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India’s IB launches crackdown on Rohingya infiltration: 5,000 recruits sought with local, Rohingya language skills

OpIndia Staff
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India’s IB launches crackdown on Rohingya infiltration: 5,000 recruits sought with local, Rohingya language skills

India’s Intelligence Bureau (IB) is preparing to tackle the increasing menace of illegal Rohingya infiltration, particularly at the eastern frontier with Bangladesh. For the first time, the organisation is going all out to recruit young professionals who speak the Rohingya language. They will be recruited as Security Assistants and deployed in Kolkata, where the problem is fast becoming serious.

As per the report, the Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated a major recruitment process, calling for applications for almost 5,000 Security Assistant positions (4,987 to be precise). They are under the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in 37 centres in the nation.

From Trivandrum to Jammu and Kashmir and from Kolkata to Jaipur, the IB is searching for youth who speak the language of the region.

For the Kolkata unit alone, the agency has 298 vacancies it wants to recruit. These aspirants should be familiar with at least one among these languages – Bengali, Nepali, Bhutani, Urdu, Santhali, Sylheti, or Rohingya.

Why Rohingya language is important now

The reason why IB wants individuals with knowledge of Rohingya is self-evident: numerous Rohingya migrants are entering India from Bangladesh through West Bengal. The migrants predominantly use Rohingya, a language that is not commonly known in India. To interrogate them or interview them, security agencies require individuals who have knowledge of their language and culture.

The authorities hope that by appointing such candidates, they will be able to enhance the communication process during interrogation and also trace illegal activity more efficiently.

How the selection will work

The online application process for this recruitment will begin on Saturday, 26th July 2025. Applicants can complete the application process online by visiting the official website www.mha.gov.in. The last date to submit the form is August 17, 2025.

The selection procedure will involve an internet-based test, and those who clear it will be appointed at a Level-3 (Group C Central Service) scale with a basic pay of ₹21,700 to ₹69,100.

This is a great opportunity for the youth who not only wish to have a secure government job but also want to serve the nation’s internal security.

Rising alarm over Rohingya infiltration

International agencies have sounded alarms through recent reports. According to the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that in just 18 months, almost 1.5 lakh Rohingyas have escaped Myanmar and sought refuge in Bangladesh. Bangladesh itself has more than 10 lakh Rohingyas settled in refugee camps such as Cox’s Bazar, and now many are attempting to cross illegally into Indian states such as West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura that share open borders with Bangladesh.

The matter worsens with reports alleging that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI and Bangladesh-based extremist Islamic groups are attempting to recruit and train some of these refugees. The objective, according to some reports, is to utilize them against Myanmar’s military regime and possibly even to conduct disruptive operations in India as well.

A timely and strategic move

With the very serious national security implications involved, IB’s move to recruit Rohingya-speaking security assistants is being regarded as a wise and imperative one. It’s not merely a matter of staffing jobs, it’s about preparing oneself to handle an increasing threat that needs linguistic and cultural familiarity.

By employing locals who will be able to fill this gap, the IB plans to improve its on-ground presence and monitor illegal activities taking place along the borders more closely.

Thailand launches strikes against Cambodia using F-16s as tensions between the neighbours reach a boiling point

OpIndia Staff
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Thailand launches strikes against Cambodia using F-16s as tensions between the neighbours reach a boiling point

On Thursday, 24th July, targets in Cambodia were hit by a Thai F-16 fighter plane few hours after Thai and Cambodian troops engaged in gunfire at the border. This is the latest escalation intensifying tensions over the disputed border region between the two countries, which includes the historic Lord Shiva temple complex of Prasat Ta Muen Thom in Thailand’s Surin province.

“We have used air power against military targets as planned,” declared Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon as the country closed its border with Cambodia. Thailand reported to have “destroyed” two regional military headquarters in Cambodia after claiming to have prepared six F-16 jets.

The defence ministry of Cambodia acknowledged that Thailand’s raids struck its territory and vowed to “respond decisively.” It declared that the country “strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia” after the jets dropped two bombs on a road.

