On Saturday (27th February), the Supreme Court imposed a temporary ban on Patanjali Ayurved’s advertisements until further order. The court also issued a contempt notice to its founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna for flouting the court’s November orders regarding the ‘misleading claims advertisements’ of Patanjali Ayurved products.
BIG BREAKING: Supreme Court imposes a COMPLETE BAN on Patanjali advertisements after SC came down heavily upon Baba Ramdev and Patanjali for 'false and misleading' ads. Notice for contempt of court issued to Patanjali and Acharya Balakrishnan.#SupremeCourt#Patanjalipic.twitter.com/yFsIT0ZZ2h
A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah stated that Patanjali has duped the country by making misleading claims that its medicines can cure various diseases despite the lack of scientific evidence.
The Court also questioned the Union Government on what action it had taken under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954 about Patanjali’s advertisements.
“The entire country has been taken for a ride! For two years you wait when the Drugs Act says this is prohibited?” Justice Amanullah said to Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj.
While acknowledging that deceptive advertisements are unacceptable, the Centre’s law officer emphasised that it is up to the concerned States to take action under the Act. The apex court asked the central government to submit an affidavit outlining what steps it has taken.
The Supreme Court today ruled that Patanjali cannot advertise or market any of its medicinal products that claim to heal conditions listed in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act.
The Supreme Court slammed the Patanjali group while hearing an Indian Medical Association (IMA) petition about ‘misinformation against Allopathy’.
Furthermore, the Court warned Patanjali Ayurved against making any adverse statements about any medical system. The case will be heard after two weeks.
Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, representing the Indian Medical Association, alleged that the day after the Supreme Court issued the ruling, on the 21st of November last year, Baba Ramdev and Patanjali conglomerate’s Managing Director Acharya Balakrishna of Patanjali held a press conference and made deceptive claims again.
SC slams Patanjali Ayurved for ads against modern medicines
As reported earlier, on 21st November 2023, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Prashant Kumar Mishra had pulled up Patanjali Ayurved for “publishing misleading claims and advertisements against modern systems of medicine”
The bench had also issued a stern warning to the company stating that it would impose a Rs 1 crore fine on every product if the company made false claims that the product ‘cures’ a particular disease.
“All such false and misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved have to stop immediately. The Court will take any such infraction very seriously, and the Court will also consider imposing costs to the extent of Rs. 1 crores on every product regarding which a false claim is made that it can “cure” a particular disease,” Justice Amanullah said back then.
However, a day later, Baba Ramdev called a press conference and expressed displeasure over SC’s warning to Patanjali about making ‘false’ and ‘misleading’ claims in the commercials about its medicines as cures for various diseases. Ramdev Baba said that the medical mafia has been targeting him and running propaganda against him and the Ayurveda.
“SC said that if you do false propaganda, then you will be fined… We respect SC. But we are not doing any false propaganda. A few doctors have formed a group that continuously does propaganda against yoga, Ayurveda. We are also ready for the death penalty. But if we are not liars, then punish the ones who are spreading the false propaganda. For the past 5 years, propaganda has been going on targeting Ramdev and Patanjali,” Baba said adding that if Patanjali is a liar, it should be fined Rs 1000 crores.
On 25th February, the world received another shock from Pakistan as a woman wearing a dress with Arabic alphabets almost got lynched by an agitated mob. Someone in Pakistan saw the dress of the woman and assumed it had “Allah” written on it, deeming it blasphemous.
Shortly after, the woman was surrounded by religious hounds raising ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans. She was seen begging for her life. A brave female police officer rescued her from the mob and took her into custody for further investigation. The history of fanatic mob lynching in Pakistan is disturbing.
Woman in Lahore’s Ichra wearing a digital print shirt taken into police custody after a mob complained that the shirt had Quranic verses on it. pic.twitter.com/bVjtkuZlsP
A video of the woman emerged on social media apologising for the alleged “sacrilege” she committed. She apologised to everyone in her statement, though there was no intention to hurt religious sentiments. The Kuwait-based brand that made the dress urged the people of Pakistan not to message them over the matter. They reminded everyone that they use Arabic texts in different fonts because, wait for it, it is “THEIR LANGUAGE”.
While the incident had a shock value, this is not the first time Islamists living in Pakistan resorted to violence and barbarism because they thought someone did something ‘blasphemous’. Let’s start with “blasphemous” QR codes that generated quite a stir.
The QR code mayhem
In January 2022, a video of a man from Pakistan went viral on social media where he was seen threatening American company Pepsi for printing a QR code with the name of “Prophet Muhammad” on its 7UP bottles. The man identified himself as Mulla. He threatened the driver of the truck that was transporting 7UP bottles. He said the driver would face dire consequences if the QR code were not removed.
Man named Mullah threatened Pepsi of consequences claiming QR code on 7UP had the word “Allah”
He insisted that the QR code was the name of the Prophet, and if the company did not remove it, he would burn the truck. The video was recorded by a social media user who tried to convince the agitated Islamist, but it did not help. The agitated Islamist threatened the social media user with consequences.
In July 2022, Samsung became the target of fanatics as its QR codes were deemed blasphemous. Reportedly, dozens of Islamists of the extremist Barelvi organisation Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) unleashed mayhem in the mobile market of Karachi, Pakistan, after rumours of alleged blasphemy against the company.
