On the occasion of the Hindu festival of Diwali, Axis Bank launched its new advertisement campaign ‘Dil Se Open Celebration 2025’. What surprised everyone was that in the middle of Diwali lights and Navratri celebrations, suddenly Santa Claus makes an entry.
Dil Se Open Celebrations is here! Get up to 20% off* on credit cards & EMIs from Navratri all the way till Christmas! And guess what? The news has already got someone special to come early!
Obviously, this is the same Santa who is usually considered a symbol of Christmas. By inserting Santa into Hindu festivals, the attempt seems to be to give the message that festivals belong to everyone and celebrations should go beyond the boundaries of religion. In other words, the same old sermon on secularism delivered specifically during Hindu festivals.
In the video, the advertisement shows a Garba dance going on during Navratri, when suddenly Santa Claus enters. Axis Bank used this concept to promote its offers, which will run from Navratri through Diwali and then until Christmas.
Social media outrage over Axis Bank’s ‘Christianisation’
The advertisement has triggered an uproar on social media. Many users are accusing Axis Bank of “Christianisation” and demanding the removal of the advertisement. On Twitter/X, the hashtag calling for a boycott of Axis Bank also began to trend.
An X user, The Jaipur Dialogues, tweeted, “Axis Bank is celebrating Navratri with Santa Claus. This is the height of insulting Hindu festivals. Axis Bank must immediately withdraw this advertisement, otherwise face boycott. They must be taught a lesson.”
Another user, Treeni, wrote: “Christianisation of Navratri? Axis Bank is mocking Hinduism by showing Santa Claus distributing gifts during Navratri, and plans to do the same for upcoming Hindu festivals as well!”
The Christianization of Navratri?@AxisBank is mocking Hinduism by depicting Santa Claus distributing gifts during Navratri and plans to continue this throughout all upcoming Hindu festivals!pic.twitter.com/je5a6dXOpN
“Axis Bank has Christianised Navratri. Why is this tampering always done only with Hindu festivals? Can they show Santa Claus in an Eid ad? Or Islamic symbols in a Christmas ad? Then why Santa Claus in Navratri?” An outraged user on X tweeted.
A user named Advaita wrote: “I will check my insurance plan, and now I will close my account because of your stupidity. What relation does this bugger have with our Navratri??”
Another user, Ritu Priya, wrote: “What kind of joke is this?? Learn to stay within limits, don’t try to exploit our festivals for your own benefit.”
Vaishali Mishra questioned: “Can you make such an ad for Eid or any other Muslim festival?”
Targeting Hindu festivals to preach ‘secularism’
Axis Bank has once again rolled out the tired script of preaching “secularism” — but only during Hindu festivals. This playbook is familiar: Hindu traditions are diluted, mocked, or “universalised,” while other faiths are kept untouched.
We saw the same in 2020 when Tanishq’s Diwali ad promoted ‘love jihad’ by glorifying a Hindu woman’s baby shower with her Muslim in-laws, a campaign that sparked outrage after grim real-life cases of Hindu girls being brutalised surfaced.
Time and again, brands hide behind “secular advertising” to peddle propaganda that paints Hindus as intolerant and Muslims as perpetual victims. Notice the pattern: Ramadan ads never feature Hindu rituals, and Christmas commercials never show a Diwali lamp. Yet, when it comes to Navratri or Diwali, companies like Axis Bank suddenly discover the need to push the “festivals are for everyone” sermon.
This isn’t coincidence but a calculated marketing strategy: targeting Hindu festivals as convenient stages to deliver hollow lectures on secularism, while leaving others untouched.
The secular liberal cabal in India has traditionally been an Islamist apologist. However, even a slightest deviation by secular liberals from their ideological subservience to Islamists is met with backlash, ostracization from the Islamo-leftist ‘progressive’ ecosystem and pigeonholing as ‘Sanghi’ and even ‘Islamophobe’. Basically, Islamists hand a rude awakening to secular liberals that they are mere useful idiots for them and thus, they should stay in their lane.
Recently, videos and images from a ‘Profcon’ event was organised by Islamists at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in Kerala, went viral on social media.
The visuals showed segregation of female Hijab-clad Muslim students from male ones in Taliban-style restrictions. The male students were seated in the front rows facing the stage, while girls were made to sit behind them, a curtain was put up as a makeshift cloth partition. This essentially prevented male and female students from seeing each other during the event.
The on-campus debate event was organised on 15th September 2025, under the banner of the ‘Wisdom Islamic Organization’, affiliated with the Islamic fundamentalist ‘Mujahid movement’. Ironically, the debate’s topic was “Religion, Science and Morality”.
