The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “vote chori” (vote theft) allegations, producing what it calls extensive evidence of irregularities in constituencies where key INDI alliance leaders, including Rahul himself, emerged victorious.
According to the BJP, the opposition’s outcry over alleged rigging in BJP-won seats is not only baseless but hypocritical, as multiple Lok Sabha constituencies held by INDI bloc leaders show patterns of mass voter list manipulation, ranging from duplicate entries to fake addresses, manipulated ages, and concentrated bulk additions.
Speaking at a Press Conference, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur came down hard on the Congress party, calling Rahul Gandhi the “Propaganda King” and “LoB — Leader Opposing Bharat.” Thakur said that despite being admonished by the Supreme Court, the Gandhi scion “keeps peddling lies” and holds the record for 90 election defeats under his leadership, with even Congress leaders questioning his credibility.
He accused the Congress of repeatedly blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the Election Commission, and democratic institutions instead of engaging in honest introspection. Thakur further alleged that the party is making “false claims” in coordination with opposition allies ahead of the Bihar polls, attempting to discredit the electoral process.
Wayanad: Rahul Gandhi’s seat
BJP’s analysis claims that Wayanad has 93,499 “doubtful voters”, broken down into 20,438 duplicate entries, 17,450 fake addresses, 4,246 “mixed households” (multiple religious communities registered at the same small address), and a staggering 51,365 voters allegedly added in bulk. The BJP also flagged bizarre cases of centenarians — voters aged 99, 101, and 102 — being added for the first time in 2024, calling it a clear sign of manipulated rolls.
Rae Bareli: Priyanka Gandhi’s stronghold
The report alleges 2,00,089 suspicious entries in Rae Bareli, including 19,512 duplicates, 71,977 fake addresses, 15,853 mixed households, and 92,747 bulk additions. The data even pointed to over 52,000 fake birth certificates linked to bogus voter addresses, questioning whether Rae Bareli’s consistent Congress victories were sustained by legitimate votes or by a “padded” electorate.
Diamond Harbour: Abhishek Banerjee’s seat
The TMC bastion has 2,59,779 doubtful voters — 3,613 duplicates, 1,55,365 fake addresses, 290 fake relatives, 43,947 mixed households, and 56,564 mass additions, the report added. Many of these alleged irregularities were concentrated in booths where the TMC scored overwhelming margins.
Kannauj: Akhilesh Yadav’s seat
According to EC’s figures cited by the BJP, Kannauj has 2,91,798 doubtful voters, nearly double the winning margin of Akhilesh Yadav. This includes 16,163 duplicates, 1,53,919 fake addresses, 25,772 mixed households, and 74,531 mass additions, with some voters suspiciously registered as being over 100 years old.
Mainpuri: Dimple Yadav’s seat
The Election Commission’s data shows 2,55,914 doubtful voters in Mainpuri: 14,088 duplicates, 1,76,078 fake addresses, 16,216 mixed households, and 49,532 bulk additions. Many entries allegedly involved multiple religious identities at the same residence.
Kolathur: MK Stalin’s Assembly segment
In Tamil Nadu, Kolathur, CM Stalin’s home constituency, was flagged for 19,476 doubtful voters, including 4,379 duplicates, 9,133 fake addresses, and 5,964 mixed households. Several voters were allegedly registered multiple times with different EPIC numbers.
The BJP contends that these examples expose the opposition’s double standards, attacking the BJP for supposed “vote theft” while benefitting from inflated and manipulated electoral rolls themselves. It also accused the Congress and its allies of opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, which the Election Commission uses to clean up such anomalies, stating that the poll body’s exercise threatened their “ghuspaithiya vote bank.”
BJP leaders challenged Rahul, Priyanka, Akhilesh, Stalin, Abhishek Banerjee, and Dimple Yadav to declare whether they would resign if these alleged “vote chori” patterns in their own constituencies were proven.
Framing the matter as both an electoral integrity and national security issue, the BJP said that the real theft is not in BJP strongholds, but in the deliberate padding of voter rolls in opposition bastions, a tactic it claims has been perfected over decades. The response came days after Rahul Gandhi proclaimed “massive voter fraud” and other charges in a press conference, several of which fell flat after closer scrutiny.
The veterinary wing of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has begun a phase-wise crackdown on stray dogs following the orders from the Supreme Court of India to remove all dogs from the streets in a phased manner. The court, in its order on 11th August, directed the authorities to start removing dogs with 5,000 in the next eight weeks.
The action against stray dogs has started in Shahdara and Bhajanpura, with the focus on high-risk zones. Around 700 dogs have been removed from streets around the Red Fort area ahead of Independence Day. Officials said that the drive will expand to other parts of the city after 15th August.