The protestors tore down the billboards of Samsung in the mobile market in the city and indulged in vandalism after they heard that the company had committed ‘blasphemy’ against Islam. From QR code to name of WiFi network were deemed blasphemous by the mob so that they could continue burning things.
27 employees of Samsung were detained by the police in Karachi over claims that they were using a WiFi network whose name was insulting to Ummayad Dynasty Caliph Muavia.
Sri Lankan man brutally murdered in Pakistan by a large mob
In December 2021, a heart-breaking incident of fanatics lynching a man over blasphemy took place in Pakistan. A Sri Lankan man, Priyantha Kumara, was tortured and burnt to death by an angry Islamist mob that believed in rumours of blasphemy. The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot, where reportedly, the workers of private factories attacked the export manager of a factory and burnt his body after killing him. Barbaric visuals of a large mob of hundreds of people lynching and then burning the body of Kumara went viral on social media.
A video of the incident emerged on social media where the angry mob can be heard chanting “Nara e Taqbeer” and “Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah”. Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah means “Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah”. Other slogans that could be heard as the fanatics burnt the man to death were ‘gustakh-e-nabi ki ek hi saza, sar tan se juda sar tan se juda’.
Hindu teacher sentenced over false allegations of blasphemy
In February 2022, a Pakistani court sentenced Notan Lal, a Hindu teacher, to life imprisonment on the charges of blasphemy. Lal, owner and principal of a private school, was accused of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad during an Urdu class as charged by a student named Muhammad Ihtisham, who later said he had lied. In September 2019, an FIR was filed against the Hindu principal of the Sindh Public School for allegedly passing derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
#BREAKING: Innocent Hindu minority teacher Notan Lal in Pakistan sentenced to 25 years in prison for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad during an Urdu lesson. Accusation came from a student Muhammad Ihtisham who later said he had lied. Yet courts convicted him under pressure. pic.twitter.com/Y8urpp33Kg
After the false accusation by the student, violence and vandalism were unleashed by residents of Ghotki. Local Islamists vandalised the school and destroyed a Hindu temple in the area. The Police, to control the situation and avoid further damage, detained Lal under Article 295 (c) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The demonstrators had already vandalized three temples, a private school and multiple houses belonging to the Hindu community, posing a threat to the minority community in Pakistan. Lal was taken into custody and was questioned about the incident. Also, the child Muhammad Ihtisham was interrogated. Ibtisam had then confirmed the allegations that Lal ‘insulted’ the prophet during a lesson on his life and travel between two holy cities.
Hindu boy arrested over blasphemy charges
In December 2022, a Sindhi Hindu boy identified as Love Kumar Meghwad, a resident of Mithi, district Tharparkar (Thar) of Sindh Province in Pakistan, was arrested by the Police for alleged blasphemy. As per social media posts, Love used ‘Mola’ instead of Bhagwan in a Facebook post while addressing God. A case was filed against Love. Reportedly, Love had complained to God that He was missing when Hindu girls were abducted from their homes every day and how their families were suffering! He also said that when fathers and mothers of such girls cry, God does not listen to them. Notably, the word ‘Mola’ is commonly used in the Sindhi language to address God.
Man brutally beaten to death over blasphemy
In February 2023, a man was brutally lynched to death by a fanatic mob over alleged blasphemy. The incident took place at a police station. Reportedly, the victim, identified as Muhammad Waris, had been taken into custody for allegedly desecrating the Quran. They said news of the alleged crime outraged residents, and hundreds of them later surrounded the police station, demanding Waris be handed over to them. Seeing the massive violent crowd, police officers fled the facility. Protesters grabbed the man and dragged him out to the street, where they beat him to death.
Man lynched for comparing Imran Khan to Prophet
In May 2023, a fanatic mob lynching took place in Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan after a man was accused of blasphemy during a rally of Imran Khan’s political outfit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). A video went viral on social media, in which several people can be seen beating the man violently. The mob even dragged and were seen beating mercilessly the lifeless body of a man believed to be in his 40s in the Sawal Dher area. The deceased has been identified as Maulana Nigar Alam. He was accused of announcing before the crowd at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally that he respects PTI chairman Imran Khan like a Prophet as he is honest. His comments did not go well with the people present at the scene, and he was lynched.
Akbar Ram arrested for ‘insulting Islam’
In August 2023, a Hindu man named Akbar Ram was arrested in Punjab province, Pakistan, after he was accused of blasphemy. The Pakistan police claimed they stopped him to “save his life” from a fanatic mob lynching. Akbar Ram was a Rahim Yar Khan district resident, some 400 km from Lahore.
A man named Faisal Munir filed a complaint against him and produced two witnesses to prove his allegations. He claimed that Akbar Ram came to his shop and made “insulting” remarks against the holy places of Muslims and also Islam. Ram has reportedly been booked under Pakistan’s Blasphemy law and Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.
Christian attacked in Pakistan
In August 2023, a Christian man became a victim of lynching by a fanatic mob in Pakistan. The man was killed in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The victim’s house was looted, and his belongings were thrown out. A video surfaced on social media where the mob was seen gathered in the streets while gunshots could be heard in the background.”
Graphic Warning ⛔️ #Punjab#Pakistan has become a hell for Pakistani minorities right now. Another alleged #blasphemy case, A Man shot dead without Investigating or any evidence.