Notably, CUSAT has said that it will approach court against the use of its name for the conduct of the outrageous ‘Profcon’ event. The varsity’s registrar said that CUSAT’s name and emblem was used by the organisers of the event without the varsity’s approval.
The apparent segregation of Muslim women from Muslim men in the debate sparked a discussion on social media whether Kerala is getting radically Islamised and if institutionalised gender discrimination has deepened its roots in a state that often boasts its progressiveness and near-total literacy rate.
Ruchika Sharma, a self-declared ‘historian’ who has made it her life’s mission to whitewash the anti-Hindu crimes of Islamic tyrants of the Medieval era, shared the viral picture from the said ‘Profcon’. “Just a hijab is not enough, women must be segregated, made to sit at the back and screened off. Literally punish them for being born a woman but we will call it their choice [clown emoji],” she tweeted.
Just a hijab is not enough, women must be segregated, made to sit at the back and screened off. Literally punish them for being born a woman but we will call it their choice ? pic.twitter.com/YGMMyWyBDU
In a subsequent post, Sharma wrote, “I have 99 struggles as a woman in the subcontinent, but being literally invisiblised at a campus debate ain’t one! #Smallmercies.”
This post criticising deliberate invisibilisation of Muslim women, Ruchika Sharma, who otherwise gets praise from Mughal fanboys and fellow Islamist apologists, received severe backlash from Islamists.
One of the infamous Islamists, Saif Patel, who claims to ‘despise religious bigotry’, labelled Sharma, “Islamophobic” and even equated her to Shefali Vaidya and Nupur Sharma.
“Time and again your favorite “anti-BJP, pro-Palestine” liberal/leftist [clown emoji] will show you just how Islamophobic they are, and how performative their activism has been. When it comes to Muslims – people like Ruchika are no different from the Shefalis and Nupurs,” Patel wrote.
Such is the extent to Islamist intolerance for liberal viewpoints that they do not mind slandering even their useful idiots.
Amusingly, the newly-labelled ‘Islamophobe’ Ruchika Sharma, has once admitted to not calling out her Muslim abuser just so that ‘Sanghis’ do not use it further their ‘Islamophobic communal agenda’. Earlier, Ruchika Sharma did not name her Muslim abuser because she feared fanning Islamophobia but has now ended up getting herself labelled as an Islamophobe for simply voicing her opinion against gender discrimination and segregation in the name of Islamic faith, morality, modesty and whatnot.
In replies under Sharma’s post, Muslim men and even some women have defended the gender-based segregation of women.
Quoting Sharma’s post, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, a ‘journalist’ at the leftist propaganda portal The Wire, endorsed Sharma’s thoughts with a Hundred Points emoji. Sherwani, who otherwise writes long paragraphs and rants on her The Wire program when she has to criticise the BJP, the so-called ‘Hindutva bigotry’, however, when it came to calling out Islamic invisibilisation of Muslim women and Islamists defending the outrageous practice, she chose to play it safe.
It, however, could not prevent Arfa from facing the wrath of misogynist Islamists, who schooled her on how free mixing of men and women is not allowed in Islam.
A reply to Arfa’s post seemed very interesting. A person named ‘Aurangzeb’ shared an image of Hijabi women and Muslim men sitting side by side in a room with a makeshift cloth partition in between. The person who shared this picture asked: “Fine??” However, is there an end to this sheer stupidity?
The Islamist suggested that since Muslim women and men are seated next to each other, although with a partition preventing them to see each other, there is no discrimination. It further suggested that by this way a free mixing of men and women could also be prevented and women were also not discriminated against by making them sit behind. However, what if Islamists say that the male teacher can clearly see the women and is in their vicinity. This arrangement too will become ‘Unislamic’.
Also, if even Hijab and Burqa-clad Muslim women need to be segregated from Muslim men for their safety, protect their modesty and prevent
Fitna (temptation), then is it not appropriate to conclude that the problem lies with men and not women.
As ironic as it gets, some Muslim women on X defended this biased arrangement as a matter of choice and comfort, however, how much ‘choice’ they would actually have in such a discriminating setting where modesty is protected by invisibilising women, would be known if they attempt to attend such events without a Hijab. They would not most likely not be allowed to be present there let alone getting to sit at the back behind a partition.
‘Progressive’ Kerala’s surrender to Islamist identity erasure: Making women invisible
Long hailed as India’s progressive outlier, Kerala, has over the years witnessed increased Islamist influence and spread of Wahhabi Islamic orthodoxy. This shift is fuelled by Islamist organisations and foreign funding from Gulf countries to Islamise a Hindu-majority secular India. Back in 2021, it was reported that radical Islamic organisations across the world have been financing projects that promote Islamism in India.
