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Do not rush to Supreme Court for anything and everything: CJI DY Chandrachud tells lawyers

OpIndia Staff
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Do not rush to Supreme Court for anything and everything: CJI DY Chandrachud tells lawyers

Days after the Supreme Court of India granted interim bail to controversial ‘activist’ Teesta Setalvad during a special night hearing, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has now directed litigants and lawyers to not rush to the apex court for ‘anything and everything.’

The Supreme Court reopened on Monday (July 3) after the conclusion of the month-long summer vacation. As per a report by The Times of India, a bench led by the CJI dismissed a case as it involved a dispute over a small amount.

According to the English Daily, the apex court is applying this ‘new rule’ uniformly without paying heed to the advocate representing a litigant. The Supreme Court judges have also refused to entertain major delays, in filing appeals, caused due to laxity on the part of litigants/lawyers.

As such, the court dismissed cases, where the lawyers could not provide satisfactory answers for the delay in filing appeals. It also rejected writ petitions that were directly filed with the Supreme Court instead of concerned High courts or designated forums.

CJI Chandrachud and Teesta Setalvad’s urgent bail hearing

On Saturday (July 1) night, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India granted bail to controversial activist Teesta Setalvad, overturning the Gujarat High Court’s orders to surrender immediately. Setalvad is accused of fabricating evidence, tutoring witnesses, and defaming the Gujarat government in matters related to Gujarat Riots 2002.

It had come to light that when Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud was informed about the two-judge bench decision to forward the matter to a larger bench as they could not come to a unanimous decision on extending bail granted to Setalvad, he was attending a Bharatnatyam event. As per reports, CJI left the hall multiple times to ensure the formation of a three-judge bench to hear the matter urgently.

In a report, NDTV stated that CJI was at Chinmay Mission to attend the Bharatnatyam dance performance of Suvarna Vishvanathan, daughter of Supreme Court justice KV Vishvanathan. Most of the people linked to the hearing were present at the event, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

Around 6 PM, after the dance performance commenced, Setalvad’s lawyers approached the Supreme Court against Gujarat High Court’s orders to surrender immediately. The hearing was scheduled for 6:30 PM before Justice AS Oka and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra. SG Mehta was informed, after which he left the performance to represent the Gujarat government. After the two-judge bench could not reach a unanimous decision, the matter was forwarded to CJI, who was still at the event.

At around 7 PM, CJI was seen leaving the hall to discuss the matter. Meanwhile, SG Mehta returned to the event. Shortly after, CJI left for 10 minutes and came back to enjoy the performance.

Following the dance performance, he informed Justice BR Gavai and Justice AS Bopanna about the matter. They agreed to be part of the larger bench, including the two judges and Justice Deepankar Datta. The hearing began at 9:15 PM. At around 10 PM, the court granted Setalvad interim protection from the arrest.

Supreme Court dismisses petition challenging use of ‘male terminology’ in constitutional provisions like the use of “Chairman” instead of “Chairperson”

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court dismisses petition challenging use of ‘male terminology’ in constitutional provisions like the use of “Chairman” instead of “Chairperson”

On Tuesday, the 4th of July, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed under Article 32 challenging the use of male terminology in the Constitution of India. The two judge-bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha criticised the petitioner and advised the counsel to focus on studies.

Chief Justice asked whether the petitioner really thought that constitutional provisions should be struck down for such reasons. The court also expressed dissatisfaction over such petitions filed under Article 32. 

The bench also warned that if this continues, the court will have to start imposing costs on the petitioners.    

CJI said, “Why don’t you study in law schools rather than filing such petitions? We have to start imposing costs. You want us to strike down male pronouns in the Constitution? Chairman etc usage. We have to strike down constitutional provisions since it does not say, chairperson.” 

CJI asked the petitioner what is the basis of the petition and what fundamental rights are being violated with this. When the petitioner claimed that the usage of male terminology violates Article 14, right to equality as chairman means, CJI interjected. The Honourable Court highlighted that the usage of terminology like chairman does not bar women from occupying that esteemed post. 