Just a month after the murder of a Christian man, a Christian couple was arrested in Pakistan for allegedly desecrating a copy of the Holy Quran in Lahore on Saturday. Taimur, a resident of Harbanspura, filed a complaint with the police, saying he was standing at a food shop on a street near the Rangers headquarters when he saw some pages being thrown from the roof of a nearby house. He picked up the pages, which were found to be from the Holy Quran.
Blasphemy in Pakistan
Pakistan has suffered widespread communal violence and riots over perceived blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad. An unfavourable reference to Prophet Muhammad, or what is referred to as ‘Blasphemy,’ is frequently used by Islamists as a rallying cry to commit violence and communal rioting against ‘non-believers.’ There have been myriad reports of violence and barbarity committed against non-Muslims in the name of blasphemy and desecration of Prophet Muhammad.
All that is needed to rile a mob to go on a lynching, killing, burning rampage is a vague claim that some person has ‘insulted’ Islam, just like the claim against Priyantha Kumara and the woman in the dress with Arabic letters.
The rising number of fanatic lynching incidents over alleged blasphemy in Pakistan should concern everyone. It highlights a troubling trend of intolerance and violence among the general public. It is the failure of the law enforcement of Pakistan to protect individuals from mob justice and street veto.
Fanaticism over religion has reached such an extent in Pakistan that thousands of Pakistanis had marched against French products, just because the President of France had chosen to stand with the Charlie Hebdo magazine’s right to free speech. Pakistanis are often seen denouncing other Muslims in Saudi Arabia and UAE as ‘not Muslim enough’ and shaming them for not being as fanatic as them.
On Tuesday (27th February), a research report published by the State Bank of India (SBI) corroborated the findings of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES), which was conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
It noted the positive impact that the schemes of the Union government had in reducing poverty, checking inflation, increasing the Monthly Per-capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) and bridging the urban-rural divide in spending power.
For instance, rural poverty has decreased from 25.7% (2011-12) to 7.2% (2022-2023) while urban poverty has reduced from 13.7% (2011-12) to 4.6% (2022-2023).
Decadal changes in MPCE show decline in consumption inequality, graphic via SBI Research
“Rural Poverty has thus staged a significant 440-basis point decline since 2018-19 and Urban Poverty a 170-basis point decline post-pandemic…This indicates that many Government programmes currently for those at the bottom of the pyramid are having a significant salutary impact on Rural Livelihood,” the SBI Research report said.
According to the report, the significant reduction in consumption inequality can be attributed to increased government spending on the development of physical infrastructure including rural roads and 4/8 lane national highways.
“Around 30% of the Rural MPCE is explained by factors that are endogenous to the Rural ecosystem. Such endogenous factors are mostly due to the initiatives the Government has taken in terms of DBT transfers, building Rural infrastructures, augmenting farmer’s income, improving the rural livelihood significantly,” it further emphasised.
Difference in Rural and Urban MPCE down to 71.2% now from 88.2% in 2009-2010, graphic via SBI Research
The difference between rural and urban Monthly Per-capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) has decreased to 71.2% in 2022-20234 from 88.2% in 2009-2010.
Reportedly, the difference was as high as 90.8% in 2004-2005 but is now projected to reduce to 65.1% in 2029-2030.
According to SBI Research, the biggest beneficiaries of reducing consumption inequality are States such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Difference in rural and urban consumption in India, data and graphics via SBI Research
The SBI Research report also noted, “India is becoming more aspirational as indicated by the increasing share of discretionary consumption (like spending on beverages, intoxicants, entertainment, durable goods, etc.) in rural and urban areas. The speed of aspiration is swifter in rural areas as compared to urban areas.”
Difference in Aspirational consumption between 1999-2000 and 2022-2023 in rural and urban India, graphic via SBI Research
Data reflects the status of India’s poverty level
The data provided in the NSSO survey also paints an accurate picture of the poverty level in the country. According to BVR Subramaniam, CEO of NITI Aayog, India’s poverty level has fallen to just five per cent, signalling an improvement in the nation’s economic landscape.
In light of this data, he asserted that there is now no scarcity issue in the villages. The assertion that village expenditures were declining and that the villages’ conditions remained unchanged was refuted by the CEO of NITI Aayog.
He underscored the narrowing gap between rural and urban consumption, suggesting a positive trajectory towards economic parity.
On Sunday (25th February) night, Bijan Das, a 49-year-old Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader from Ashoknagar in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, was shot dead by a group of men after a confrontation over a land deal.
The police on Monday said that the TMC leader was shot dead at around 11 pm on Sunday when he visited the house of a party colleague to attend a birthday party in the Ashoknagar police station area.
A TMC leader has been shot dead in West Bengal.
The victim, identified as Bijan Das from West Bengal, was shot by a group of men during a dispute over a land deal.
Das had a heated argument with Goutam Das, a local businessman, as per reports. A person allegedly fired two rounds at Bijan from point-blank range suddenly when he and Goutam Das were arguing. The police said that one bullet hit Bijan Das’s head and another pierced through his left ear. Bijan was declared dead at the state-run Barasat Medical College Hospital.
According to reports, TMC leader Bijan Das was killed due to party infighting, and outraged locals vandalised the house of Goutam Das, who is accused of involvement in Das’s murder.