A Kerala-based journalist MP Basheer revealed that Islamist outfit Jamaat-e-Islami was allegedly receiving financial grants from universities in Saudi Arabia so that they could create awareness and promote Islamic dress code in Kerala and India. Jamaat-e-Islamic had started a project in India to promote the Islamic dress code for women and had access to funds from King Abdul Aziz University, an Islamic university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Even Turkey and Pakistan have been forefront at funding radical Islamic thought in India, especially in Kashmir and Kerala.
Over the years, Kerala has become a hotbed of Islamic extremism. Be it unprecedented surge in love jihad/grooming jihad cases, imposition of Islamic beliefs in the region or participation of Keralite Muslims in Islamic terror organisations like ISIS, India’s most literate and ‘progressive’ state is becoming increasingly Talibanised or Islamised. This is not going to end well even for women defending gender-based segregation and other such regressive practices.
Back in 2021, a young Muslim cleric in Kerala, Maulana Swalih Bathery, said that those women going out at night after 9 PM are nothing but prostitutes, and they should be killed. This is how anti-women thoughts are spread and normalised. This is how new standards of a woman’s character are set and its violation is deemed an justification for rape and violence.
Over the past decade, Islamist outfits have leveraged on-campus events, minority institutions and cultural narratives to impose Taliban-like controls to render women invisible. This imposition of identity-erasing practices and its boastful display as empowerment is disturbing.
In 2017, a campus election poster reading “Discrimination free education, a friendly campus”, printed by members of Muslim Students Federation (MSF) at the MET Arts and Science College in Nadapuram in Malappuram.
Ironically, while the poster vouched for a discrimination free campus, it had faces of 12 men and 9 faceless women contestants. While proper images of men were put up along with their names, for women, dummy images were used. Of the 9 faceless women, one was a Hindu and was depicted without a Hijab, while the rest with Hijab.
Amusingly, the Muslim male member of MSF, defended their decision not to print original pictures of the women candidate, saying that it was their ‘constitutional right’ not to have their pictures published and that they ‘upheld a woman’s right of choice’.
Before this, in 2016, Student Federation of India unit of Ma’din Arts and Science College in Malappuram and Aspire college, Palakkad had also refrained from printing the pictures of women candidates.
A similar poster showing dummy pictures of Burqa-clad women instead of the original pictures of school toppers was published by a school named Al-Ahsan Academy in Karnataka’s Udupi district back in 2018.
Toppers but Faceless! Al-Ihsan Academy School and Women's college, Kerala, showcases the photos of the toppers. This hoarding suggests where Kerala is headed? #KeralaJihadisOwnCountrypic.twitter.com/24n5cvRNTF
In August 2022, several Muslim organisations told the communist government in Kerala not to impose gender-neutral ideas. A meeting in this regard was attended by the representatives of the Muslim Education Society, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema, among others. IUML leader PMA Salam went on to declare that girls and boys sitting together in classrooms is “dangerous”. Unsurprisingly, the LDF government in Kerala caved in to Islamist pressure and dropped its plan to introduce gender-neutral seating in educational institutions. Apparently, Islamist intransigence trumps all progressiveness, reforms, and gender rights.
In 2015, the Farook College in Kerala’s Kozhikode, run by a Muslim management imposed a strict code of conduct which disallowing free intermingling between female and male students. Only those students who followed the diktat were allowed to attend classes. The CPM’s student wing SFI led a protest against this, however, they faced opposition from Muslim outfits like the Muslim Student Movement, the Students Islamic Organisation and the Kerala Students Union, who supported the regressive rule. The protests ended up in a violent altercation.
Reports said that the college had deployed Iran’s ‘morality police’ like groups to ensure strict implementation of gender-based segregation not only in classrooms but also across the campus.
This reflects a pivot to a Taliban-like stringent implementation of Sharia and reminds of how when Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, they defaced pictures of women on posters and hoardings displaying advertisements across Kabul. Today, Afghanistan is under proper Sharia governance and guess what, Muslim women as barred from getting secondary education. Attending classes with cloth partition is a rarity, in most cases, women are not allowed to enrol for classes let alone taking up jobs.
Defending faceless images of women or partitions segregating male and female students, with arguments that these practices reflect ‘choice’ and ‘Islamic faith’, preventing women from objectification, is nothing but Islamist sleight-of-hand that portrays coercion as consent, invisibility as independence and discrimination as dignity.