Shelters and helpline planned
Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh confirmed that the work to identify unutilised community halls and other buildings for dog shelters in each zone has commenced. Until the shelters are operational, aggressive and diseased dogs will be shifted to existing sterilisation centre facilities. The authorities are also launching a dedicated helpline for stray dog complaints within two days as ordered by the apex court. As of now, residents can use the 311 app.
Notably, on 12th August, a high-level meeting chaired by MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar discussed a detailed action plan. Another meeting was scheduled for 13th August. A sub-committee led by deputy standing committee chairman Sundar Singh is identifying priority areas, feeding points, and issues with ABC units. Members have directed that at least 1,000 dogs per zone have to be caught each month, starting with aggressive dogs.
Long-term solutions and public involvement
Former MCD veterinary director Ravinder Sharma suggested using available land in Tehkhand and Masoodpur, and even community halls in Dwarka, to build multistorey shelters. Unlike animal birth control centres, permanent shelters require larger kennel space.
While dog lovers are claiming Supreme Court orders are not in line with the laws in place, those who have suffered because of the uncontrolled stray dog population and dog bites are happy with the decision.
OpIndia is doing a series on Stray Dog Menace in India which can be checked here.
Days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that that Bengali-speaking citizens were being harassed and evicted from Jai Hind Colony in BJP-ruled Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, it has emerged that the no such eviction order was issued by the government. This revelation was made by Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Ministry of Home Affairs, in response to an unstarred question asked by Trinamool Congress MP June Maliah.
The TMC MP had raised five questions pertaining to the alleged eviction of Bengali-speaking Indian citizens. “(a) whether the Government has received complaints regarding the disconnection of electricity and water supply in Jai Hind Colony and Vasant kunj, New Delhi; (b) if so, under what legal provisions or notifications these actions are being carried out; (c) the number of families affected by the eviction drive in that area; (d) whether the Government has verified the citizenship or legal residency status of the evicted persons; and (e) whether any compensation or relocation plan has been initiated for the affected families, if so, the details thereof?” the TMC MP asked.
Responding to this earlier this month, Minister Rai stated that the Delhi government has not not carried out any eviction drive nor have they received any written complaints regarding the disconnection of electricity and water supply in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. The minister, however, added that one complaint was made on social media platform X on 10th July 2025.
“(a) to (e): The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, has informed that they have not carried out any eviction drive nor have they received any written complaints regarding the disconnection of electricity and water supply in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi except one post on social media platform ‘X’ on 10.07.2025. Jai Hind Colony Vasant Kunj is a J.J. cluster, and no piped water network exists in this cluster. Water is supplied to the residents of this cluster through tankers daily as a routine, which is still continuing. It has also been informed that 2 (two) electricity connections were disconnected on 08.07.2025 in compliance of the Hon’ble Civil Court’s judgement dated 14.05.2024 (Civil Suit No. 56914/2016),” Minister Rai responded in a written reply on 5th August.
Before this, TMC MP June Maliah had asked in the Lok Sabha whether the Government is aware of the ongoing eviction drive and has received complaints regarding the disconnection of electricity and water supply in Jai Hind Colony. She also sought the details thereof along with the legal provisions or notifications under which these actions are being carried out. In addition, the TMC leader also inquired about the number of families affected by the eviction drive in that area; (d) whether the Government has verified the citizenship or legal residency status of the evicted persons and if so, the details thereof and whether any compensation or relocation plan has been initiated for the affected families and if so, she sought details of the same.
Responding to this on 31st July 2025, Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokharam Sahu stated that the Delhi Development Authority have not carried out any eviction drive nor received any complaints regarding the disconnection of electricity and water supply in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.
Thus, the question of legal provisions for carrying out eviction proceedings, number of evicted families and compensation to them, does not arise.
“(a) to (e) Action is taken by the land owning agencies from time to time to get the encroachments cleared/demolished from their land. As informed by Delhi Development Authority, they have not carried out any eviction drive nor received any complaints regarding the disconnection of electricity and water supply in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. In view thereof, the question of legal provisions for carrying out eviction proceedings and the question of number of evicted families, compensation to them or relocation plan for them does not arise,” the Minister stated in response to the TMC MP’s unstarred question.
He continued, “Also, as informed by Delhi Jal Board, they have not received any written complaint regarding disconnection of water supply in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi except one post on social media platform ‘X’ on 10.07.2025. In addition to this Department of Power (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi) has informed that 2 (two) electricity connections were disconnected on 08.07.2025 in compliance to the Hon’ble Civil Court’s judgement dated 14.05.2024 (Civil Suit No. 56914/2016).”