TMC Barasat MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, who visited the hospital, stated, “Bijan’s death is a big loss for the party. He began his political career in student politics and has remained with the party since then.”
Meanwhile, reports say that the police have detained several people after an initial investigation.
Bijan Das was a prominent leader of TMC in Ashoknagar and Habra. He served as the panchayat pradhan of Guma (I) panchayat for ten years, beginning in 2003. He was appointed deputy panchayat pradhan in 2013. He also served as TMC’s president of the Habra Block (II).
The parents of late Punjabi rapper and musician Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, well known as Sidhu Moosewala are expected to welcome a new family member shortly. According to the reports, Charan Kaur, Moosewala’s mother, is pregnant and due to give birth shortly.
Sidhu Moosewala was the sole kid of his parents. His father is claimed to be 60 years old, and his mother is 58. Rapper and singer Sidhu Moosewala was 28 years old when he died in 2022. Had he been alive today he would be 30 years old.
While Moosewala’s parents are yet to make a formal declaration, it is notable that Charan Kaur has not made any public appearance in more than six months. It is also being said that the couple used In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment to get pregnant and that the woman has not been stepping out of the house for the last three to four months because of the pregnancy.
According to family insiders quoted by several media reports, the delivery is expected soon.
On May 29, 2022, assailants shot and killed Moosewala in his car in Jawaharke village, Mansa district, Punjab. That year, Sidhu Moosewala, the well-known singer contested unsuccessfully for the Punjab Assembly seat in Mansa on a Congress ticket. He lost the polls to Vijay Singla of the Aam Aadmi Party, who won by a landslide victory in the 2022 Punjab elections.
About 31 people have been charged in the Moosewala murder case, including criminals Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, while 25 have been arrested.
Considered one of the wealthiest Punjabi musicians, Moosewala used to develop and produce his own songs and had a large fan base, particularly among young people.
Following Sidhu Moosewala’s death, numerous of his songs were released and received millions of views across various platforms, including YouTube. This comes following speculations that Moosewala’s father, Balkaur Singh, plans to run in the next 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Bathinda seat.
Sidhu Moosewala made his musical debut in 2017 with the release of his first track, G Wagon. Soon after, he established himself in the entertainment sector, receiving praise and respect for his music. Some of his most notable successes were Legend, So High, and The Last Ride.
Khalistani sympathiser Sidhu Moosewala praised Bhindranwale in his songs
Though the majority of the Punjabi singers who sympathise with the Khalistani narrative do not speak in the open about it, Moosewala is one of such singers who have gained fame to a level that his fans prefer to ignore the narrative he injects in some of his songs. During the farmer protests, he came up with a song titled ‘Panjab’ in which he openly praised Khalistani leader Bharpur Singh Balbir. The song started with his visuals in 1982 in the presence of Bhindranwale. The speech that was used by Moosewala talks openly about separatism. ‘Raj di gal Kyun na kariye. Assi maala phad ke Hindustan de kisi math de pujaari ni banna chauhnde’ (Why not talk of self-rule? We don’t wish to just hold prayer beads and become priests in some math in Hindustan) is one of the excerpts from the song.
Ahead of Ramadan this year, the Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Bin Salman has issued an order banning Iftars in mosques. In an order dated 20th February 2024, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs issued a set of instructions for mosque employees to follow during the month of Ramadan.
The Ministry also restricted imams and muezzins in various regions of the country from collecting financial donations for organising Iftar feasts for those fasting and others.
“…Imams and muezzins in various regions of the Kingdom not to collect financial donations for Iftar projects for fasting people and others,” the order said.
In addition to banning the collection of donations for Iftars, the Islamic Affairs Ministry of Saudi Arabia also imposed a ban on organising Iftar feasts inside the mosques raising concerns regarding cleanliness.
“Iftar projects should not be held inside mosques due to concerns about cleanliness, so an appropriate place should be prepared in the mosques’ courtyards without the use of temporary rooms, tents, or the like, and that Iftar should be under the imam’s and muezzin’s responsibility, with the obligation of the one who breaks the fast to clean the place immediately after finishing foodt,” the ministry said.
Furthermore, the Ministry emphasised that cameras in mosques should not be used to record the imam and worshippers during the performance of prayers, saying that this undermines worshippers’ reverence and that prayers should not be broadcast on media of all kinds, including social media.
Notably, Ramadan 2024 is expected to begin on the 11th of March, with the sighting of the moon over Mecca, and conclude on the 9th of April 2024.
It is pertinent to note that since Mohammed Bin Salman was appointed crown prince in June 2017, he has brought several reforms to the country.
In October 2017, the ban on music performances was removed, ushering in a new era of cultural vibrancy in Saudi Arabia.
Another significant reform was brought in April 2018, when movie theatres were reopened in the country following a 35-year ban. Back then, the movie ‘Black Panther’ was the first to be released in the country’s theatres.
In June 2018, Prince MBS lifted the ban on women driving. This was the one-of-a-kind ban in the world which made women dependent on men for mobility. However, the lifting of the ban gave women a sense of autonomy even though gender equality still remains a distant dream for women there.
In 2019, Saudi women aged 21 and up were given permission to apply for passports and travel abroad without first receiving the consent of a male “guardian” (spouse, father, or other male family).
With this shift, the contentious guardianship system—which gives men almost full authority over women—was significantly eased.