“F-16 fighter jet dropped (two) bombs on the road leading to Wat Kaew Seekha Kiri Svarak Pagoda. All of these areas are within Cambodian territory,” it further asserted. Both nations earlier blamed each other for starting the fresh conflict following weeks of escalating hostilities and diplomatic disputes. According to reports, at least two civilians have been killed as the dispute flared.

Thai military reported that their three civilians were hurt and alleged that they returned fire after spotting six Cambodian soldiers. They claimed that heavily armed Cambodian troops entered close to the disputed temple along the eastern border, about 360 kilometres from the capital Bangkok and added that a surveillance drone was deployed earlier.

According to a Thai army official, Cambodia utilised a variety of weapons, including rocket launchers and two Thai soldiers were hurt when Cambodian troops opened fire. However, a spokesman for Cambodia’s defence ministry claimed that Thai forces had invaded without warning and their forces had retaliated in self-defence.

The troops “executed their right to defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity against the aggression of the Thai troops,” according to Maly Socheata, a spokesman for the Cambodian defence ministry. She charged that Thailand “violated the territorial integrity of Cambodia.”

There were explosions during the fighting which took place in the provinces of Surin in Thailand and Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia, forcing locals to hide in bunkers. According to a statement from the Thai army, field artillery had been employed but no deaths had been reported.

The Thai military has shelled two Cambodian regions, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear, according to a Facebook post by former leader Hun Sen but told the citizens to maintain calm. “Cambodia has always maintained a position of wanting to resolve issues peacefully, but in this case we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression,” he wrote.

Phumtham Wechayachai, Thailand’s acting prime minister, described the situation as delicate. “We have to be careful. We will follow international law,” he stated while interacting with the media.

A day earlier, Thailand announced that it will shut down its northeastern border crossings with Cambodia, withdraw its ambassador and expel the ambassador of the neighbouring nation in protest of a land mine explosion that left a Thai soldier with an amputated leg. Five soldiers were injured when one of them walked on a land mine in a border region, based on a statement from the Thai Army.

Cambodia responded that it was recalling all of its employees from the embassy in Bangkok and reducing diplomatic ties with Thailand to their lowest level.

On 16th July, a mine explosion also wounded three Thai soldiers who were patrolling the volatile border region. However, Cambodia stressed that Thai soldiers deviated from designated jungle routes and set off long-buried explosives that date back to the country’s decades-long civil conflict.

One Cambodian soldier was killed in a gunfight in the contested area in late May, sparking the start of the renewed border standoff. Since then, tensions have increased, with both sides limiting important land crossings that are essential for trade and stationing additional troops along the border. Cambodia has prohibited the importation of fruit, vegetables, petrol and petroleum from Thailand.

Supreme Court stays Bombay High Court order acquitting all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blast case

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court stays Bombay High Court order acquitting all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blast case

The Supreme Court on Thursday (24th July) put a stay on the Bombay High Court verdict that acquitted all the accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blast case. The decision came after the Maharashtra government approached the apex court, challenging the Bombay High Court Verdict that acquitted all 12 persons convicted by the MCOCA court in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. 

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Justice NK Singh issued notice to the accused in the criminal appeal filed by the state government and held that the High Court judgment should not be treated as a precedent. Appearing for the state government, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, submitted before the top court that he was not seeking the surrender of the acquitted accused persons. However, he requested that the High Court verdict be stayed, contending that it might impact other sub judice cases under the MCOCA.

“We have been informed that all the respondents have been released and there is no question of bringing them back to the prison. However, taking note of the submission made by the SG on the question of law, we are inclined to hold that the impugned judgment shall not be treated as a precedent. To that extent, there is a stay of the impugned judgment,” the Supreme Court said.

In a judgement passed on 21st July, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 convicts, including 5 on the death row, in connection with the 2006 Mumbai train blast case. Citing discrepancies in the investigation, along with witness testimonies, the High Court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

On July 11, 2006, seven bombs exploded in different compartments of Western Railway trains during the evening rush hour. Around 189 people were killed and more than 800 were injured. After a long trial under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), a special court had, in 2015, convicted five of the accused to death and seven others to imprisonment for life. 