It must be recalled that in July this year, CM Mamata Banerjee had launched a scathing attack on the BJP alleging that it is targetting and harrassing Bengali-speaking Indian citizens in the name of cracking down against illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants.
“Water supply was reportedly cut off, electricity meters confiscated, and power abruptly cut the day before yesterday,” Mamata Banerjee wrote on X.
Dubbing the alleged eviction of Bengalis from Jai Hind Colony, the West Bengal Chief Minister labelled the BJP as “Bangla-Birodhi (anti-Bengali).
“Bengalis are being treated as infiltrators in BJP-ruled states. Speaking Bengali does not make one Bangladesh” she claimed.
On 13th August, BJP leader Amit Malviya slammed CM Banerjee for making misleading claims about the alleged eviction drive in Jai Hind Colony. He said that TMC MP June Maliah herself exposed Mamata Banerjee’s “lies”. He said that only two electricity connections were cut, that too on court orders.
TMC MP busts West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s lies.
In the Lok Sabha, June Maliah asked about “evictions” in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj.
The truth, as revealed in the official Government reply, is crystal clear:
“TMC MP busts West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s lies. In the Lok Sabha, June Maliah asked about “evictions” in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj. The truth, as revealed in the official Government reply, is crystal clear: No eviction drive took place. No water supply cut — not a single complaint to the Delhi Jal Board, except one social media post. Only two electricity connections were disconnected — and that too on the orders of the Hon’ble Civil Court (dated 14.05.2024). Once again, the false propaganda of the TMC has been exposed in Parliament — through their own question! Bengalis are not being targeted, as falsely alleged by Mamata Banerjee to hide her misgovernance. Facts speak louder than their lies,” Malviya wrote.
On 12th July, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two more people alongside additional director Swasthya Bhawan, Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in Meerut of Uttar Pradesh for seeking a payment of ₹50 lakh from a hospital in exchange for not being removed from a government program. The accused have been identified as additional director Ajay Kumar, office superintendent Lavesh Solanki and an associate Raees Ahmad.
The action was taken after a complaint was registered by Director Operations (Group) of a private Hospital in Meerut which prompted the agency to file the case. The complainant operates several medical facilities in and around the region. They stated that the CGHS team conducted a surprise inspection of two of its hospitals on 8th July.
Afterward, official notices were then sent to both hospitals, pointing out trivial flaws in an attempt to exploit the advantage. The perpetrators reportedly requested a bribe of Rs.50 lakh in order to prevent the hospitals from being de-empaneled from the list of institutions that were empanelled by the CGHS.
The public officers demanded that the payment should be delivered as soon as possible to stop the hospitals from being de-empanelled. On 12th August the additional director accepted to receive a partial amount of Rs. 5 lakh as a first installment of bribery, following negotiations.
However, the CBI set up a trap and apprehended the two public servants and a private individual along with the paid sum after which raids were executed at the residential properties.
How the case unfolded
Jain Medicare Hospital of Dr Ashish Jain, an ophthalmologist based in Noida is managed by Vishal Salonia. The latter is also in charge of Highfield Specialty Hospital situated at Pepla Idrishpur on Bhola Road as well as JMC Medicity Specialty Hospital, located on Rohta Road.
According to him, the CGHS office is housed within the health building in Surajkund where the accused were stationed. On 8th July, the two officials conducted inspections at JMC Medicity Hospital and Highfield Specialty Hospital. They identified several issues in both facilities, leading the CGHS panel to issue formal notices for suspension.
Rs 50 lakhs were demanded to maintain the status of the hospital and warned that failure to comply will result in being de-empaneled. Subsequently, Salonia reached out to Kumar and Solanki at the CGHS office. However, they threatened that if the money was not delivered promptly, the same would also happen to Highfield Specialty Hospital.
Salonia recorded the conversation reached out to the CBI’s Delhi office. A CBI team, accompanied by him, performed a reconnaissance of the CGHS office. A case was then filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Kumar and Solanki based on Salonia’s complaint, following the collection of all pertinent evidence. They used to obtain the money through their personal employee, Ahmed and the three were enetually nabbed by the agency.
Amid the high tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Indian goods, India’s current account deficit (CAD) is expected to remain under 1 per cent during the current financial year. According to a recent report by CareEdge Ratings, the CAD as a percentage of GDP is projected at 0.9 per cent in FY26.
The current account deficit (CAD) is an economic indicator that shows a country’s total imports of goods, services, and transfers compared to its total exports and transfers to other countries.