CJI said, “So what? A woman cannot be appointed? The chairman also means a woman can be appointed.”

After giving a warning and advising the petitioner to focus on studies, the apex court dismissed the petition.   

It is important to note that Article 32 of the Indian Constitution allows any individual to directly approach the Supreme Court or the High Courts in case of violation of their fundamental rights.

Uttarakhand: Two Muslim youths molest Hindu girl, Muslim mob raise ‘Allah hu Akbar’ slogans in a show of strength when Hindus protest

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Two Muslim youths molest Hindu girl, Muslim mob raise ‘Allah hu Akbar’ slogans in a show of strength when Hindus protest

On Saturday, July 1, a Hindu girl was abused and molested by two Muslim youths on Saharanpur road in Herbertpur, Vikasnagar, Uttarakhand. When her relatives and members of some Hindu organisations protested against the same, a Muslim mob gathered near a mosque in the Dakrani village in Vikasnagar, raised ‘Nara-e-Takbeer and Allah hu Akbar’ slogans and created a ruckus, in a show of strength.

In a video of the incident shared on social media by Punjab Kesari, Muslims can be seen gathered in large numbers and raising “Naara-e-Takbeer, Allah-hu-Akbar” slogans. The sloganeering reportedly continued till late night on Saturday.

According to Punjab Kesari, the matter escalated after a Hindu girl was abused and subsequently molested by two Muslim youths in the hamlet on Saturday evening. The Hindu girl, reportedly, had gone to the Herbertpur market to buy some goods. While returning home in the evening, two Muslim youths accosted the Hindu girl on Saharanpur Road and started hurling abuses at her. When she protested, the youths molested her. 

The horrified Hindu girl somehow escaped the clutches of the accused and rushed back home. She narrated her ordeal to her parents and relatives, who, in turn, approached members of some Hindu organisations.

The angry relatives, local villagers and members of Hindu outfits reached the Dakrani police station to complain about the accused. As the news spread, the two Muslim youths fled and hid in a nearby mosque. Learning about this, the irate villagers reached the mosque and started protesting, demanding the arrest of the two accused.

Within no time, thousands of Muslims gathered at the mosque and began raising Islamist slogans and creating a ruckus. Reportedly they used their Whatsapp group network to send messages asking Muslims to accumulate near the mosque.

The sloganeering continued until past midnight. Fearing a communal flare-up, police teams from the Vikasnagar Kotwali hurried to the spot and disbursed the Muslim mob. The Hindus were also assured prompt and speedy action in the case, after which they too returned.

Speaking about the incident, Sanjay Kumar, the Inspector of Vikasnagar Kotwali said that the police have registered an FIR against the two youths and a team has been deployed to investigate the matter and nab the accused.

OpIndia contacted the Vikasnagar police station to know more about the incident. The officer who answered the call concurred that the incident in which the Hindu girl had been abused and molested by two Muslim youths did indeed occur and that the police are looking into it. The officer, however, firmly declined to provide any information regarding the event in which a Muslim crowd gathered outside a mosque late on Saturday night and raised Islamist slogans. She, in fact, flatly refused to have any information regarding any such occurrence.

Arrest of Senthil Balaji by ED: Madras High Court refers Habeas Corpus plea to a larger bench

ANI
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Arrest of Senthil Balaji by ED: Madras High Court refers Habeas Corpus plea to a larger bench

The Madras High Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict on the Habeas Corpus plea filed by the wife of Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate last month in connection with a money-laundering case.

The plea will now be referred to a larger bench. The split verdict was delivered by a division bench of Justices Nisha Banu and D Bharatha Chakravarthy. While Nisha Banu concluded that the habeas corpus plea filed for Balaji’s release is maintainable and therefore be allowed, Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said he could not agree with the opinion.
According to the lawyer for petitioner NR Elango that because of the split verdict the status quo continues.

“As of now, the status quo continues because of the split verdict. One of the judges accepted our plea that ED has no power to seek Police custody…It has been held by one of the judges that it is a case of illegal arrest..,” said senior advocate and DMK Rajya Sabha MP Elango.

