%),” it says.
In the given case, as Kejriwal claimed to have voiced concerns for the middle class, it felt more like he was mocking the entire community for not being on either side of major significance. He claimed that the centre was making the middle class the victim by imposing heavy taxes on them but eventually failed to provide any solution to the alleged problem.
Kejriwal further blatantly alleged the centre of ‘tax terrorism’ and attempted to compare the centre policies to the state amid the state assembly elections. Instead of making actual promises under the ‘Middle-Class Manifesto’, the party further asked the centre to ensure developmental upgradations for the middle class in the wake of the Delhi Assembly polls. This is as weird as the party and its policies are.
Delhi goes to polls on February 5th and the results for all 70 seats of the Legislative Assembly will be announced on February 8th.
In a startling move, the parliament of Iraq enacted three controversial laws on 21st January. It approved changes to the nation’s personal status law that opponents contended would effectively legalize child marriage. Islamic courts now have more jurisdiction over family issues, including inheritance, divorce and marriage, based on the amendments. Iraq’s 1959 Personal Status Law, which unified family law and introduced protections for women, is reportedly undermined by the law, according to several activists.
The proponents of the modifications who were mostly conservative Shiite lawmakers described them as an initiative to lessen Western influence on Iraqi culture and bring the law into line with Islamic values. According to current Iraqi law, the majority of marriages must take place at the age of 18. Many Shia religious authorities in Iraq adhere to the Jaafari school of Islamic law, which permits marriages between girls as young as nine years old. The recent amendments would allow clerics to govern in compliance with their understanding of Islamic law.
Furthermore, the parliament passed a general amnesty bill that is perceived as favouring Sunni detainees and as allowing those engaged in embezzlement and corruption to get away with it. A land restoration measure that addressed Kurdish territorial claims was also passed by the chamber. The amendments to the civil status law, per human rights activist and Iraqi Women’s League member Intisar al-Mayali, “will leave disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls, through the marriage of girls at an early age, which violates their right to life as children, and will disrupt the protection mechanisms for divorce, custody, and inheritance for women.”
Allegations of procedural irregularities and mayhem marked the end of the session. A parliamentary official stated that “the legal quorum was broken because half of the lawmakers present in the session did not vote.” He was speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to remark publicly. He added that while some members climbed on the parliamentary podium, others vehemently opposed it. Many lawmakers voiced their displeasure with the voting procedure after the session, which saw all three contentious laws and each backed by a different bloc, be put to a vote simultaneously.
An independent MP named Raed al-Maliki conveyed, “Regarding the civil status law, we are strongly supporting it and there were no issues with that. But it was combined with other laws to be voted on together and this might lead to a legal appeal at the federal court.” Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, the speaker of the parliament, hailed the adoption of the laws in a statement as “an important step in the process of enhancing justice and organizing the daily lives of citizens.”
On the other hand, Noor Nafea Ali, an independent lawmaker, called the session a “farce” and pointed out that the bills were enacted without the required number of votes. Meanwhile, according to a security official, an explosion at an ammunition stockpile killed at least three policemen on 21st Jnauary including the national security chief of the al-Tarmiyah district north of Baghdad, and injured four more.
The explosion happened as a joint force of the Iraqi army and the national security service conducted an operation after intelligence reports of the Islamic State (IS) group’s activity and an ammunition cache in the area, informed the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to brief the media.
The Islamist attempts to impose Sharia Law in India
There exists a clear intention and wish among several individuals of a particular community to impose the Sharia law in India as well. Open and covert appeals to enforce the same in the nation or its regions have been voiced and frequently by a many, including the dreaded jihadi organizations like the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI), Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and even mainstream Islamic leaders, parties and politicians. In any case, terrorist groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and other nations seek to subjugate India and Hindus to either eliminate or treat them as sub-humans under the law.
Afghanistan under Taliban authority or areas under IS or ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) rule provides a stark illustration of what life resembles for women and non-Muslims in a nation with Sharia law. The manner in which the Taliban has restricted women’s basic freedoms including education in spite of its claims to the contrary revealed plenty about the dark reality of being governed by such an archaic law. This is further demonstrated by how non-Muslim women, especially Christian and Yazidi females suffered abuse and assault at the hands of ISIS where they were traded like livestock and raped at the hands of their captors.
The status of minorities especially Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh, which complies with the law in both letter and spirit yet again exemplifies the horrors endured by infidels in Sharia law. Their miserable condition resulted in the foundation of the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) 2019. More importantly, although the law consistently dehumanizes and exploits women and non-Muslims, many in India want to see it enforced throughout the nation since it is consistent with their Islamic ideology and beliefs.