Moreover, the Saudi Prince also introduced his vision to diversify the economy, reduce oil dependence, and foster social change. In 2016, Prince Salman launched the plan ‘Vision 2030’ chalking out the plans for the future of Saudi Arabia. A detailed OpIndia report on Saudi Arabia’s history and its shift towards reforms can be read here.
In the Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, a man identified as Zeeshan shot his wife to death. After killing his wife, he also attempted to kill his younger brother at home. The incident happened at around 8.30 am-9.00 am on Tuesday, February 27.
According to reports, Zeeshan’s wife was pregnant. The police, however, said that the reports of pregnancy are not confirmed yet. The accused was suspecting that his wife was having an illicit affair with his brother and that the child belonged to his younger brother.
The younger brother of the accused has reportedly suffered minor injuries in the attack and is currently out of danger and recuperating at PGI Medical College in Saharanpur.
SSP Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh in a video byte said that the deceased has been identified as Aliya. The police have formed teams and the search for the accused is underway. He said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused Zeehan had doubts that his wife was in an illicit relationship with his younger brother and that the child she was carrying was not his but belonged to his brother. Enraged by this, he first killed his wife and then shot his brother. The wife died on the spot. The brother escaped with minor injuries as the bullet did not penetrate but just brushed past his neck.
The SSP added that the woman’s medical reports are being looked into and relatives are being questioned to ascertain whether she was pregnant.
According to reports, Zeeshan and Aliya married 5 years ago. Last month, there was a rift between the couple over her alleged affair with the accused’s brother. Due to this, she was living with her father in her maternal home in the Sarai Mehndi area in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. On the day of the incident, the accused took his wife to the HDFC Bank ATM located in the Mandi Thana area. While the wife was withdrawing money from the ATM, Zeeshan shot her in the head from behind and killed her. A picture has surfaced of the woman lying in a pool of blood inside the ATM.
UP : सहारनपुर में बड़ी वारदात। HDFC के ATM के अंदर आलिया नामक महिला की गोली मारकर हत्या। वारदात पति जीशान ने की। इसके बाद वो घर पहुंचा और अपने छोटे भाई को गोली मारी। देवर-भाभी के अवैध संबंध के शक में वारदात की आशंका। pic.twitter.com/3SIlKft4aa
The police have registered an FIR in connection with the matter and have formed a team to nab the accused. The police further said that the dead body of the woman had been sent for medical examination and it would be clear whether or not the woman was pregnant only after her reports arrived.
On Tuesday (27th February), the Samajwadi Party suffered a major dent when the party’s chief whip Manoj Pandey resigned from his post ahead of the crucial voting for Rajya Sabha seats. Pandey is an SP MLA from Unchahar in the Raebareli district. Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, he announced that he would be voting for the BJP candidate. The Samajwadi Party accepted his resignation and Pandey’s nameplate was removed from outside the chief whip’s office.
SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav accused Pandey of not being courageous enough to stand against the BJP and added that there is no place for such leaders in the party. He said, “Action will be taken because our party leaders want such people to be kept away from the party…”
Yadav, however, accused the BJP of putting ‘pressure’ through agencies or otherwise to force their leaders to vote for them.
#WATCH | Lucknow: On Rajya Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav says, " Not everybody has the guts to stand against the Government…pressure is put on everybody, is there anyone who doesn't know that BJP would go to any extent to win. BJP was dishonest during… pic.twitter.com/WFxqpQzeRc
Voting is currently underway for 15 Rajya Sabha seats from three states and the results for these seats will be announced on the same day. However, political activities intensified in UP where 10 Rajya Sabha seats are at stake.
While BJP fielded 8 candidates, SP has 3 candidates in the fray. As per UP assembly strength, BJP can secure 7 seats while SP was poised to win 3 seats but with cross-voting and new political alliances being forged in the state, SP may lose one seat to the BJP.
Leaders of both NDA and I.N.D.I Alliance have expressed confidence of making their candidates win the contested 10th seat. Yadav said, “We hope all three candidates of Samajwadi Party will win.”
UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said, ” MLAs support and blessings are with BJP’s candidates. The results will be in favour of BJP…all candidates of BJP will win”
Apart from Manoj Pandey’s resignation, reports claim that around 8 SP MLAs could cross-vote for BJP. The development comes after 8 SP MLAs including Manoj Pandey skipped a dinner meeting called by party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday in the wake of elections for the Upper House.
On the condition of anonymity, a senior SP leader said that the party chief had called a meeting to brief the MLAs about the voting process of the Rajya Sabha elections. However, Manoj Pandey and seven other MLAs – Mukesh Verma, Maharaji Prajapati, Pooja Pal, Rakesh Pandey, Vinod Chaturvedi, Rakesh Pratap Singh and Abhay Singh did not attend the meeting.
As per the latest reports, around 5 SP MLAs also met UP CM Yogi Adityanath after casting votes.
The number game explained
UP state assembly has a strength of 403 members where BJP is the largest party with 252 MLAs followed by SP having 108 MLAs. To get elected to the Rajya Sabha from UP, a candidate needs nearly 37 first-preference votes.
SP’s I.N.D.I. alliance partner Congress has just two seats. BJP’s NDA ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) has 13 seats, the NISHAD Party has six seats, RLD has nine seats, SBSP has six, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik has two and the BSP has one seat. Four seats are currently vacant.