The US Justice Department told Trump that his name emerged in the Epstein files, claims Wall Street Journal after Trump sued the publication

OpIndia Staff
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The US Justice Department told Trump that his name emerged in the Epstein files, claims Wall Street Journal after Trump sued the publication

Within a week of the US President Donald Trump suing the Wall Street Journal for publishing an article claiming that he wrote a birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein with a hand-drawn portrait of a naked woman, the newspaper came out with another bombshell report claiming that Trump’s name emerged multiple times during the review of documents relating to the convicted sex offender Epstein by the US Justice Department.

Quoting some senior administration officials, the report claimed that in May 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told President Trump during a meeting at the White House that his name was mentioned in the infamous Epstein files. “They told the president at the meeting that the files contained what officials felt was unverified hearsay about many people, including Trump, who had socialised with Epstein in the past, some of the officials said. One of the officials familiar with the documents said they contain hundreds of other names,” the report said.

As per the report, the Attorney General and her deputy further told the President that the Justice Department will not be releasing any more documents from the Epstein files because they contain child pornography and the personal information of victims. Notably, while responding to a journalist’s question last week, Trump reportedly said that Bondi had not told him that his name was in the Epstein files.

The Epstein files, which are sealed investigative records relating to the investigation into Epstein’s criminal activities, have sparked the curiosity of the American people, including Trump’s support base. After Trump swore in as the US President in January this year, Attorney General Bondi indicated that all the Epstein documents, including what many thought was a “client list” of influential individuals who were part of Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, would be made public.  

Justice Department’s U-turn

In February 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi released the initial batch of redacted documents, including flight records and contact lists. She affirmed that more would be released after review to shield victims’ identities. Bondi even stated that one time a client list was “sitting on my desk” to be reviewed.

However, on 7th July, the Justice Department posted an unsigned memo on its website stating that a detailed review of the Epstein files has revealed that there is no list of clients. It further said that the department found no evidence to investigate any uncharged third parties and that there were no additional documents to disclose. It added that most of the material contains child pornography and victim information and would have been sealed during a trial.

The Trump administration’s U-turn on the Epstein files has disappointed several of Trump’s core supporters, including political commentator Tucker Carlson. Even though Trump has been denying any links to the Epstein files, his refusal to release the Epstein files has lent credence to the speculations of his complicity.

The defamation case against the WSJ

On 18th July, a defamation suit was filed in the Miami federal court against reporter Rupert Murdoch and the WSJ after the newspaper published a report claiming that a letter bearing Trump’s name was in a 2003 birthday album of Epstein assembled before Epstein was indicted for sexual offences. The letter had a hand-drawn portrait of a naked woman and alluded to a “secret” that the two men shared. The WSJ report suggested a common interest between Trump and Epstein, a financier who died in jail while undergoing trials relating to charges of sexual offences and trafficking.

Denying the authenticity of the letter and the report, Trump expressed his outrage on the social media platform Truth Social, calling the report a “scam” and the letter “fake”. He accused WSJ editor Emma Tucker of purposefully releasing false content and threatened to “sue the ass off” Murdoch and the publication. The defamation suit claims at least $10 billion in damages, claiming reputational damage and political consequences.

Who is Jeffrey Epstein?

Jeffrey Epstein was an American financier who was convicted by a Florida state court for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute. He served 13 months in jail and was arrested again in July 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York. He died a month later in August while undergoing trial.

Epstein files are investigative documents containing files, records, videos, and contacts compiled by federal agencies during the investigation into Epstein’s criminal activities. The files are said to contain flight logs from Epstein’s private aircraft, contact lists, accounting records, and even video evidence of abuse.

CBI unearths massive bribery and inspection scam in private medical colleges, senior officials from Health Ministry, NMC, UGC under lens: Read what the FIR says

OpIndia Staff
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CBI unearths massive bribery and inspection scam in private medical colleges, senior officials from Health Ministry, NMC, UGC under lens: Read what the FIR says

On 30th June, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a First Information Report (FIR) exposing an entrenched nexus of bribery, forgery and manipulation within India’s medical education regulatory ecosystem. The CBI registered the FIR based on information received from an unnamed reliable source.