The calls of “gustakh e rasool ki ek hi saza sar tan se juda” (behead those who insult Prophet Muhammad and Islam) that are echoed in the streets of the nation at every incident perceived of blasphemy is another manifestation of the Sharia law where religious fervor supersedes rationalism, logic and even the sanctity human life. Notably, the slogan was originally taken from Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, an extremist-turned-political outfit formed by the late Khadim Hussain Rizvi in the Islamic Republic.
The tragic killings of innocent Hindus that occurred in the aftermath of the edited video shared by Mohammed Zubair of Alt News featuring former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma show the gruesome fate that alleged blasphemers often face, as evidenced repeatedly in various Islamic nations. Mob justice prevails in these states and those who manage to evade such violence ultimately confront a similar end through the legal frameworks imposed by the respective Sharia governments.
AIMPLB, Sharia Law and opposition to UCC
The main goal of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is to protect Sharia law from any legislation that allegedly violates it. “We have more than 100 Sharia courts in India under AIMPLB and there are several others running under Imarat-e-Sharia across states including Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, under Imara-e-Sharia Assam and Karnataka. Jamiat Ulema is also running Sharia courts,” its spokesperson Qasim Rasool Ilyas disclosed. “We are planning to establish Sharia courts wherever there is a Muslim population,” he added.
Funnily, he claimed that the AIMPLB is trying to lessen the strain on the Indian courts, which are governed by the Constitution, by setting up Sharia courts. The Muslim organization earlier announced plans to establish Darul-Qaza, or Sharia courts, in every region of the nation in 2018. Therefore, it also opposed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act of 2019 and any changes to the divorce laws for Muslim women. The board even released a book titled “Nikah-O-Talaq (Marriage and Divorce)” to defend Sharia law.
It has long opposed the UCC (Uniform Civil Code), claiming that it would be “against the spirit of the Constitution” and that “implementing the Uniform Civil Code will deprive citizens of the privileges provided to them by personal laws (guided by Sharia law).” The board even threatened that its implementation would result in hampering peace and harmony in the country. AIMPLB has applied every effort to uphold Sharia law in the nation, from challenging the Supreme Court’s decision to permit divorced women to seek maintenance following the “iddat” (a period of waiting and abstinence that a Muslim woman observes after the death of her husband or a divorce) to contesting the Uttarakhand UCC law.
Muslim lawmakers and leaders are mostly rejecting the long-awaited legislation because they consider it to be incompatible with the regressive Sharia law. The protest is also coupled with serious threats undermining the country’s law and order. “We are against the UCC and if it is forced upon us, the reaction will be the same as it was for the CAA and NRC (National Register of Citizens). The Muslims of the country will never tolerate it at all,” warned the president of Hyderabad-based Tahreek Muslim Shabban, Maulana Mushtaq Malik, last year.
Controversial Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi expressed similar sentiments and conveyed, “1400 years ago a constitution of Islam was formulated but the government wants to make amendments even in that. They want you to marry according to their laws and divide your properties as per them. What shall we do? Should we follow the government’s Uniform Civil Code or the teachings of the Holy Quran and Allah. The situation is deteriorating in the country and Muslims are worried.”
Notably, the Muslim leaders and groups are fighting against the constitutional UCC only because they want religious Sharia law in the country. Their hypocrisy is revealed, though, as they only want it to apply to their personal laws and not the criminal code.
Presence of Sharia law in marriages and other walks of life
The Madhya Pradesh High Court made a startling judgement last year when it pronounced that a marriage between a Muslim boy and a Hindu girl is not lawful under Mohammedan law. The court stated that even if the marriage is registered under the special marriage act, it will be regarded as an irregular (or fasid) marriage under Muslim personal law. The couple’s request for police protection was denied by the court, which added that neither the Hindu girl were willing to convert to Islam nor the couple want to live together without getting married. The court also ignored the argument that the Special Marriage Act permits such interfaith weddings and hinted that the Hindu girl must convert to Islam in order to marry the Muslim male for the marriage to be recognized by Sharia law.
Moreover, in a landmark decision in last August, the 1935 Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act and Rules, which were a remnant of colonial rule, were repealed by the government of Himanta Biswa Sarma which led to significant changes to Muslim marriages such as the elimination of Qazis (the marriage and divorce registrar), the prohibition of child marriages, compulsory registration of weddings. Section 8 of the act made child marriage legal by requiring legitimate guardians to apply for marriage registration if either the bride or the groom, or both, were minors.