After the announcement of Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh, his grandson Jayant Chaudhary had already declared RLD’s support for the BJP. RLD’s nine MLAs met with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and attended a strategy session at Lok Bhawan with NDA partners. Additionally, despite outreach from Akhilesh Yadav himself, Raja Bhaiyya’s Jansatta Dal-Loktantrik has promised to extend the support of its two MLAs to the BJP.
As per numbers, seven BJP candidates are guaranteed to win and the party candidates on these secured seats include former Union Minister RPN Singh, former MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, general secretary of the party’s Uttar Pradesh unit Amarpal Maurya, former state minister Sangeeta Balwant (Bind), party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain.
But with the BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a keen contest is on the cards in one of the seats. The SP has fielded actor MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan, and Ramji Lal Suman.
Unlike Lok Sabha which dissolves and goes for elections on a regular period, mainly a five year period, the Rajya Sabha is a continuous house that sees biennial elections for 33% of seats. The tenure for Rajya Sabha MPs is six years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his Kerala visit on 27th February, visited the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram and reviewed the progress of ‘Gaganyaan’, India’s human spaceflight mission. During the event, the PM bestowed astronaut wings to the astronaut designates and congratulated them for the project.
The Prime Minister, meanwhile, also inaugurated three important space infrastructure projects worth about Rs 1,800 crore. The three space infra projects include ‘The PSLV integration facility’ at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, ‘A semi-cryogenics integrated engine and stage test facility’ at the ISRO propulsion complex in Mahendragiri, and ‘A trisonic wind tunnel’ at VSSC.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviews the progress of the Gaganyaan Mission and bestows astronaut wings to the astronaut designates.
The Gaganyaan Mission is India's first human space flight program for which extensive preparations are underway at various ISRO centres. pic.twitter.com/KQiodF3Jqy
The four prospective astronauts selected, all either wing commanders or group captains for the Gaganyaan mission are Shubanshu Shukla, Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Prathap, and Ajit Krishnan. These astronauts were bestowed astronaut wings by PM Modi.
The four astronauts have been training at the space agency’s astronaut training center in Bengaluru. The astronauts were selected from the IAF’s Institute of Aerospace Medicine.
“I am happy that today I got the opportunity to meet these astronauts and present them in front of the country. I want to congratulate them on behalf of the entire country…You are the pride of today’s India,” PM Modi said during his address.
He added, “India’s success in the space sector is sowing the seeds of scientific temperament in the country’s young generation.”
The American space agency NASA will also prepare one Indian astronaut for a journey to the International Space Station by the end of 2024, according to the agency’s administrator Bill Nelson, who visited Delhi in 2023.
Gaganyaan mission
The Gaganyaan Mission is India’s current project to send a 3-day manned mission to 400 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with a four-person crew and safely return them to Earth. As part of this program, the Indian government has approved two unmanned missions and one human mission.
The Gaganyaan Mission is an ambitious and well-coordinated attempt by ISRO in partnership with other organisations, including numerous research labs, Indian academia, and enterprises, intending to conduct human space flights and space exploration.
The Gaganyaan project’s success is likely to inspire other inexpensive human spaceflight programs to explore the solar system and beyond, as well as sample return missions and other scientific investigations. Gaganyaan’s expected accomplishments will also inspire students to pursue careers in science and technology, particularly in the realm of space science, where they will be challenged to innovate and create.
It will facilitate diplomatic contacts with other spacefaring countries, providing the road for joint missions, knowledge sharing, and international cooperation in space exploration, consequently boosting international relationships.
The Gaganyaan mission holds the potential to drive economic growth by developing space-related companies, technology spin-offs, and job creation, all of which will benefit India as a whole.
The first manned spaceflight is planned to occur in 2025. The Gaganyaan Mission’s accomplishment will place India among the select group of nations capable of human space flight (the United States, Russia, and China).
PM Modi will embark on a two-day trip to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra beginning on 27th February to launch and lay the groundwork for a plethora of development projects totaling more than Rs 24,000 crore across the three states.
On Monday (26th February), Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated railway infrastructure projects worth over Rs. 41,000 crores to the nation. This includes the face-lift of 553 stations that would be redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. As part of it, scores of over-bridges and underpasses across India will also be inaugurated. A day earlier, PM Modi inaugurated Sudarshan Setu, the longest cable-stayed bridge in India, an “Infrastructural marvel”.
An infrastructural marvel in Gujarat…here is why the Sudarshan Setu is exceptional! pic.twitter.com/aiRPKJx0ri
As a continuum, the last decade under the Modi government has seen an Infrastructure boom in roads, Railways, waterways, Airports, multi-modal logistical parks, and freight corridors among others. However, the Modi government has been focusing on ‘Sabka Vikas’ taking development to every corner of India.
Canvassing from the mighty Himalayas to the treacherous waters of Brahmaputra or from the ‘line of sight’ of the adversary on LAC, to the re-invigoration of old edifices to face-lift them as tourist hotspots, the Modi government has been literally and figuratively bridging North-South, East-West and the forgotten treasure chest, the North-East. Highlighting the same becomes important at a time when the opposition is adamant about widening the fault lines based on caste, religion, or region.
Here are examples of ten stellar bridges built under the Modi government that have been bridging geographical and societal divides in addition to bringing prosperity and enabling ease of connectivity for Indians.