The rating agency said India’s domestic-driven economy, with a relatively low share of goods exports to the US, around 2% of GDP, will provide some cushion against the tariff impact. Exports to US in the first quarter of FY26, which accounts for 19.8 per cent of total exports, grew sharply by 22 per cent year-on-year. Exports to China also registered strong growth of 17.8 per cent.
The strong performance in exports to the US was mainly driven by electronic goods, which is exempted from tariffs and accounts for 30 per cent share in India’s total exports to the US.
The report attributed this growth partly to front-loading of exports and the continuation of tariff exemptions for key sectors such as pharmaceuticals and electronics which are exempted from US tariffs. However, the higher tariff rates compared to other economies have increased pressure on India to negotiate a trade deal with the US.
The report noted that while talks could be initiated, India is likely to remain cautious in opening up sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy. This means negotiations may take longer to conclude. Currently, key sectors like pharmaceuticals and select electronics remain on the exemption list, but the possibility of tariffs being extended to these products still exists. Sectors such as gems and jewellery, which fall under discretionary spending, could be affected by reciprocal tariffs.
The report also pointed out that some of India’s competitors in the US market, such as Vietnam and Indonesia, may benefit from comparatively lower US tariffs, particularly in categories like footwear, textiles, and leather.
India’s exports to Asia and Europe, which together account for 62 per cent of the country’s total exports, saw a year-on-year decline in the first quarter of FY26.
However, despite the challenges from higher US tariffs, the report outlined that these factors should help India keep its current account deficit within manageable levels this year.
After Pakistan’s military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent nuclear threats to India, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also threatened India with consequences if it stops the water of the Indus River.
Speaking at an event in Islamabad on Tuesday (August 12th), Sharif warned India against attempting to stop the water of the Indus River. He claimed that India is not capable of snatching even a drop of “Pakistan’s water”. “I want to tell the enemy today that if you threaten to hold our water, then keep this in mind that you cannot snatch even one drop of Pakistan,” Sharif said. “If you attempt such an act, you will be again taught such a lesson that you will be left holding your ears,” he added.
#BREAKING: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warns India of serious consequences if India stops Indus Water Treaty. Says, he won’t let India take even a drop of Pakistan’s share of water. This is 4th threat from Pak in 48 hours after Asim Munir, Bilawal Bhutto, Khawaja Asif. pic.twitter.com/ER1uojwHoi
Sharif’s remarks were made in the context of India’s decision to hold the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists, who killed 26 Hindu tourists after ascertaining their religion.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s empty rant
Sharif’s threats came a day after Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed the treaty’s suspension by India as an attack on the Indus Valley Civilisation, claiming that Pakistan would not back down if India forced it into a war.
Munir’s issued nuclear threats to India
Earlier on 9th August, Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, gave a nuclear threat against India during a dinner in Florida, United States. “We are a nuclear nation; if we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Munir warned during dinner hosted by businessman Adhnan Asad, who is the honorary consul of Pakistan in Tampa.
Commenting on the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India, Munir said that if India builds a dam on the Indus River, Pakistan will blow it up by firing missiles. “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does, we will destroy it with 10 missiles.” Munir asserted that Pakistan had “no shortage of missiles” and claimed the Indus River was “not the Indians’ family property.”
Pakistan’s politicians and military officials have been indulging in an endless tirade against India, after India destroyed terror camps in Pakistan’s territory under its Operation Sindoor. In a display of its zero-tolerance policy on terrorism, India took strong diplomatic as well as military measures, which rattled Pakistan, which has been denying its well-known links with terrorist groups.
Last month Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed that the Indus Water Treaty will remain in abeyance. “…it will never be restored. International treaties can’t be annulled unilaterally but we had the right to put it in abeyance, which we have done. The treaty preamble mentions that it was for peace and progress of the two countries but once that has been violated, there is nothing left to protect,” Shah said.
Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former president of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested on multiple corruption charges, marking a remarkable moment in the country’s history where a former president and the former first lady are both behind bars.
A Seoul Central District Court approved Kim Keon Hee’s arrest on Tuesday, 12th August (local time) saying there was a risk she might destroy evidence. The charges against Keon Hee include violations of capital market and financial investment laws, as well as political funds laws. She denies the charges.
South Korea's former first lady, Kim Keon Hee, was arrested after a court issued a warrant to arrest her following accusations of graft that she denies, a special prosecutor leading a wide-reaching probe said https://t.co/hzEZ98bGMEpic.twitter.com/N2TjDXS1Zo
According to investigators, Kim earned over 800 million won (£428,000) between 2009 and 2012 by manipulating the share prices of Deutsch Motors, a local BMW dealership, with the help of others.