On Monday (22nd September), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the revamped Tripura Sundari temple, which is located in Udaipur town of the State’s Gomati district and known for its divine connection to tortoises and turtles.
Established in 1501 CE by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya, it is one of the 51 Hindu Shaktipeetha shrines in India.
The 524-year-old temple is built on the top of a small hill or hillock which resembles the back of a tortoise. This is why the Tripura Sundari temple is also known as Kurma Pitha (Kurma means tortoise).
There is a picturesque, man-made lake by the name of Kalyan Sagar, which is located next to the Shaktipeetha shrine. The serene, clear water is home to rare bostami turtles.
In a short while, PM @narendramodi will inaugurate the development work of ‘Mata Tripura Sundari Temple Complex’ at Matabari under Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme.
Bostami turtles are considered extinct in the wild but are plentiful in the precincts of the Tripura Sundari temple (also called Udaipur Matabari).
They are large in size and often come up to the shore of the freshwater lake. Devotees who visit the Shaktipeetha feed the bostami turtles bread crumbs, biscuits and puffed rice as part of the rituals.
Fishing and taking turtles out of the water body, which is spread over 2.75 acres, is strictly prohibited. Given that Kalyan Sagar is situated next to the Tripura Sundari temple, it is also considered sacred by the devotees.
It highlights the intricate link between faith, heritage and biodiversity. The Kalyan Sagar and the Bostami turtles symbolise a harmonious coexistence of tradition and nature.
According to local beliefs, the sacred reptiles climb the footsteps of the Tripura Sundari temple before their death and embody the blessings of the deity.
The well-being of the Bostami turtles is looked after by the Matabari Temple Committee.
The Tripura State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) mandates that devotees not carry plastic bags near the lake. It also monitors the water quality of the lake from time to time.
Today, there is a healthy population of Bostami turtles in the lake. These critically endangered reptiles are integral to the spiritual ecosystem of the Tripura Sundari temple.
Hinduism reflects a deep connection between Faith and Nature. The overwhelming presence of the Bostami turtles at the Shaktipeetha and its reverence highlight the essence of spirituality.
In recent years, the BJP-led Tripura government has stepped up efforts to preserve the sacred turtles.
A year-long scientific study has been commissioned by the government in parternship with global conservation organisation, Turtle Survival Alliance.
It aims to conduct a thorough census of the turtle population, assess their health, and devise long-term conservation strategies. Awareness campaigns are being launched among devotees to maintain the sanctity of the Kalyan Sagar.
The Delhi High Court rejected the prayer of far-left ‘activist’ Devangana Kalita to reconstruct the case diaries of the case relating to the anti-Hindu Delhi riots, in which she is an accused. A single bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja passed the judgment, while also confirming an earlier interim order directing the Delhi Police to preserve the case diaries.
“The petition is partly allowed. As far as the request for preservation is concerned, the interim order is made absolute. For reconstruction of the police diary, the request is rejected,” the Court said.
UAPA accused Kalita had requested the Delhi High Court to direct the Delhi Police to preserve and reconstruct the case diaries, alleging that the police had tampered with them. She had alleged that the Delhi Police ante-dated the witness testimonies in the case diaries relating to the criminal cases filed regarding the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests and a road blockade near the Jafrabad metro station in 2020.
She approached the High Court after her plea was rejected by the trial court. The trial court noted that the witness statements were not even a substantive part of the evidence. “While there may be merits in the submissions of the Ld. Counsel for the accused persons, but at this stage, this court cannot go into the truthfulness and veracity of the allegations,” the trial court remarked in its order passed on November 6, 2024.
Devangana Kalita was arrested for inciting communal violence
Kalita, along with UAPA-accused Asif Iqbal Tanha and Natasha Narwal in the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots case, was granted bail in June 2021. Kalita was arrested by the Delhi Police for her role in stoking communal violence during the anti-Hindu riots in North-East Delhi in February 2020 that claimed 53 people and left more than 400 injured. Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita are founding members of Pinjra Tod, an organisation accused by some citizens of Seelampur, Jafrabad, and Trans-Yamuna of inciting riots in Delhi.
Pinjra Tod claims to be an autonomous collective of women students fighting for a just, accessible, non-discriminatory University and affordable accommodation and has been involved in numerous protests and campaigns of a far-left nature.
In an attempt to appease Muslims ahead of the assembly elections, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin pledged to protect the rights of Muslims. Stalin made the remarks during a recent event celebrating the 1500th anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad. He announced that his government has included content on the Prophet Muhammad in the school curriculum in the state.