Sudarshan Setu
The Modi government on 25th February inaugurated the longest cable-stayed bridge in India and changed its name from ‘Signature bridge’ to ‘Sudarshan Setu’. Notably, Sudarshan Chakra is the main weapon of Bhagwan Shri Krishna.
The bridge connects Okha mainland and Beyt Dwarka island. It has a length of 2.32 KM and has been built at a cost of around Rs 980 crores. It has a unique design that features a footpath adorned with verses of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and images of Bhagwan Krishna on both sides. Before the bridge, the devotees faced hardships in reaching Beyt Dwarka and only relied on boat transport which comes with its own restrictions.
(Images Source – X_NarendraModi)
Atal Setu
Not long ago, the state of Maharashtra had witnessed the stalling of critical infrastructure development projects like the Metro Car shed project in the name of the politically stirred ‘Save Aarey forest’ protest under the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
However, post-MVA, the BJP-led NDA government revived the earlier projects giving a renewed impetus to the Infrastructure development in the state. The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) or Atal Setu, inaugurated by PM Modi on 12th January could be an apt mascot of prosperity and infrastructure for a nation that is poised to become a developed economy in the foreseeable future.
The Atal Setu is the longest sea bridge in India and ranks 12th longest globally. It has been named after former prime minister and BJP veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This six-lane bridge is 21.8 km in length and has been constructed at the cost of Rs 18000 crore. It reduces the travel time between Mumbai and Pune Expressway.
The stark contrast in the pace of infrastructure development between the Modi-led BJP government and Congress-led governments could be gauged from the fact that the Atal Setu project had been in the works since the 1990s, and multiple attempts had been made to develop it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the project’s foundation stone in December 2016, then construction began in April 2018 on three civil packages.
Chenab Rail Arch Bridge
The reformed landscape in the terrorism-hit valleys of Jammu and Kashmir could stand out as one of the biggest transformative stories of peace and prosperity in modern India’s history. Once hailed as a ‘heaven on earth’, the wounds of the residents in the region were left to fester and a sense of alienation and separatism had taken actionable measures – including ‘seceding’ mentally to neighbouring Islamic nations and picking arms.
With the inauguration of several strategically important bridges and tunnels, the residents have been achieving all-weather connectivity, a surge in tourism, and a reduction in expenses due to shortened trips. For security forces, the bridges have ensured the protection of the supply lines.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20th February inaugurated multiple projects in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Chenab Bridge. The Chenab Bridge is the world’s highest single-arch railway bridge. It is a majestic example of an engineering marvel showcasing the infrastructure prowess of new India, and a bold statement of the country’s ambitions.
The bridge is taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris and this project is considered the biggest civil-engineering challenge by any railway project in India’s recent history. It stands at the height of 1,178 feet above the riverbed, that is, it is 35 metres taller than Paris’ tourist icon, the Eiffel Tower. It is built over River Chenab in J&K with a cost of around Rs 14,000 crore. It connects Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir and forms a crucial link from Katra to Banihal.
It was approved in 2003 and contracted in 2008. The Railways carried out tests for high-velocity winds, extreme temperatures, earthquake resilience, and the impact of rising water levels on hydrology to ensure the stability and safety of the world’s highest bridge.
Bridge near Galwan in the face of belligerent China to safeguard troop movement
Apart from aesthetic and civilian ease, the Modi government has also laid special emphasis on ensuring the safety of the troop movement and securing their supply line.
In June 2020, the engineers of the Indian Army completed the construction of a 60-metre bridge over the Galwan River in eastern Ladakh. It would strengthen India’s control of the region by enabling the Indian troops to move across the river and provide a shield to the 255 KM strategic road from Darbuk to Daulat Beg Oldie, the final post south of the Karakoram Pass. The four-span bridge is situated three kilometres east of the Shyok river-Galwan confluence. The flashpoint-PP14 where violent clashes erupted between Indian and Chinese soldiers, is located further 2 km east of the Bailey bridge.
The construction of the bridge was completed in the wake of belligerence displayed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in a bid to discourage the Indian Army from completing the project.
Under-construction 6-lane extra-dosed cable-stayed bridge on Ganga River in Bihar
In December 2023, the Modi government approved the construction of a 4.56 km long, 6-lane bridge on the Ganga River. It will be built with the approximate project cost of Rs 3,064.45 crore and connect two Districts namely Patna at Digha on the south side and Saran on the north side across River Ganga, Bihar. The work is expected to be completed in 42 months from the appointed date.
Abridging ‘dil ki duri’ with the Northeast
After coming to power, PM Modi changed the dynamics of how the Centre framed its policy and made it a more people-centric and decentralised governance style where the Northeast took center stage. This includes changing the policy paradigm from ‘Look East’ and ‘Act East’ to ‘Act Fast and First for Northeast’, and PM Modi directing Union Ministers to station for days on a frequent basis in North Eastern states. PM Modi is reducing the geographical as well as sentimental (Dil ki duri) distances that cropped up after years of neglect by the Congress-ruled states and partly because of difficult terrain.
Under the Modi government, the North East has seen a major facelift in connectivity with the Central part of India. For this, an ‘expanding number’ of new airports, railway routes, and alternate waterways are coming up for the Northeastern states.