She is also accused of taking over 270 million won worth of illegal political support through free opinion polling services, allegedly used to influence candidate selections for the conservative People Power Party in the 2022 byelections.
The third charge says that she accepted luxury gifts including Chanel handbags and expensive jewellery from the Unification Church through a shaman intermediary. In return, she helped the church secure favourable treatment for development projects in Cambodia.
Keon Hee was questioned for more than seven hours last week before prosecutors sought the arrest warrant. During her four-and-a-half-hour court hearing, she denied all charges and complained that issues from before her marriage were being dragged into the case. She will be held at the Nambu detention centre in south-west Seoul, separate from her husband.
Kim, once thought to be highly influential behind the scenes during her husband’s presidency, was already no stranger to controversy.
Her term in the Blue House was clouded by scandals including the so-called “Dior bag” affair and recent revelations that both her master’s and doctoral degrees were revoked over plagiarism.
Meanwhile, her husband, former president Yoon Suk Yeol, has been in custody since July over a separate case his failed attempt to impose martial law in December last year. That move, which he reversed just six hours later under intense political pressure, threw the country into a constitutional crisis and was condemned as a direct attack on democracy.
Yoon was first detained in January while still in office on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. Although a court later released him in March on technical grounds, the Constitutional Court removed him from office in April, calling his actions “a grave betrayal of the people’s trust.”
Prosecutors now accuse Yoon of abusing power and obstructing official duties. They say he declared martial law to break the political deadlock caused by the opposition’s control of parliament and to prevent his impeachment.
He is accused of deploying troops to block lawmakers from entering the national assembly building to overturn the decree and of giving orders to “break down the doors” of parliament and “drag people out, even if it takes firing guns.” Yoon’s lawyers deny he ordered the use of firearms.
He is also accused of trying to have key opposition figures, including now-President Lee Jae Myung, arrested first, hiding secure phone records from after martial law ended, and obstructing warrants issued by the Corruption Investigation Office.
Yoon’s lawyers argue the investigation is politically motivated, rushed, and flawed. They say most suspects are already detained, all evidence is secured, and there’s no real risk of evidence being destroyed.
With Kim Keon Hee’s arrest, both she and Yoon now face criminal trials that could reshape how South Koreans view presidential power and the people who hold it.
In Harayan’s Nuh district, a Muslim mob allegedly gathered after announcements were made from a mosque in the Firozpur Jhirka area after a dispute between a Muslim youth and a Hindu youth, Samay Singh Saini, over parking escalated into violence on 12th August. Stones and glass bottles were pelted from rooftops, a bike and several shops were torched by the rioting mob.
The clash began in Mudaka village near Firozpur Jhirka. Village Sarpanch Ramsingh Saini said a boy named Isra (some reports say son of Isra) parked his vehicle on a road leading to the village. A local Hindu youth, Samay Singh Saini, asked him to move it, but the Muslim youth refused, leading to an argument between the two.
Following this, the Muslim youths allegedly hit Samay Singh on the head with a glass bottle from his vehicle. In no time, people threw stones and set fire to a bike and shops. Reports say that stone pelting continued for around one and half hours. The communal violence left around 10 people injured.
In his complaint to the police, Samay Singh Saini of Mundaka village said that I run a tent shop near the Rajasthan border to support my family. There was a turban ceremony of my grandfather, for which we were returning to the village with tent material in a tractor at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday evening. On the road to Mundaka village, we found a truck blocking the road, in which two youths, Nassi and Lukman, were drinking alcohol. On being asked to move the truck, Nassi got furious and said that the road is not your father’s. After this, he attacked me on the head with a beer bottle.
The Hindu complainant further reportedly said, “The accused also called Ramzan, Muharkhon, Rustam, Shamsher, Haroon, Subban, Ismail, Arshad, Kalu, Zubair, Yunus, Islam, Juhrudin, Umar, Sakrulla, Sahun, Karim, Safi, Subba, Yakub and Junaid from their village Hajipur (Alwar, Rajasthan). All were armed with sticks. Hearing the noise, my brothers Chunni, Gopal and Bir Singh also reached to rescue, but the accused attacked them too, in which all were seriously injured.”
Samay Singh Saini also alleged that after the fight, the Muslim accused made an announcement from the mosque, after which the villagers gathered at the spot. They attacked by hurling stones and glass bottles from the roofs of shops and houses.
He added that the accused persons have been harbouring animosity against Hindus since the 2023 Nuh violence where Muslim mobs attacked a Hindu procession.
In a statement, the Nuh Police said, “As soon as the information was received, a team from the local police station and the in-charge reached the spot. The police took charge and controlled the situation. After the fight, there was a slight obstruction in the traffic, which the police handled.”