The decision was made by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, acceding to the demand of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leader Nellai Mubarak’s demand for the inclusion of Prophet Muhammad’s teachings in the school curriculum. “SDPI leader Nellai Mubarak requested to include the Prophet Muhamed in the syllabus. I’m happy to say that it has already been included in the Tamil Nadu Education Syllabus”, said CM Stalin. SDPI is the political wing of the banned Islamic outfit PFI.
நபிகள் நாயகத்தின் 1500-ஆவது பிறந்தநாள் விழாவில் பங்கேற்று, உலகெங்கும் அன்பு பரவிட வேண்டும் – அமைதி நிறைந்திட வேண்டும் என்ற உணர்வை வெளிப்படுத்தினேன்.
சிறுபான்மை மக்களுக்கு இடர் வரும்போதெல்லாம், பாதுகாப்பு அரணாக என்றும் திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம் துணை நிற்கும்! pic.twitter.com/xJgkHJkQsC
— M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) September 21, 2025
Stalin said that his party, DMK, stands with the Muslim community as it opposed the CAA and challenged the recently passed Waqf Amendment Act in the Supreme Court. He criticised the rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for not supporting the Muslim community on matters like Triple Talaq. “If Muslims face trouble, the first political outfit that comes to your support is the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam,” Stalin said.
DMK has historically supported Muslims: Stalin
Heaping praises on Prophet Muhammad for preaching ‘egalitarian and loving principles,’ and matched them with the ideologies of Periyar E V Ramasamy and DMK leaders like C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi. Highlighting the pro-Muslim decisions taken by the DMK government, Stalin said that his party’s government ensured 3.5 per cent internal reservation for Muslims under the Backwards Class (BC) category, and included Urdu-speaking Muslims in the BC list, created a welfare board for minorities, established the Tamil Nadu Urdu Academy and launched the under-construction Haj House near Chennai airport. He pointed out how his party has historically supported the rights of Muslims. He said that M Karunanidhi declared Milad-un-Nabi as a public holiday in 1969, and restored it in 2006 after AIADMK discontinued it in 2001.
To further appease the Muslims in the state, Stalin expressed concern over the situation in Gaza and urged the central government to take firm steps to stop ‘atrocities’ in the area. “There must be an immediate end to the atrocities faced by the Palestinians, and the Central government should take resolute steps in this connection,” Stalin said.
The BJP attacked the DMK government over the inclusion of Prophet Muhammad’s teachings in the school curriculum, calling it the party’s communal agenda. “This is very clearly a communal agenda by the DMK. They have been saying that DMK is a communal party, always trying to gain the votes of the Muslim community,” said BJP spokesperson Narayan Tirupati.
Interestingly, MK Stalin, who vowed to wage a ‘langauge war’ against the so-called imposition of Hindi language on non-Hindi speaking states, to protect Tamilian identity, does not see any threat to Tamilian identity by including teachings of Prophet Muhammad in the school curriculum.
A poster of ‘I Love Muhammad’ was put up in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on 4th September, which was opposed by some Hindu organizations. After which, the UP Police registered a case against 25 youths in this case. Since then, there have been protests against the action of the UP Police, which has now reached Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Uttarakhand.
Now, the tension reached the Kashipur of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand, where violence broke out during a protest procession.
According to the media reports, “I Love Muhammad” procession was taken out in Kashipur in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar. It is being reported that permission was not taken to take out the procession. As the rally moved through the Ali Khan area, stone-pelting, vandalism, and even assaults broke out. Some of the miscreants involved in the procession beat the police, which made the situation uncontrollable.
Police team to identify miscreants
However, on the directions of the police, SP (City) Abhay Singh and the police force reached to the spot and brought the situation under control. The police immediately formed teams and started identifying the miscreants with the help of CCTV footage and videos across the city. Police said that the miscreants will not be spared at any cost, and no casualties were reported in the city, nor were the industry-trade damaged.
SP of Kashipur Abhay Singh said, “The atmosphere deteriorated during the procession without permission, but the entire city has been kept under control due to the prompt action of the police and the wisdom of our team.”
“Samajwadi Party leader Nadeem Akhtar and his associates have played a major role in this mishap. Strict action will be taken against all the accused. The local administration has appealed to the citizens to maintain peace and made it clear that Uttarakhand has the rule of law. No one will be allowed to indulge in goonda raj or unrest,” he added.
Ahead of state assembly elections in Bihar, the ‘first family’ of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) seems to have devised a new method to deflect public discourse from the real issues. This new method is the classic family drama of a ‘rift in the family’. The alleged feud in the Lalu family emerged in public as Rohini Acharya, Lalu Yadav’s daughter, is reported to be unhappy with the expanding clout of Sanjay Yadav, the political adviser to former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.