Senthil Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case.
Balaji’s wife, S Megala, had filed a habeas corpus plea against the minister’s arrest before the High Court on June 14.
Justice Nisha Banu was of the opinion that the ED is not entrusted with powers to seek police custody under the Prevention of Mondy Laundering Act (PMLA).

Senior Counsel NR Elango’s argument in the court was that Balaji’s arrest had come without prior notice and hence it was illegal.

“The procedure adopted by Enforcement Directorate is totally illegal and unconstitutional. He was taken into custody by ED without informing him of the grounds of his arrest. We will fight this case legally,” Elango had told reporters on June 14.

The Supreme Court, earlier in June, refused to interfere with the Madras High Court order allowing Balaji to be moved to a private hospital in Chennai and entertaining a habeas corpus petition filed against his arrest.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Canada assures safety of Indian diplomats after Khalistanis float controversial poster threatening them: Here is the chain of events

OpIndia Staff
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Canada assures safety of Indian diplomats after Khalistanis float controversial poster threatening them: Here is the chain of events

On Tuesday, July 4, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mélanie Joly took cognizance of the Khalistanis threatening Indian diplomats in posters circulated in Canada and said that it is unacceptable. She said that the country takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding safety of diplomats very seriously.

“Canada remains in close contact with Indian officials in light of some of the promotional material circulating online regarding a protest planned for July 8, which are unacceptable. We know that the actions of a few do not speak for the entire community or Canada,” Joly added in a statement on July 4.

As per the recent update, Canadian High Commissioner to India was also summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

This comes a day after the External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar said that India would take the issue with the Trudeau government, and also talk to other partner countries where such issues keep emerging. “This will affect our relations. We will raise this poster issue with the government of these countries,” he said.

The posters that reportedly emerged across Canada warned that a Khalistan freedom rally, held in the name of slain Khalistani terrorist Harjit Singh Nijjar will be organized on July 8. The poster read that the rally would be carried out from the Great Punjab Business Centre in Maltan to the Indian Embassy in Toronto. The threat poster also carried pictures of India’s high commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma and the consulate general in Toronto Apoorva Srivastava, with the caption that read, “Faces of Shaheed Nijjar’s killers in Toronto.”

The poster further audaciously mentioned the phone numbers of the organizers of the protest rally along with photos of their Indian diplomat targets.

Posters floated by Khalistanis in Canada

While the poster for a protest rally in Toronto on July 8 named Indian High Commissioner Saurav Kumar Sharma and Counsellor Apurva Srivastava with photos and posters of a simultaneous rally in Vancouver named the High Commissioner and Counsel General of Vancouver Manish.

The poster read that the Vancouver protest rally will start from Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara, which had been taken over by Najjar and his cronies, and culminate at the Indian Consulate in Vancouver.

As reported earlier, the Khalistanis blame India to be behind the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was shot dead in Surrey, Canada on June 18. He was shot dead by two unidentified assailants within the Gurdwara premises. 46-year-old Nijjar hailed from the village Bhar Singhpura of Jalandhar.

His name was added to the list of designated terrorists recently by the Indian Government. In 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared a Rs 10 lakh reward on Nijjar after his name appeared in a conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, Punjab.

NIA arrests Zubair and 3 others for running ISIS module in Maharashtra, preparing to wage war against nation

OpIndia Staff
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NIA arrests Zubair and 3 others for running ISIS module in Maharashtra, preparing to wage war against nation

On Monday (3rd July), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) busted an ISIS module, which was operating in the State of Maharashtra.

Four accused, identified as Tabish Nasser Siddiqui, Zubair Noor Mohammed Shaikh, Sharjeel Shaikh and Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, were arrested by the central investigation agency during raids in Mumbai, Thane and Pune.

NIA received credible intelligence that the four accused and their associates were recruiting youth and training them to make Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and weapons.

They also shared Do It Yourself (DIY) kits and other relevant materials among themselves for creating IEDs and manufacturing small weapons, pistols and more.