Superintendent of Police, Nuh, Rajesh Kumar, said that two police companies were deployed to bring the situation under control, adding that a case would be registered based on the complaint of those injured. He further informed that two people have been taken into custody and raids are on nab the rest.
The sweeping new tariffs imposed by the United States president Donald Trump on over 90 nations recently came into effect. The general goal of his trade policies has been to change the international trading system, which he believes unfairly treats his country.
Trump initially engaged in a significant tariff battle with China, the world’s second-largest economy which was later resolved and has now trained the gun on India. He has threatened to increase the tariff on imports from the country to 50% unless it ceases its purchases of Russian oil.
As New Delhi maintained a strong position and has not yielded to the bullying, other nations identified their own strategies to counteract the tariff threat enforced by the megalomaniac president.
Likewise, the “Liberation Day” plan for worldwide tariffs unveiled by Trump on 2nd April was supposed to strike Vietnam with some of the highest tariff rates of any nation, at 46%. However, the levies were reduced to 20% later and the news coincided with the approval of an extravagant Trump family golf course in the Southeast Asian country.
Trump family’s golf resort in Vietnam gets fast-tracked while Vietnam gets tariffs reduced from 46% to 20%
A grand Trump golf resort is going to open in Vietnam and the construction is set to start next month, reported Reuters. Eric Trump and Vietnamese prime minister Pham Minh Chinh held the groundbreaking ceremony for the $1.5 billion luxury residential development outside of Hanoi that includes three 18-hole golf courses, in May.
Chinh declared that Eric Trump’s visit “motivated us to expedite this project” as he called on local authorities to assist in completing the 990-hectare (2,446-acre) resort by the end of 2027 and lauded it as a move to strengthen ties with the Western power.
The project is the first collaboration for Trump’s family business in Vietnam. It breezed through expedited permissions while, interestingly, Vietnam was negotiating a significant trade deal with Washington. According to regulatory filings and a source familiar with the agreement, the Vietnamese real estate company Kinhbac City and its partners will build the upscale club after giving $5 million to the Trump Organisation for brand licensing rights.
Screenshot from a report on the Groundbreaking ceremony for the luxury real estate project in Vietnam
Once completed, the property will be operated by Trump’s family business. The White House has denied any conflict of interest. Notably, Trump has claimed that his children are in charge of managing the trust that holds his commercial interests but revelations made in June revealed that the Donald Trump is primary recipient of the money received from those sources, as per reports.
The Trump family organisation will take over the project after its completion. It is not involved in the reclamation, compensation and construction part of the project.
The New York Times reported that the project was approved ‘unusually quickly’ and without completion of many steps, including environmental reviews.
Vietnamese officials stated in a letter that a Trump golf project requires special support from top ranks of government because it was “receiving special attention from the Trump administration and President Donald Trump personally.” @damiencavehttps://t.co/BXlVhU62UM
Farmers displaced, left with meagre compensation for their land taken for Trump company’s project
Meanwhile, the farmers who have been living and working on the land have been instructed to leave their land with only $3,200 and provisions for rice in exchange. Six persons with direct knowledge of the development and documents disclosed that the establishment has offered similar compensation packages to several locals to persuade them to leave the land that has supported their livelihood for multiple years.
Currently, fruit farms cultivating longan, bananas and other crops occupy the 990-hectare plot of land designated for the golf course. Many farmers are elderly and hence concerned that they will have a difficult time finding other sources of income in Vietnam’s economy which is dominated by young people. They fear that their land will be seized, leaving them unemployed.
A person familiar with the plans unveiled that developers are currently reducing expectations of compensation from an initial estimate of more than $500 million. The Trump family business is not engaged in the investment or payments to farmers.
Final compensation rates will be decided by authorities based on the location and size of the land and the official approval is anticipated the following month. Reuters reported that five farmers who were facing evictions had received compensation between $12 to $30 per square metre of farmland and were offered extra money for plants that were uprooted along with rice for a few months.
On the other hand, farmers expressed their dissatisfaction with the suggested rates due to the meagre compensation their small plots would yield. Moreover, a second letter from local officials noted that final payment decisions would be taken next month, affecting thousands of residents.
The state controls all land in the Communist nation. Small pieces of land are distributed among farmers for long-term usage but they have little control over when the government decides to reclaim the area. The state pays compensation but developers bear the expense.
Pham Minh Chinh spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony in May and promised that farmers would receive reasonable compensation. However, the farmers conveyed their discontent with the inability to negotiate as protests are also ineffective in the country.