Here are the major projects abridging Northeastern states to the rest of India:
Dhola-Sadiya Bridge
The Dhola-Sadiya Bridge in Assam is the longest bridge in India. It is named after Bhupen Hazarika and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on 26 May 2017. It connects the villages of Dhola and Sadiya in Tinsukia district in Assam. It is also the first permanent road connecting north Assam and east Arunachal Pradesh.
The feasibility study for the project was first conducted under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2003. The project was then approved in 2009, 6 years after the feasibility study was started, and construction finally began in 2011. However, due to delays, the project which was set to be completed by 2015 was delayed to 2017.
Bhupen Hazarika Setu ~ An engineering marvel, which has brought Arunachal and Assam closer!
A testimony to Hon PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's commitment to develop Northeast.
— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP) March 30, 2023
Bogibeel Bridge
On 25th December 2018, PM Modi inaugurated the Bogibeel Bridge over the Brahmaputra River in Assam. With a length of around 4.94 kilometers, it is India’s longest Rail cum Road bridge. The bridge has a three-lane road on the top deck, while the deck below carries two broad gauge railway tracks. This is around 100 km away from India’s longest bridge, the 9.76 km long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the Lohit River, one of the three rivers that form the Brahmaputra River.
Just like in Jammu and Kashmir, in North East, several Infrastructure projects are built keeping in mind the strategic requirements of the Indian armed forces, especially after the misadventures of our Northern neighbour China.
For military assistance, in January 2023, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the strategically important Siyom bridge in Arunachal Pradesh. It is a 100-metre steel arch bridge on the Along-Yingkiong Road and a resolute symbol of Infrastructure development coming up across the northeast, particularly Arunachal Pradesh.
@BROindia is proud to present it's 28 infrastructure projects that have been completed at a cost of Rs 724.3 Cr. This will make it to 103 infrastructure projects completed by @BROindia in year 2023 at a cost of Rs 2897 Cr. These 28 projects will be dedicated to the Nation by(1/2) pic.twitter.com/PnKXvrTDhL
It was constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under the project Brahmank. Notably, the BRO has four projects in Arunachal Pradesh – Arunank, Vartak, Brahmank, and Udayak. Through these four projects, the BRO maintains and develops infrastructure in the difficult geographical terrain and strategically important areas of this state.
The bridge was dedicated to the nation after the Chinese were handed a humiliation and their adventurism in the Tawang sector was thwarted, a month earlier.
Building bridges over the treacherous waters of Brahmaputra
The 2.9 km long Bridge built over the Lohit River was opened in January 2017. This was the new Sariaghat Bridge or the second Sariaghat Bridge. The old Saraighat bridge was started by Britishers in 1910 and opened in 1962. It is parallel to the rail cum road Saraighat Bridge and was built to ease the traffic congestion in the area. This bridge over the Brahmaputra River lies in the Kamrup district of Assam and connects the capital city of Guwahati.
(Three bridges marked with red circles over the Brahmaputra till 2014, Image Source – OpIndia Archive)
Fig: Three bridges over the Brahmaputra till 2014. Old Saraighat (started in 1910), New Saraighat (2017); Tezpur (1987, the peak of Assam Accord), Golaghat (opened by Shri AB Vajpayee in 1998)
(Now the same area is facilitated with 7 more bridges making citizens’ life much easier and convenient)
Fig: Accessibility to border areas of eastern Arunachal due to newly constructed bridges since 2015
In November 2021, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that three more bridges would be coming up on Bhramaputra in the next five years. The upcoming three bridges include bridges connecting Narengi-Kuruwa, the under-construction Guwahati- North Guwahati bridge, and the Palashbari-Sualkuchi bridge.
Glass skywalk on Sikkim’s Singshore Suspension Bridge
India’s first glass skywalk was inaugurated in 2018. It is built in Sikkim’s Pelling and situated right opposite the 137-foot statue of Chenrezig. It is located at 7,200 ft above sea level. After receiving confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM Jiwain), the old bridge was slated to undergo remodeling and reconstruction to become a glass skywalk. The old Singshore Bridge was originally constructed in 1993 and it holds a significant place on the tourism map of West Sikkim.
Nonetheless, these are ten picks from scores of bridges that have been built across the country or are under construction. Undoubtedly, they are works of brilliance like the Signature Bridge in Delhi but the aforementioned have been included to buttress ‘Sabka Vikas’ bridging the gap in India’s infrastructure and connectivity, and bringing people together.
It is pertinent to note that Infrastructure development is not just about building roads, bridges, and superstructures, it’s also about building opportunity and hope, empowering communities that had been left behind, and supporting them to reach their full potential. Through a visible transformative change in the Infrastructure, the Modi government has been harnessing the dormant power of a sleeping giant and moving towards the goal of tapping the full potential of development in the country.
From the times of romanticisation and exaggeration of stories of hardships like Grannies crossing mountains and tidal waves to reach far-off schools or earn a livelihood, India has leapfrogged and arrived at a stage where it is sharing tales of Infrastructure prowess and not just reaching the last man left out in the queue in remote, unmotorable routes. It is excelling in the art, building first and best among the line, thinking big, and setting examples for its billion-strong population.
Asserting a significant change from times of hardships and a palpable, metastasising sense of alienation, the Modi government is bridging the hearts and minds of every community left behind. The above bridges are the pillars of ‘Sabka Vikas’, extending arms of brotherhood and prosperity.