Sharia law influences not only significant aspects such as marriage but also enforces strict limitations on everyday life, especially for females. “When we enquire about what we see, it is that there is an intermingling of men and women. Not just that, women are exposing their bodies and doing this exercise. The programme has even abolished the thought that men and women seeing one another is haram (forbidden),” general secretary of All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama, Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar voiced recently while criticising popular physical fitness program Multi-Exercise Combination (MEC-7), in Kerala. He declared that the program was in violation of Islamic norms.
The opposition to the reclamation of Hindu temples, including the Ram Mandir, which were ravaged by Islamic rulers, represents another facet of Sharia law that is increasingly evident in India, both directly and indirectly, and in multiple forms. AIMPLB, Islamist political parties like All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) whose leaders are notorious for spreading hateful rhetoric against Hindus and many promiment Muslims have been vehementaly against the reclamation of temples by Hindus.
They have been challenging every move by the Hindu side in the courts and the street. The violence perpetrated by Muslim mob which transpired during the survey of Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal was an exmaple of the same. Interestingly, Waqf which is infamous for making fraudulent ownership claims about public and private properties including temples in India is also an integral part of Sharia law. Hence, there has been such a fierce agitation against the Waqf amendment bill by Muslim groups and leaders. It is unfortunate that the opposition supports such elements for the sake of vote-bank politics and Muslim appeasement.
Conclusion
The imposition of Sharia law in its complete form often serves as a mechanism for the severe oppression of non-Muslims, child marriages and the public flogging of women through unfounded accusations, thereby infringing upon their human rights and turning their existence burdensome, as evidenced in Afghanistan and Iran where females have been murdered over headscarfs.
Otherwise, like in Bangladesh and Pakistan, it turns into a tool to single out non-Muslims and persecute them on bogus grounds. Overall, the law consistently yields dire consequences for non-Muslims, which is why radical elements advocate for its application in India, aiming to replicate the efforts of Islamic invaders to cleanse the land of Hindus and make it into an Islamic nation which was also highlighted in PFI’s vision document.
A division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and Amanuddin Ahsanullah found itself in a fix while hearing the interim bail plea of Delhi Anti-Hindu riots accused Tahir Hussain on Wednesday. Former Aam Aadmi Party Councillor Tahir Hussain filed a plea before the Apex Court seeking interim bail for contesting the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections as a candidate of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate.
Unable to decide whether Hussain should be granted bail or not, the division bench passed a split verdict. The bench referred the matter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna to be presented before a three-judge bench. Justice Pankaj Mithal rejected Hussain’s bail plea while Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah’s opinion was that his plea should be allowed. “Since our opinions have differed, let Registry place this matter before the Chief Justice of India for the constitution of a third judge or to place it before a three-judge bench”, Justice Mithal remarked.
Justice Mithal was against granting Hussain bail
Justice Mithal said that allowing interim bail to Tahir Hussain would set a wrong precedent opening floodgates of pleas by jailed persons seeking interim bail on similar grounds. “If interim bail is allowed for contesting elections, it will open a pandora’s box. Since elections in the country are all year round, every prisoner will come out with a plea that he wants to participate in the elections and therefore he wants interim bail. This will open floodgates of litigation and this cannot be permitted,” Justice Mithal said. He added that it may also prompt multiple petitions for interim bail to come out of jail for voting which is prohibited for prisoners under the Representation of People Act.
Taking notice of the serious allegations levelled against Hussain, Justice Mithal weighed the possibility of him influencing the witnesses if allowed to go out of jail. Justice Mithal clarified that the right to campaign for elections is not a fundamental right. He rejected Hussain’s bail plea stating that it is up to the discretion of the court to decide whether interim bail should be given for such a purpose.
Justice Mithal noted that even if Hussain’s plea was allowed, he would remain in jail as he is yet to get bail in the money laundering case against him. “This (present interim bail) is an academic exercise! If you don’t get bail in all cases, this bail will not mean that you will walk out,” he added.
Justice Amanullah was in favour of granting Hussain bail
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah said that Hussain’s bail plea can be allowed on certain conditions. “It is settled law that magnitude of offence and gravity is not the only criteria for bail cases. I am of the view that, subject to appropriate conditions the petitioner be granted bail. Bail only until the forenoon of February 4, 2025,” said Amanullah J. He said that Hussain could be released on the condition that he would not be allowed to speak on the Delhi riots cases while campaigning.