No compromise of the interest of the farmers: PM Modi says on India’s trade deal talks with the US govt
“For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers. I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it and I am ready for it. India is ready for it,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly retaliated to the outrageous tariffs imposed by Trump under the guise of halting New Delhi’s energy supply from Moscow, and the delayed trade deal discussions that are yet to be finalised.
PM Modi during his address at the M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in Delhi: "Protecting the interests of our farmers, fisherfolk & livestock rearers is our first priority. I know I will have to pay a price for it. But I am ready" pic.twitter.com/d6WWshKMKc
Trump justified the increase by citing national security and foreign policy issues, along with other pertinent trade laws, according to the White House order. He claimed that India’s imports of Russian oil, whether directly or indirectly, represent a “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States.
India already clarified that imports are determined by market conditions and carried out with the ultimate goal of guaranteeing the energy security of the country’s 1.4 billion citizens. The government emphasised that the country would do whatever it takes to safeguard its interests.
The Modi government previously challenged the hypocrisy of the United States and the European Union. It pointed out how the two continue to trade with Moscow, even for non-essential goods and yet attack New Delhi which has only contributed to the stability of the world’s energy supply by buying the oil, after Trump’s first 25% tariffs.
An official informed that the government would not permit concessions on issues involving religious sensitivities, such as non-vegetarian milk and beef products. The Modi administration has taken a strong stance against opening up Indian dairy and agricultural markets to the United States and refused to lower tariffs on these critical sectors.
Opening Indian dairy and agricultural markets to the United States will negatively affect the livelihoods of millions of Indian farmers. Hence, the country has refrained from including agriculture in trade agreements. However, a persistent Washington is only concerned with maximising profits from one of the biggest marketplaces in the world.
It is noteworthy, the unwarranted altercation intended to intimidate India into compliance has emerged at a time of unparalleled proximity to the terrorist state of Islamabad.
Qatar’s $400 million gift to Trump
Donald Trump is known for his tendency towards lavish praise and extravagant gifts. The US Department of Defence in May received a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari royal family to be utilised as part of the Air Force One fleet.
The new aircraft, which would take years and millions of dollars to renovate and upgrade before its induction, will be placed into Trump’s presidential library after the conclusion of his term, according to the White House. Meaning, he will be able to use it even after leaving the position of POTUS.
Predictably, there was an instant and severe pushback as the news was released. “The United States should have the most impressive plane compared to the planes used by the leaders of other countries,” Trump remarked in defence of his decision. He described his current Air Force One as “much smaller” and “much less impressive.” However, questions were raised about the aircraft’s technical safety and security while Trump was also charged with corruption.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that he will halt the confirmation of all Justice Department nominees pending Senate approval until the White House releases all the information regarding the special present. He also pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the agreement before Congress.
“There will be plenty of scrutiny. There are lots and lots of issues around that, that I think will attract very serious questions,” asserted the Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. “The plane poses significant espionage and surveillance problems, so we’ll see how this issue plays out,” voiced Republican Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz.
Trump, in an unprecedented move, managed to unite both Republicans and Democrats who voiced their criticism over the pricey gift and raised suspicions about it.
Trump’s tariffs: A ploy to arm twist countries
Trump recently announced that his import tariffs were bringing billions of dollars into the country. He also threatened to impose a 100% tariff on computer chips manufactured abroad. He set a patchwork of tariffs for various nations and changed them over time.
He ultimately chose August as the deadline for negotiations. A number of other industry-specific duties that impact goods like steel and automobiles have caused the average US tariff rate to reach its highest level in over a century.
South East Asian countries that rely heavily on exports were among the most severely affected. Laos and Myanmar, which are primarily focused on manufacturing, encounter some of the highest tariffs at 40%. Trump also issued further tariffs targeting the US’s top three trading partners (China, Canada, and Mexico) after he returned to the White House in January.
He clearly sought to present himself as a strong leader capable of influencing global politics on his own terms through the use of tariffs. Trump also desires geopolitical leverage over Russia to ensure that President Vladimir Putin regards him with a bit more seriousness. Additionally, he intends to coerce nations into complying with his demands.
This is one of the factors contributing to his severe stance towards India, particularly in light of New Delhi’s outright rejection of his claims regarding mediation during “Operation Sindoor.” Trump sought gratitude similar to what Islamabad demonstrated, however, India refuted his assertions which he apparently found unacceptable.
He wants to seen as a global peacemaker and is equally desperate for the Noble peace prize. Moreover, some countries including Pakistan nominated him for the same. India has not entertained any such expectations.
Trump is clearly using the tariffs to impose his will on the nations. It was also admitted by his officials after the move was blocked by a US court.