An unnamed official was quoted by The Indian Express saying that the accused created inflammatory media content published in the magazine ‘Voice of Hind’ to propagate the agenda of violence and terror of the banned terrorist outfit ISIS.

It must be mentioned that the Voice of Hind was an online magazine that was being circulated using a complex network consisting of fake online entities and hiding real identities through VPN. In October 2021, NIA raided several locations in Kashmir to bust the ISIS module behind the magazine.

A case in the matter was registered on 28th June by the investigation agency based on which raids were conducted at the locations linked to the accused. NIA seized electronic gadgets and several documents related to ISIS during the raids at the houses of the accused at five different locations.

“The material seized exposed the strong and active linkages of the accused with ISIS and their efforts to motivate vulnerable youth to further the terror organisation’s anti-India agenda,” said an official.

The official press release of NIA read, “Preliminary investigations by the NIA have established that the accused had hatched a conspiracy to further the terrorist activities of ISIS, known by different names, such as Islamic State (IS)/ Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL)/Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daish/ Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP)/ISIS Wilayat Khorasan/Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham Khorasan (ISIS-K).”

It added, “The accused were trying to breach the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of the country and preparing to wage war against the Government of India, as part of the ISIS conspiracy, by raising and operating a Sleeper Cell in Maharashtra.”

NIA busts Ghazwa-e-Hind module

Earlier on 2nd July, NIA conducted raids in Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in connection with ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, a radicalised module being run by Pakistan-based suspects.

The agency searched one place in Darbhanga, two in Patna in Bihar, one in Surat (Gujarat), and one in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh). The raids were conducted at the premises of these suspects across three states. Incriminating material, including digital devices (mobile phones, memory cards), SIM cards and documents, were seized during the raids, said the NIA.

The case came to light after the arrest of Marghoob Ahmad Danish alias Tahir, of Phulwarisharif area of Patna district, by the Bihar Police, which registered it on 14th July, last year. The NIA took over the case and re-registered it on 22nd July last year, and Marghoob was charge-sheeted on 6th January this year under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Warner Bros’ movie ‘Barbie’ banned by Vietnam govt for showing controversial ‘9 dash line’ in South China Sea

OpIndia Staff
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Warner Bros’ movie ‘Barbie’ banned by Vietnam govt for showing controversial ‘9 dash line’ in South China Sea

On 3rd July, Vietnam banned Warner Bros’ upcoming film “Barbie” from domestic distribution as it showed ‘9 dash line’ in a scene that featured a world map. In the scene, the map used by the makers showed the 9-dash line, the same that China uses to claim most parts of the South China Sea.

The map appears at the 1-minute mark in the official trailer of the film.

The U-shaped’ 9 dash line’ is used by China to claim vast areas of the South China Sea, including an area that Vietnam considers to be its continental shelf. In this area, Vietnam has been awarded oil concessions. Notably, an international arbitration ruling by a court in The Hague denied China’s claims over the area in 2016. However, China refused to acknowledge the ruling.

China claims around 80% of the South China Sea. To back up the claim, China uses a 1947 map that shows vague dashes looping down to a point about 1,800 KMs from Hainan island. The area that it claims covers parts of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei.

Nine Dash Line. Source: Economist

As per the Economist report, the line is partly the result of a cartographic mistake. Interestingly, Chinese officials never showed interest in the South China Sea before the 20th century. In 1933, a committee was formed under the leadership of Chiang Kai-Shek to name the islands in the South China Sea. They copied names from Western maps into Chinese. Later, a private geographer and teacher inspired by nationalistic cartography became the first to draw the infamous 9-dash line. Later, his students were hired by the Chinese government under Kuomintang in 1946. In 1948, the Chinese government, for the first time, asserted the “legitimacy” of the line. Soon after, the Chinese government started to build a story around the line claiming historical rights in the region, saying China was the first to discover the islands in the South China Sea.

Notably, under modern maritime law governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), coastal countries can claim only 12 nautical miles of territorial sea. They get exclusive rights to drilling, fishing and mining only up to 200 nautical miles.