“He would also promptly surrender before the jail authorities after the expiry of the term granted,” he added. Justice Amanullah questioned the prosecuting agency for failing to complete the trial promptly. “In four years only four or five eyewitnesses were examined? If this case was so important…he has not been out for a single day. You cannot have unlimited liberty to castigate someone. This is not Article 21, it has been denied, ” he said.
Responding to Justice Mithal’s view that Hussain would not be able to walk out without getting bail in the money laundering case, Justice Amanullah said, “Why should the Supreme Court wait for the trial court to decide something? We cannot anticipate that he will not get bail…If we (Supreme Court) wait for the trial court, then it is like we are subservient to the trial court”.
The ASG urged the SC not to grant Hussain bail
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing on behalf of the Delhi Police, urged the court not to allow Hussain’s plea citing the seriousness of the allegation against him. He mentioned that Hussain’s role in the 2020 Delhi anti-Hindu riots was not limited to instigating rather he ‘orchestrated’ the riots and his house was the ‘epicentre’ from where directions were issued and weapons were recovered.
Tahir Hussain approached the Supreme Court seeking interim bail after his bail plea was rejected by the Delhi High Court on January 14, 2025. The High Court emphasized the seriousness of the allegations against him, highlighting his involvement in the violence that led to the deaths of 59 people. However, the Court has granted Tahir Hussain custody parole to allow him to file his nomination papers and participate in campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections.
On 22nd January 2025, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme completed its 10 years. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this day in 2015 in Panipat, Haryana. The first decade of the scheme has been impactful.
Marking the completion of a decade of BBBP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, “Today we mark 10 years of the #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao movement. Over the past decade, it has become a transformative, people-powered initiative and has drawn participation from people across all walks of life.” Notably, in just one year, there was a dramatic rise in birth of girl child in Haryana.
Today we mark 10 years of the #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao movement. Over the past decade, it has become a transformative, people powered initiative and has drawn participation from people across all walks of life.
He added that the scheme has been instrumental in overcoming gender biases and at the same time it has created the right environment to ensure that the girl child has access to education and opportunities to achieve her dreams.
#BetiBachaoBetiPadhao has been instrumental in overcoming gender biases and at the same time it has created the right environment to ensure that the girl child has access to education and opportunities to achieve her dreams.
The PM said, “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the people and various community service organisations, #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao has achieved remarkable milestones. Districts with historically low child sex ratios have reported significant improvements and awareness campaigns have instilled a deeper sense of the importance of gender equality.”
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the people and various community service organisations, #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao has achieved remarkable milestones. Districts with historically low child sex ratios have reported significant improvements and awareness campaigns have instilled a…
“I compliment all stakeholders who have made this movement vibrant at the grassroots level. Let us continue to protect the rights of our daughters, ensure their education and create a society where they can thrive without any discrimination. Together, we can ensure that the coming years bring even greater progress and opportunity for India’s daughters,” PM Modi added.
I compliment all stakeholders who have made this movement vibrant at the grassroots level. Let us continue to protect the rights of our daughters, ensure their education and create a society where they can thrive without any discrimination. Together, we can ensure that the coming…
The flagship initiative was aimed at addressing gender disparities, improving the Child Sex Ratio (CSR), and promoting education for girls. Over the years, the scheme has achieved significant milestones. Here are the six achievements the Central and state governments have achieved.
Improvement in the sex ratio at birth
One of the most important aspects of the scheme was to improve the sex ratio at birth. Over the decade, it rose from 918 in 2014-15 to 933 in 2022-23. This reflects the effectiveness of nationwide awareness campaigns against gender-biased practices.
Increased enrolment in secondary education
In 2014-15, 75.51% of girls were enrolled in secondary education. The numbers have seen a substantial boost, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) increasing from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 79.4% in 2021-22. Educational initiatives under BBBP have been instrumental in this progress.
Focus on skill development
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has partnered with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to promote vocational training for young girls and women. Initiatives such as ‘Khelo India’ have also contributed to identifying and nurturing talent in sports among girls.
Rise in institutional deliveries
Institutional deliveries have increased from 87% in 2014-15 to over 94% by 2019-20. This improvement has significantly enhanced maternal and infant health outcomes, reducing mortality rates.
Holistic Empowerment through Mission Shakti
The government has integrated Mission Shakti into BBBP, which has expanded the scheme’s scope, ensuring safety, education, and economic empowerment of women. Programmes such as self-defence camps, awareness campaigns, and menstrual hygiene management have been game changers.