The court at that time revealed that an emergency law implemented by the White House does not provide Trump with the exclusive power to impose tariffs on nearly all countries. The three-judge panel ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority in defending the sweeping tariffs and declaring a national emergency under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The White House was further accused of acting “contrary to law.”
In the meantime, the government’s attorneys argued that the tariffs triggered international negotiations and any legal restrictions would significantly reduce the country’s global influence. “An injunction would completely kneecap the president,” submitted Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate, indicating their critical importance for Trump in order to manipulate countries in international diplomacy.
Conclusion
Trump is evidently using tariffs to further his personal and political interests. The golf course in Vietnam and a Nobel Prize nomination from Pakistan are clear signs of this. India would have been free from his high tariff threats as well, had the Modi government capitulated, which they did not, instead opting to show fortitude which has further infuriated Trump.
The tariffs are being wielded as incentives and punishments to reward or penalize countries according to Trump’s whims and desires.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (12th August), directed the Home Secretaries of all the states and the Union Territories (UT) to immediately release all the convicts languishing in jail beyond their sentence period.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Justice KV Viswanathan issued the direction during the hearing of the plea for release filed by Sukhdev Yadav alias Sukhdev Pehalwan, who was convicted in the high-profile Nitish Katara murder case. Pehalwan The top court said that all the convicts who are in jail even after completing their sentence time should be released if no other cases are pending against them. The court also ordered the release of Pehalwan, noting that he had served his full term.
The court directed a copy of the order to be sent to the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSAR), which will ensure that the copy is further forwarded to the District Legal Services Authorities (DSLSAs) for further implementation.
Background of the case
In June this year, the Supreme Court granted a 3-month furlough to Sukhdev Pehalwan after he approached the court against a Delhi High Court order of November 2024, which dismissed his furlough plea. While granting him furlough, a bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran noted that he had spent 20 years in jail, which was his full sentence, without remission.
Sukhdev Pehalwan was convicted in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case and was granted 20 years in jail in October 2016. Along with him, former cabinet minister DP Yadav’s son Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav were each granted a 25-year jail term without remission. All three of them were convicted of killing Nitish Katara after kidnapping him from a marriage party on the intervening night of February 16 and 17, 2002, because of Katara’s alleged affair with Vikas Yadav’s sister.
The problem of Convicts and undertrials illegally languishing in jails calls for greater attention
The present verdict of the Supreme Court highlights a grave problem of convicts and undertrials languishing in jails even after serving their sentence or being granted bail by the court.
In June this year, the Supreme Court ordered the ₹5 lakh compensation to be paid by the Uttar Pradesh government to a person who spent 28 days in jail even after being granted bail because of a minor technical error in the bail order. Calling it a travesty of justice, the apex court ordered a judicial enquiry into the case to determine accountability.
In a similar case in September 2023, the Gujarat High Court directed the state government to provide a compensation of ₹1 lakh to an accused, who was kept inside the jail for three years after securing regular bail. The accused was granted bail in September 2020, but was released from jail in September 2023, a day before the date of the hearing of his case. The accused remained in jail for three years after getting bail, as the jail authorities failed to see, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an Email containing the bail order of the High Court. Interestingly, the accused was released temporarily and was given furlough on a few occasions during his incarceration but the jail authorities did not bother to check the court records during th entire time. The High Court also reprimanded the Sessions Court for not ensuring that the bail order was implemented.
In October 2023, the Delhi High Court adopted a stern approach in a case of illegal detention. The High Court directed ₹50,000 to be paid to a person from the salary of the police officers, who had kept him illegally detained and locked up for half an hour. The victim was illegally detained by the police on mere suspicion of committing a crime, without any formal arrest, FIR or Daily Diary entry.
Lack of proper framework to address the problem
These examples point out how a mere technical error or omission by the jail authorities and courts can cost an individual his freedom and precious time. This calls for greater accountability of the jail authorities as well as the judiciary. Institutions are meant to serve individuals and society and not the other way round. Currently, India does not have a specific legislation for addressing the problem of illegal detention. In cases of illegal detentions, courts usually invoke Article 21 of the Constitution to grant compensation. However, some provisions in International law expressly address the problem of illegal detention. For example, Article 9(5) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which India is a signatory, provides that victims of illegal detention shall have an enforceable right to compensation.
While many such instances of convicts and undertrials illegally languishing in jails have time and again come up before courts, the courts are only able to provide relief on a case-by-case basis due to the lack of a proper framework to keep track of the people locked up in jails and the legal provisions to provide them compensation and ensure the accountability of authorities.