Vietnam had banned the movies ‘Abominable’ and ‘Uncharted’ earlier

This is not the first time Vietnam has banned a movie over the ‘9 dash line’. In 2019, the government banned DreamWorks’ animated film ‘Abominable’, and in 2022, it banned Sony’s action movie ‘Unchartered’ for the same reason. In 2021, Netflix dropped an Australian spy drama’ Pine Gap’ over the map issue.

Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Cinema that is in charge of licensing and censoring foreign films told the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper, “We do not grant a license for the American movie ‘Barbie’ to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line.”

Barbie is set for release on July 12.

For those who are unaware, China and Vietnam claim that a potentially energy-rich stretch in the South China Sea is their own. Vietnam has accused China of repeatedly violating its sovereignty. Vietnam is not the only country China has border disputes with. India, Bhutan and Nepal have raised concerns over border issues with China. In the case of India, China has raised claims over Arunachal Pradesh and some areas in Ladakh. In 2020, there was a violent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley of Ladhak, in which India lost 20 soldiers while China lost almost double.

Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu, Rabri, and others named in CBI chargesheet in land-for-job scam

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu, Rabri, and others named in CBI chargesheet in land-for-job scam

On the 3rd of July, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet in the land-for-job scam case in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court. Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav, his father Lalu Yadav, and Rabri Devi, among others, have been named in CBI’s chargesheet filed before the special CBI court.

Court allowed CBI to file second chargesheet

This is the second charge sheet in the case and reportedly it will be considered by the court during the next hearing on the 12th of July. Apart from Tejaswi and his kin, the CBI chargesheet has also named AK Infosystems, firms, and several middlemen as accused in the case. 

The CBI also informed the court that sanctions are awaited against Lalu and three others.

Through its Special Public Prosecutor Advocate DP Singh, CBI informed the Court that a fresh chargesheet is filed in the case. Singh argued that although a chargesheet was already filed earlier, the need for a second chargesheet arose because the alleged act is committed with a different modus operandi.

Earlier, on the 15th of March, the Court granted regular bail to Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and their daughter-RJD MP Misa Bharti among other accused in the alleged land-for-job scam case. 

Later, on the 1st of June, the Rouse Avenue Court granted more time to the CBI to file a supplementary charge sheet in the land-for-job scam. However, the court expressed displeasure and stated that you (CBI) are continuously delaying this matter, which is not right.

In its chargesheet, the CBI stated that as a quid-pro-quo, the candidates directly or through their immediate relatives/family members sold land to the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav (then Union Railway Minister) at highly discounted rates up to 1/4th to 1/5th of the prevailing market rates.

CBI findings reveal the name of alleged co-conspirators in the case

CBI further added that the investigation has revealed that Lalu Prasad Yadav entered into a criminal conspiracy along with members of his family, railway officers, and some residents of the area. 

According to the CBI, during the period 2007-08, when Lalu Yadav was Minister of Railways, he intended to acquire the land parcels situated in Village- Mahuabagh, and Kunjwa in Patna. These land parcels were situated adjacent to the land parcels that were already owned by his family members. 

The alleged co-conspirators, as per CBI, include Lalu Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharati, Officers of Central Railways namely Sowmya Raghvan who was the then General Manager, Kamal Deep Mainrai, and the then Chief Personnel Officer. 

Further, some residents of villages Mahjabagh, Bindaul, Bihta, and Patna City namely Raj Kumar Singh, Mithlesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Ravindra Ray, Kiran Devi, Akhileshwar Singh, Ramashish Singh were also involved in this conspiracy and alleged scam.

Accusations and CBI findings

It is alleged that during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as minister in the UPA government from 2004 to 2009 substitutes from Patna were appointed in various zonal railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Hazipur.

The CBI findings stated that irregular appointments of candidates were made in Central Railway. These recruitments violated the laid down norms and procedures of Indian Railways for recruitment. They were done even without any advertisement or public notice. As per CBI, all the candidates after their engagement as substitutes were subsequently regularized. 