Community engagement and awareness campaigns
Activities like ‘Selfie with Daughter’ and ‘Beti Janmotsav’ have gained national attention, fostering community involvement. Events celebrating National Girl Child Day and campaigns focused on gender equality have further strengthened the scheme’s impact.
Research findings on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme
A study by Dr K Barathiraja and AS Naveenkumar, published in the South Eastern European Journal of Public Health (SEEJPH) in September last year highlighted the substantial progress achieved through the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme in Dharmapuri District, Tamil Nadu, between 2019 and 2023. The research was based on data collected via various sources including RTI.
The research underscores the scheme’s impressive outcomes, particularly in healthcare and education. Educational enrolment for girls witnessed significant growth, with primary level enrolment increasing by 25% and high school enrolment by 24%. This is attributed to the comprehensive interventions under BBBP, which have fostered greater access to education for girls. Healthcare access has also improved markedly, supported by initiatives benefiting over 1,333 Anganwadi centres and bolstering maternal and child health services in the district.
The funding for the scheme grew from ₹25,00,000 in 2019-2020 to ₹30,00,000 in 2022-2023, enabling broader multi-departmental coordination. Resources were strategically allocated across education, health, social welfare, and law enforcement departments, ensuring a balanced approach to addressing gender equality.
The study also highlighted the role of community engagement in the scheme’s success, with widespread participation in educational and healthcare initiatives. The researchers noted that BBBP has mobilised collective efforts from various stakeholders, creating a robust support system for empowering girl children.
This study was about only one district. Similar results have been noticed across nation. Efforts have been made by both central and state governments to address gender-based issues which added strength to BBBP scheme.
BBBP has now entered its second decade. The government is aiming to sustain the momentum with a multi-sectoral approach. The focus is expected to remain on long-term policies and active community participation to empower every girl child.
Immediately after assuming office, US President Donald Trump signed the executive order withdrawing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday (20th January). The decision came owing to the global health agency’s Covid pandemic mishandling and other global health crises.
“The United States noticed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020 due to the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states,” the executive order signed by President Trump reads.
Disproportionate financial burden, surging Chinese influence and more: Why the USA decide to go from being one of the largest contributors to withdrawing from WHO?
The executive order signed by President Trump further pointed out that the United States bears a disproportionate financial burden of funding WHO compared to other countries, particularly China. The executive order says that WHO demands “unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments. China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300 percent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90 percent less to the WHO.”
In a statement made in the Oval Office on Monday, President Trump said that the US had paid $500 million to the WHO, while China, despite its much larger population, contributed only $39 million. This significant imbalance, according to Trump, was a key factor in his decision to cut ties with the organization.
“We paid 500 million dollars to the World Health Organization, while China, with 1.4 billion people, paid just 39 million. It seemed a little unfair to me,” Trump said.
Interestingly, China has extended support to WHO after Trump signed an executive order to withdraw from the health agency.
The Trump administration also pointed out WHO’s failure to adopt “urgently needed reforms”, hinting at a wider discontent over the global health body’s structure, accountability, and effectiveness in handling health issues worldwide. Besides, political influence of member states on WHO has also been a source of discontent of the newly-inaugurated Trump administration.
Even during his electoral campaign, Trump had emphasised on the necessity for the United States to re-evaluate the country’s commitments to international organisations based whether such bodies are in line with the US’s narrative or serving the country’s interests efficiently or not.
The United States has historically been a significant contributor to both the WHO’s emergency appeal and its overall budget, which is set at $6.8 billion for 2024–2025. According to WHO data, the United States donated approximately 34% of the funding available for health emergencies over the last two years, with previous contributions reaching 50%. It also provides around one-fifth of the WHO’s total funding.
Under the Biden administration, the United States remained the WHO’s top financier, accounting for about one-fifth of the agency’s $6.8 billion annual budget in 2023.
While the US has been a key contributor to World Health Organisation so far, however, the country’s withdrawal from WHO means that it will no longer be contributing huge amounts of funds to the health agency. This would potentially diminish WHO’s influence in global health policy and emergency responses. The US government’s decision to withdraw from WHO can also isolate the country from international cooperation on health issues, however, the country would try to come up with more direct and effective US-led health initiatives outside the WHO framework to curb the adverse impact of withdrawing from WHO.
Meanwhile, WHO has issued a statement lamenting the US’s departure from the organisation. WHO outlined its role in “protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go.”