Recently, Rohini Yadav also unfollowed her brother, Tejashwi Yadav, and father, Lalu Yadav, on X. In fact, she unfollowed all RJD leaders and even made her account private temporarily.
Before this, she reposted a post criticising Sanjay Yadav’s presence at Tejashwi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, which ended on 20th September. The post in question, published by one Alok Kumar, argued that while Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav was seated in the front seat of the yatra bus the seat was for either Lalu Prasad or Tejashwi and should remain unoccupied in their absence.
“The front seat is always designated for top leadership. No one should sit on it even when the leader is absent. It is a different matter when someone has the notion of being bigger than the top leader. We, along with the people of Bihar, are used to seeing Lalu Prasad or Tejashwi Prasad Yadav taking the front seat. We cannot tolerate anyone else sitting in the front seat. However, we cannot comment on sycophants who see in a person a unique strategist, advisor, and saviour,” the social media post reposted by Rohini Acharya read, although it no longer appears on her X profile.
Reports say that Rohini Acharya’s public support to narrative critical of Sanjay Yadav did not go well with her family. Acharya has since been facing criticism within the family and was also under pressure to do damage control.
In this direction, the RJD made Dalit leaders Shiv Chandra Ram and Rekha Paswan sit in the front seat during the Yatra. Rohini Acharya was quick to share the pictures of Dalit leaders seated in the front seats and wrote on X, “It has been the prime motto of Lalu Prasad’s socio-economic justice campaign to bring forward the deprived and people on the last rung of the social ladder. It is heartening to see people from these sections sitting in the front seat in these pictures.”
The melodrama did not end here as on 19th September, Acharya shared a video of her being taken to operation theatre in 2022, when she donated her kidney to ailing father, Lalu Yadav. Along with the video clip, Rohini Acharya wrote, “Those who, with their lives in the palm of their hand, possess the spirit to make the greatest of sacrifices, fearlessness – boldness – self-respect flow in their blood…”
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rohini Acharya contested from Saran and lost to BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Now, Acharya was reportedly eyeing a ticket in the assembly elections, however, the party was not in favour of this. Attempting to put all speculations at rest, Acharya posted that she has no political ambitions, and for her, her self-respect is of supreme importance.
“I have fulfilled my duty and dharma as a daughter and a sister, and I will continue to do so. I have no desire for any position, nor do I have any political ambition. For me, my self-respect is supreme,” she wrote.
मैंने एक बेटी व् बहन के तौर पर अपना कर्तव्य एवं धर्म निभाया है और आगे भी निभाती रहूँगी , मुझे किसी पद की लालसा नहीं है, न मेरी कोई राजनीतिक महत्वाकांक्षा है ,मेरे लिए मेरा आत्म – सम्मान सर्वोपरि है ?
This post, however, came across as rather a confirmation that there is indeed a rift in the family and Rohini Acharya indeed had political ambitions. Not to forget, even Tej Pratap Yadav, who was earlier expelled from RJD, has also backed his sister over the issue of Sanjay Yadav’s increasing clout.
बिहार: लालू परिवार में संजय यादव को लेकर तनाव बढ़ गया है
◆ तेज प्रताप यादव ने बहन रोहिणी के समर्थन में कहा कि संजय यादव तेजस्वी यादव की कुर्सी हथियाना चाहते हैं
Tej Pratap recently alleged that Sanjay Yadav wants to “usurp” Tejashwi Yadav’s chair. Real or not, this family rift has contributed to diverting public attention in the poll-bound state from real ground-level issues to the Lalu family’s drama and internal power tussle.
As the Trump administration recently announced sweeping changes in the H1-B visa norms by imposing a staggering additional $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, it is being speculated that the move to revise the H1-B visa norms was intended to distract Trump’s MAGA fan base from a bribery investigation against Trump’s immigration policy chief, Tom Homan.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order revising the H1-B visa policy late on Friday (19th September), which was justified by the White House as a “crackdown on systemic abuse” of the H1-B visa system. The executive order claimed that the US companies have been laying off their American employees to hire aliens on H1-B visas at lower salaries. The changes will be effective immediately for new filings and will be effective from 12:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on September 21, 2025, for renewals.
The executive order, which created panic among H1-B visa holders, most of whom are Indians, is being viewed as a move to please the MAGA supporters of Trump by appealing to their hyper-nationalistic and anti-immigrant sentiments, and take their attention away from a now-closed bribery investigation against the Trump administration official. Notably, the Justice Department has largely dismantled the unit that prosecutes corruption cases, which took part in the Homan probe. Besides, after winning the Presidential election in November 2024, Trump appointed Homan as his “border czar”, which is an advisory role that did not require a Senate confirmation or a full background check by the FBI.