According to the CBI chargesheet, 12 candidates from Patna were appointed to Group D posts in the Railways during Lalu’s tenure as Railway Minister. And in lieu of these jobs in railway, the accused received seven plots of land in the city and elsewhere at a highly discounted price. As per CBI officials, these plots of land belonged to those 12 people.

Responding to CBI’s chargesheet, RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari stated that this was expected as such actions are being taken against non-BJP parties which are in power.

Earlier, during the launch of the book on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in Patna, former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav claimed that democracy is being attacked in India. 

US: Khalistanis set fire to the Indian consulate in San Francisco, staffers escape unharmed. Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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US: Khalistanis set fire to the Indian consulate in San Francisco, staffers escape unharmed. Here is what happened

On Sunday morning (July 2, local time), Khalistanis carried out an arson attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco city of United States.

As per reports, the extremists set the building on fire between 1:30 am and 2:30 am on Sunday. However, the damage was limited and the staffers escaped unharmed.

The fire was quickly doused by the San Francisco fire department. The local, State and federal authorities were also notified about the incident. A video of the incident has now gone viral on social media.

In a statement, the official spokesperson of the US State Department Matthew Miller said, The U.S. strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the U.S. is a criminal offense.

Earlier in March this year, Khalistan supporters launched an attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco. A video of the attack surfaced on social media wherein Khalistani elements were damaging the property and waving Khalistan flags.

The extremists broke through makeshift security barriers installed by the local authorities, installed two Khalistani flags inside the consulate, and caused significant damage to the building. Two consulate personnel later removed the flags.

On Monday (June 3), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India would take up the issue of Khalistanis, threatening Indian diplomats in posters circulated in Canada, with the Trudeau government.

While speaking to the media, he added that India has urged its partner countries like Canada, the United States, the UK, and Australia not to give space to the Khalistanis. “This will affect our relations. We will raise this poster issue with the government of these countries,” he said. The statement came after Khalistani posters carrying threats to Indian diplomats were circulated in Canada.

Mission Gaganyaan: First batch of crew module recovery team completes phase-1 training

OpIndia Staff
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Mission Gaganyaan: First batch of crew module recovery team completes phase-1 training

The first batch of crew module recovery for Mission Gaganyaan has successfully completed Phase-1 training at the Indian Navy’s Water Survival Training Facility (WSTF) in Kochi, reported the Ministry of Defence’s official statement dated 2nd of July. 

As per Ministry’s statement, the team includes Indian Naval divers and the Marine Commandos. They utilised state-of-the-art facilities and underwent recovery training of crew modules in varied sea conditions. 

The team underwent rigorous training for two weeks. The training module covered issues like conduct during the mission, actions required during medical exigencies, and technical aspects of aircraft and rescue equipment. Notably, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been jointly formulated by the Indian Navy and ISRO. 

The Ministry said. “The two weeks training capsule covered a brief on the conduct of the mission, actions to be taken during medical exigencies, and familiarisation with different aircraft and their rescue equipment.”  

As per Times of India, this team will participate in the recovery of the unpressurised crew module that will be used in the first abort test mission, which ISRO has planned in August.

Subsequently, the team was greeted by Dr. Mohan M, Director of the Human Space Flight Centre, ISRO. 

After the completion of the initial phase of training for the first batch, the recovery training program will progress incrementally. It will include unmanned recovery followed by manned recovery training in both harbor and open sea conditions.

The Indian Navy, in collaboration with other government agencies, is taking the lead in overseeing the recovery operations.

As per media reports, the crew trained here at Indian Navy’s WSTF will now be involved in the recovery of test launches planned by ISRO in the forthcoming months.

Mission Gaganyaan

Notably, Mission Gaganyaan is India’s first manned space mission. It was announced by PM Modi during his Independence Day speech in 2018. The mission aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability. Additionally, with the manned space mission, India wants to join the League of elite nations that are capable of sending humans to space.

As per the mission statement, a three-member crew will be launched to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission. Subsequently, they will be brought back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.

The estimated timeframe for the final launch with Indian astronauts onboard is the fourth quarter of 2024.

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