WHO comments on United States announcement of intent to withdraw
The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization.
WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s… pic.twitter.com/DT3QJ49bhb
The health organisation expressed hope that the Trump administration would reconsider its decision to withdraw from WHO and indulge in “constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”
As a disproportionate financial burden and Chinese influence emerged as major reasons behind the US’s withdrawal from WHO, it is crucial to understand who funds this health organisation and how these funds are utilised.
Who funds WHO?
WHO has two main sources of funding, first, Member States paying their assessed contributions (countries’ membership dues), and second, voluntary contributions from Member States and other partners.
The assessed contributions are a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (the percentage is agreed upon by the United Nations General Assembly). Member States approve them every two years at the World Health Assembly. They cover less than 20% of the total budget. This implies that 80% of WHO’s funding comes from “voluntary contributions” made by member states, NGOs, philanthropic organisations or other private entities.
As per WHO’s data, the US’s net contributions payable for the years 2024-2025 stood at $ 260,625,940. Meanwhile, India’s net contributions payable for 2024-2025 were recorded at $ 11,989,020.
During the 2022–2023 biennium, the United States contributed US$ 1.284 billion to WHO, followed by Germany and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). BMGF has been a major contributor to WHO with its donations making up to 12% of WHO’s total funding.
The BMGF’s increased influence in WHO has been widely debated, particularly, concerns have been raised about a single private foundation being a major donor to WHO allowing Bill Gates to decide the health agency’s priorities if not absolutely become a decision maker setting global health agenda.
WHO’s contributors data for the years 2022-2023
Back in 2020, Lawrence Gostin, faculty director for the O’Neill Institute at Georgetown University had raised alarms about BMGF’s mounting influence in WHO and said, “If a private foundation were to become WHO’s highest donor, it would be transformational. It would enable a single rich philanthropist [Bill Gates] to set the global health agenda. The big concerns are that the Gates Foundation isn’t fully transparent and accountable. By wielding such influence, it could steer WHO priorities.”
Not to forget, Bill Gates who recently sparked criticism for indicating that India is a “laboratory to test new ideas”, had back in 2020 called then-President Trump’s decision to halt WHO funding, “as dangerous as it sounds”.
The other among the top 10 contributors for the year 2022-2023 included the vaccine alliance GAVI, the European Commission, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Rotary International, Japan and France.
For its next budget spanning 2025-2028, WHO has obtained $1 billion in pledges, as announced by the health agency in October 2024. The financing commitments from various European governments, foundations, and organisations accounted for nearly $700 million of this total. Meanwhile, $300 million was raised from reaffirmed investment commitments. The financing was revealed during the WHO Investment Round Signature Event during the World Health Summit in Berlin in October, which was co-hosted by Germany, France, and Norway.
Germany emerged as a key contributor to WHO funding, investing approximately $400 million over four years, with an additional $260 million in voluntary funding. Wellcome, a UK-based philanthropic foundation, offered $50 million, with the Institute for Philanthropy, Resolve to Save Lives, and the World Diabetes Foundation each committing $10 million. The WHO Foundation also made a large pledge of US$ 50 million, drawing support from the commercial sector, particularly pharmaceutical companies including Boehringer Ingelheim and Novo Nordisk.
Is WHO losing credibility and independence?
The World Health Organisation has been accused of mishandling pandemics over the years. Be it the allegations of alarmism during the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, or the slow and nearly ineffective initial response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 and a delay in declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) causing a widened scale of the outbreak, or the more recent late declaration of a global health crises when Covid-19 outbreak allegedly due to superfluous trust in China’s narrative, WHO has been receiving flak for its handling of major global health crises.
In fact, a report by a panel set up by WHO called the combined response to Covid pandemic by WHO and global governments a “toxic cocktail”. The report found that the deadly virus killed over 3.3 million people globally with over 159 million infected.
“The situation we find ourselves in today could have been prevented. t is due to a myriad of failures, gaps and delays in preparedness and response,” co-chair Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a former president of Liberia said.
China’s influence over WHO has been a major concern, particularly after the Covid outbreak. Back in 2020, US Senator from Idaho and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jim Risch called to form an independent investigation against the World Health Organization alleging that the organization has been a political puppet of the Chinese government and the organization is unwilling to hold Chinese communist party responsible for the pandemic. President Trump had also accused the WHO of being heavily funded by the US but functioning in a more China-centric fashion.