FBI closed Bribery investigation against Tom Homan
Trump’s border policy chief, Tom Homan, reportedly accepted a $50,000 bag of cash from an undercover FBI agent last year in a sting operation. However, the investigation being led by the Justice Department was closed, citing a lack of evidence, as reported by Reuters. Homan reportedly promised future immigration-related government contracts in return for the money.
The investigation against Homan started in August 2024, towards the end of the previous Biden administration, stemming from a separate investigation relating to national security. The target person in the separate national security investigation repeatedly mentioned that Homan had been taking bribes in exchange for future government contracts. As a result, an undercover sting operation was planned to catch Homan, and he fell for it. Homan was recorded accepting the bribe money of $50,000 from an undercover FBI agent.
Kash Patel termed investigation against Homan as “political”
Homan reportedly received the bribe from a restaurant chain and hinted that he would keep the money in a trust till his term in the Trump administration came to an end. Interestingly, the investigation against Homan was closed by the order of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Chief Kash Patel, after Trump came to power. “This matter originated under the previous administration and was subjected to a full review by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.
They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing,” said Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a statement on Sunday as quoted by Reuters. “The Department’s resources must remain focused on real threats to the American people, not baseless investigations. As a result, the investigation has been closed,” the statement added. Patel and Blanche blamed the Biden administration for conducting a “blatantly political investigation” against Homan, calling it “yet another example of how the Biden Department of Justice was using its resources to target President Trump’s allies.”
Homan helped companies obtain immigration-related government contracts before joining the Trump administration
Defending Homan, who oversees the Trump administration’s campaign relating to the mass deportation of people staying illegally in the US, White House clarified that he is not involved in awarding any contracts. “He is a career law enforcement officer and lifelong public servant who is doing a phenomenal job on behalf of President Trump and the country,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson said in a statement. Homan served in the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the Obama administration. He was the acting director of the ICE under the first Trump administration. During the previous Biden administration, Homan reportedly ran a consulting business to assist companies in obtaining immigration-related government contracts.
When Trump assumed office in January this year, a grand jury investigation going on against Homan in the Western District of Texas was in the preliminary stage. Emil Bove, who was acting deputy attorney general and is currently a federal judge, termed the investigation against Homan a “deep state” operation when briefed about the case in February this year. He referred to the idea that unelected officials secretly control the government.
The agitation that transpired in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, regarding an “I Love Muhammad” banner has begun to extend to other regions of the nation. The Islamists claimed that a First Information Report (FIR) was submitted due to the poster, and have been engaging in violent demonstrations throughout the country. On 21st September, a mob caused significant unrest in Unnao as well.
According to reports, more than 100 individuals from the Muslim community organized a protest march without the required permissions. This gathering included both men and a large number of women. During the procession, slogans such as “Sar tan se juda” were raised, and police personnel faced attacks and physical confrontations.
The uniform of Inspector Ajay Kumar Singh, in charge of the Gangaghat police station, was torn. The crowd started throwing stones at the cops when they attempted to pacify the former. The situation intensified to the extent that the police had to resort to lathi charge, resulting in a stampede-like scenario at the location.
Riot control vehicles and PAC personnel were dispatched, and additional support was summoned from various police stations, eventually restoring law and order after the incident. Now, police forces have been stationed in the area to maintain peace. Furthermore, law enforcement apprehended six individuals but their relatives and supporters started to create a disturbance. The authorities are presently questioning the accused.
Preliminary police inquiries have disclosed that provocative messages concerning “I Love Muhammad” were published on social media prior to the procession. The police cyber unit is currently examining these posts. They have also initiated a review of CCTV footage to pinpoint the rioters. The administration asserted that strict action has been taken against them.
FIR against 30 people
The police in Unnao have registered an FIR against 30 perpetrators, 8 of whom are specifically named in connection with the occurrence. Authorities indicated that Section 163 was enforced in the district, which forbids public assemblies, yet a massive crowd assembled. Moreover, the stone-pelting led to damage to both shops and numerous residences.
What’s the truth
Demonstrators nationwide alleged that an official complaint was lodged in Kanpur due to the display of an “I Love Muhammad” banner. This is cited as the catalyst for protests among Muslim communities across the country. However, the actual circumstances are quite different. In fact, during the Barawafat procession in Kanpur earlier this month, Muslim extremists dismantled a Hindu religious banner, which served as the main impetus for the FIR. Disregarding the reality, radicals appear determined to incite turmoil throughout the nation.