On 14th January 2020, the acting head of WHO’s emerging diseases unit, Maria Van Kerkhove, downplayed the Covid threat, saying there is “limited human-to-human transmission” in Wuhan. Later, it issued a clarification, saying that human transmission was “possible” and “may” be happening. Six days later, Zhong Nanshan, a Chinese epidemiologist and a government adviser confirmed that the virus could actually spread between people. Moreover, when countries began imposing a travel ban on Chinese nationals to prevent the spread of Corona virus, not only China but WHO also opposed this saying that there is no need for steps that “unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade.”
In 2021, WHO went a step ahead and claimed that the Coronavirus did not originate in China. The WHO joined by a Chinese expert mission claimed that the virus may have originated outside China. Back in 2020, the Trump administration had demanded investigation into WHO and China’s relationship alleging that it poses a threat to the US’s sovereignty.
The shameful episode of Peter Daszak being a part of the UN ‘investigation team’ that went to Wuhan despite his involvement in the Gain of Fuction research projects in the very same lab, and his earlier attempts to give a clean chit to the Wuhan Institute of virology did not flatter WHO’s image either. Throughout the pandemic, WHO maintained a ‘let’s not offend China’ stand.
Should India withdraw from WHO?
As the United States decided to withdraw from the World Health Organisation, a question arises if India should also consider withdrawing from the global health agency, particularly in the wake of mounting Chinese influence in the global health agency. However, before addressing the question of whether India should stay or withdraw from WHO, it is pertinent to understand WHO’s impact on India.
The World Health Organisation sets international health regulations and standards helping countries, particularly, developing countries like India in managing public health crises, and pandemics and enhancing health infrastructure. Over the years, WHO has provided India with technical guidance, training and resources to help the country in areas such as disease surveillance, outbreak response and health policy development. Besides, India’s membership in WHO allows it to partake in global health research, collaborative studies and data sharing. This has been crucial in tackling diseases like Tuberculosis (TB), malaria and several non-communicable diseases. WHO also supports India’s programmes on HIV, antimicrobial resistance and immunisation.
Notably, while WHO may not be the sole source of funding for India’s various health programmes, the USA’s withdrawal from the agency would have an impact on India’s health initiatives and also prompt other Member States to increase funding to WHO.
In July last year, India committed USD 85 million to the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre to support a cross-sectoral program of work to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine by providing data and evidence on traditional medicine policies, practices, products, and public use. As per WHO, this agreement was a part of “a US$ 250 million investment from India in support of the establishment of the WHO Global Centre of Traditional Medicine in 2022, which includes financial support for the workplan of the Centre, interim premises and a new building.”
WHO’s data on India’s contribution to the health agency (updated till 11-2024)
In November 2023, India’s Ministry of Ayush and WHO signed the Project Collaboration Agreement to standardise Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems, integrate their quality and safety aspects into the National Health System, and disseminate them at the international level. The first contract was signed in 2016 to take Traditional Medical systems like Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani, and Panchakarma to the global level and the second contract was signed in 2017 to strengthen the system of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medical systems.
It is undeniable that WHO’s collaboration with India has benefitted the country in tackling health issues. In 2014, India was declared Polio-free as WHO backed India’s extensive immunisation campaigns. WHO also played a key role in supporting India’s Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP), contributing to the development of strategies for TB control and elimination. The intergovernmental health agency also supports India’s measures to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) which also includes supporting the implementation of the Modi government’s successful Ayushman Bharat scheme. Besides, WHO has also helped India strengthen its healthcare system, improve healthcare service delivery, enhance quality of care, and build healthcare workforce capacity. Its efforts in formulating and developing public health guidelines and standards to enhance healthcare practices across the country have also been significant.
India’s collaboration with WHO also compliments its role in global health governance allowing it to have an influence in shaping global health policies by active participation in discussions and advocacy in specific health agendas especially in the context of developing countries, and colluding with other member states to influence policy decisions at World Health Assembly and other WHO-related forums.
Interestingly, back in 2023, British-Indian cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra had alleged that WHO had lost its independence and that the Indian government should “ignore” WHO’s advice on health issues. Malhotra even asserted that India should withdraw from WHO. He pointed out that a major chunk of WHO’s funding comes from commercial entities that have the least interest in people’s health and that their main interest is in minting money by deceiving people.
“Seventy per cent of the funding of the World Health Organisation comes from commercial entities…. As long as the WHO is getting industry funding or funding from vested interests, it should not beconsidered independent and the Indian government should ignore its advice. Those commercial entities are not interested in your health, they will make money by deception,” Malhotra said.
However, just as the United States raised concerns about growing Chinese influence in WHO and allegations against WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of being pro-China as well as the alleged role of influential lobbyists for big pharma and private foundations having a significant say in WHO’s decision making and determining its policy, India needs to weigh all the factors if it decides to withdraw from the UN’s intergovernmental health agency.
On one hand, leaving WHO would allow India greater financial autonomy as the funds it allocates to WHO could be invested directly into its healthcare systems or channelled the funds to other less biased global forums outside the WHO framework, on the other, India would risk losing global influence in deciding international health policies and responses to outbreaks. Besides, India would also lose access to vital data and research on global health issues it WHO currently provides to India as a member state. Much like the US, India would also have to face global criticism if it decides to leave WHO especially given the stark differences in the healthcare situation in the two countries.
While the concerns around WHO’s declining credibility and independence are not unfounded, instead of withdrawing from WHO, India should push for reforms within WHO while continuing to benefit from global health cooperation. The country, however, should take measures to reduce reliance on WHO for health strategies as too much reliance on the UN body will detract India from its efforts at developing its indigenous health solutions as per the country’s socio-economic conditions. At this point, it would be more detrimental than beneficial for India to withdraw from the World Health Organisation. Thus, it would be better for India to leverage membership to advocate reforms within WHO while also emerging as a key player in filling the vacuum created by the US’s departure from WHO.
China and Europe would also want to fill the void created by the US, however, since Europe’s resources are mostly engaged in the Russia-Ukraine war, India would not want to miss this opportunity even though private foundations and philanthropies like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will also step up efforts to fill the lacuna created by US’s exit. This could be India’s chance to bolster its position as the leading voice of the global south.
Hours after the Manipur unit of JD(U) announced withdrawing support from the Biren Singh-led NDA government in Manipur, the JD(U) removed its state president for taking the decision unilaterally. The party said that it continues to support the NDA govt, and that its Manipur president Kshetrimayum Biren Singh wrote the letter withdrawing support without consulting the central leadership.
In a statement, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad called the reports of the party’s decision to sever ties with the BJP in Manipur “misleading and baseless”. He said that the party’s Manipur president Kshetrimayum Biren Singh wrote the letter independently and didn’t consult the party’s central leadership regarding the same.
Rajeev Ranjan Prasad told ANI, “This is misleading and baseless. The party has taken cognizance of this and the president of Manipur unit of the party has been relieved of his position. We have supported NDA and our support to the NDA government in Manipur will continue even in future. Manipur unit did not have any communication with the central leadership, they were not taken into confidence. He (Manipur JDU chief) had written the letter on his own. Considering this an act of indiscipline, action has been taken against him and relieved of his position.”
#WATCH | Delhi: JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad says, "This is misleading and baseless. The party has taken cognisance of this and the president of Manipur unit of the party has been relieved of his position. We have supported NDA and our support to the NDA… https://t.co/PhAJwAp4xnpic.twitter.com/usvowgta3n
He added, “We are with the NDA and the state unit will continue to serve people of Manipur towards development of the state.”
Notably, the letter written by Kshetrimayum Biren Singh said, “In the election to State Assembly of Manipur held in February/March, 2022, six candidates set up by Janata Da l(United) were returned. After a few months, five MLAs of Janata Dal(United) defected to BJP. Trial under Tenth Schedule of Constitution of India of the five MLAs is pending before the Speaker’s Tribunal. After Janata Dal(United) became a part of INDIA bloc, support to the BJP led government was withdrawn by Janata Dal(United) by informing the office of Hon’ble Governor, Leader of the House(Chief Minister) and Speaker. As such, seating arrangement of the lone MLA of Janata Dal (United) in Manipur, Md. Abdul Nasir is made in the Opposition Bench in the last session of Assembly by the Speaker.”
The fired Manipur JD(U) chief further wrote, “It is, hereby, further reiterated that Janata Dal(United), Manipur Unit does not support the BJP led state government in Manipur, and our lone MLA, Md. Abdul Nasir, shall be treated as an opposition MLA in the House.”
JD(U) won six seats in 2022 Manipur assembly elections. But later five of them joined BJP. Their disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution is pending before the Speaker’s tribunal.
BJP has 37 MLAs in the 60-member house, and has the support of 5 NPP MLAs and 3 independents. Therefore, even if the lone JD(U) MLA withdraws support, the govt faces no trouble.