PM Modi will inaugurate the redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari Temple, one of the revered 51 Shakti Peethas, later today at Udaipur in Gomati district. The redevelopment project has been completed under the Centre’s PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) Scheme, with the aim of preserving heritage while boosting religious tourism in Tripura.
The Prime Minister, arriving in Agartala this afternoon after his Arunachal Pradesh visit, will proceed to Udaipur where he will perform a puja at the temple. As per the official schedule, no public address has been planned during the visit. Elaborate security arrangements are already in place in both Agartala and Udaipur.
A temple steeped in history and legend
The Tripura Sundari Temple, also known locally as Matabari or Tripureswari Temple, is one of the most significant Shakti shrines in India. According to legend, the temple marks the spot where the right foot of Goddess Sati fell during Lord Shiva’s Tandav dance, sanctifying it as a Shakti Peetha.
In a short while, PM @narendramodi will inaugurate the redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari Temple at Udaipur, Tripura — one of the 51 sacred Shakti Peethas where Maa Sati’s right foot is believed to have fallen.
The temple was built in 1501 CE by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya, who, inspired by recurring dreams of the Goddess, installed her idol on a hillock near his then-capital Udaipur. Over time, the temple became not only a spiritual center but also a unique bridge between the Vaishnava and Shakta traditions. Lord Vishnu is worshipped here in the form of a Shalgram Shila, alongside Goddess Tripura Sundari—a rare feature among Shakti shrines.
Architecturally, the sanctum is built in the Bengali Ek-Ratna style, perched atop a hillock shaped like a tortoise, giving the temple its other name, Kurma Pitha. A mystical Sri Yantra carved beneath the idol’s feet further elevates its spiritual significance, symbolizing cosmic unity of masculine and feminine energies.
Inside the sanctum, two black stone idols stand: the larger 5-foot idol of Maa Tripura Sundari, and the smaller 2-foot idol known as Chhoto-Ma, believed to have accompanied Tripura’s kings on battles and expeditions.
The temple traditions are distinct. Red hibiscus flowers are considered most auspicious offerings, while the Matabari Peda, the temple’s signature prasad, recently received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Cultural and spiritual magnet
The temple is not just a place of worship but a major cultural hub. The annual Diwali Mela at Matabari, an official two-day celebration, draws lakhs of devotees from across India and neighboring Bangladesh. It reflects the multicultural fabric of Tripura and highlights the temple’s role as a living institution of faith and festivity.
Redevelopment under the PRASHAD scheme
The ongoing redevelopment project is part of a ₹54.04 crore modernization plan, jointly funded by the Centre, which contributed ₹34.43 crore, and the state government, which provided ₹17.61 crore. Sanctioned in 2021, the project is designed to enhance both infrastructure and pilgrim facilities, ensuring greater comfort and convenience for the steadily increasing number of visitors.
The redevelopment includes marble flooring, improved pathways, and renovated entrances to give devotees easier and more dignified access to the shrine. A newly constructed three-storied complex has been built to house peda stalls, a meditation hall, guest accommodations, and office spaces, while additional facilities such as a food court, drinking water kiosks, proper drainage systems, and toilet blocks have been incorporated for the benefit of pilgrims.
The plan also provides residential areas for priests, volunteers, and temple staff, alongside waiting rooms and sitting spaces for devotees. A VIP lounge and meditation hall have been added to accommodate special visitors, and a Matabari gallery, along with shops for locals, has been created to showcase the region’s heritage and provide opportunities for local entrepreneurship.
Boost to local economy
Beyond its spiritual dimension, the project is also an economic catalyst. With over 12–15 lakh devotees visiting annually, the redeveloped complex is expected to attract even more pilgrims, strengthening local hotels, transport, handicrafts, food businesses, and guides.
Officials expect the project to generate direct and indirect employment for the local community—ranging from shopkeepers and artisans to taxi operators and hospitality providers.
By branding Udaipur as a religious-tourism hub, the state envisions Mata Tripura Sundari Temple as a centerpiece for cultural pride and economic growth.
A divine union of traditions
At its core, the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple embodies the unison of Shiva and Shakti, and the rare confluence of Shakta and Vaishnava traditions. Its legends, architecture, and living traditions make it not just a temple, but a spiritual destination of unparalleled uniqueness.
With Prime Minister Modi’s inauguration of the redeveloped complex, the temple is set to embark on a new chapter—one that preserves its ancient sanctity while preparing for a vibrant future as a global spiritual and cultural landmark.