The scam involves senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the National Medical Commission (NMC), and private medical institutions across multiple states. One of the accused named in the FIR is DP Singh, former UGC chairman and current chancellor of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

Around 40 accused have been booked under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with Sections 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The charges include criminal conspiracy, bribery, forgery, and unlawful disclosure of confidential information.

Top officials facilitated inspection leaks and document tampering

According to the FIR accessed by OpIndia, public officials based in Delhi from both the MoHFW and the NMC conspired to leak confidential regulatory documents related to medical college inspections, recognition and renewals. Officials behind such leaks include Poonam Meena, Dharamvir, Piyush Malyan (Section Officer), Anup Jaiswal, and Chandan Kumar.

The disclosures made by the accused officials enabled colleges to stage fraudulent compliance measures, including the deployment of ghost faculty, falsified biometric attendance, and even admitting fake patients to meet the norms set by the NMC.

In the FIR, it has been stated that some officials allegedly photographed internal ministry files and forwarded them via personal mobile phones to middlemen linked to private medical colleges. Virendra Kumar from Gurgaon, Manisha Joshi from Dwarka, New Delhi, Suresh Singh Bhadoria of Indore, Udit Narain of Kanpur, Joshy Mathew of New Delhi, and Mayur Raval of Rajasthan have been named as the recipients of these documents. The CBI pointed out that there could be more such recipients.

Former UGC chief named in FIR, bribes routed to religious construction

The FIR has listed D P Singh for his alleged role in the racket. Other prominent figures that have been named include the Chairman of Index Medical College, Indore, Suresh Singh Bhadoria, and the Registrar of Geetanjali University, Udaipur, Mayur Raval.

Virendra Kumar has been accused of working closely with Dr Jitu Lal Meena, who was a whole-time member of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB). During the investigation, it was revealed that bribes collected by Kumar on behalf of Meena were routed through hawala channels. A portion of the bribe money, around Rs 75 lakh, was allegedly used to fund the construction of a Hanuman temple in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. The payment for this was reportedly made to one Bhikalal, a resident of Dausa, via unaccounted cash transfers.

Southern India network ran parallel bribery and fake faculty operation

Kumar’s influence was extended to the southern states as well via his associate Dr B Hari Prasad, who is based in Kadiri, Andhra Pradesh. Prasad allegedly operated as a consultant to several colleges. He organised dummy faculty to clear NMC inspections and facilitated Letters of Renewal in exchange for money.

Dr Ankam Rambabu in Hyderabad and Dr Krishna Kishore in Visakhapatnam were partners in Prasad’s network. In one case, Krishna Kishore collected Rs 50 lakh from the Director of Gayatri Medical College in Visakhapatnam to resolve a matter pending with the NMC. A share of the amount collected was reportedly paid to Virendra Kumar in Delhi.

Furthermore, over Rs 4 crore were allegedly paid to Hari Prasad for favourable treatment by Father Colombo Institute of Medical Sciences in Warangal. The money was routed via formal banking channels but intended to bribe NMC functionaries.

Fake degrees, cloned fingerprints and staged inspections

In the FIR, the investigating agency has accused Index Medical College of maintaining fake and non-existent faculty who were passed off as full-time employees. The biometric system used for tracking attendance was allegedly tampered with by cloning fingerprints to simulate full staffing levels.

Furthermore, the Chairman of the college, Suresh Singh Bhadoria, is accused of issuing fake degrees and experience certificates through Malwanchal University, its parent body. These were purportedly used to deceive regulators and meet faculty experience requirements.

Bribes paid days before inspections, NMC assessors involved

Among the accused, Rawatpura Sarkar alias Ravishankar Maharaj has drawn attention as he is linked to top politicians, ministers, and bureaucrats. The CBI accused his institutes of receiving undue favours. The FIR stated that Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Raipur, at the behest of its Chairman, Ravishankar Maharaj, was involved in a conspiracy to obtain confidential and advance information regarding a forthcoming official inspection.

In the FIR, the CBI has cited one of the recent incidents where the Registrar of Geetanjali University, Mayur Raval, allegedly informed an official from Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SRIMSR), Atul Kumar Tiwari, about an upcoming inspection scheduled for 30th June. Raval allegedly demanded Rs 25–30 lakh and disclosed the names of the four-member team of the NMC.

The FIR stated that Atul Kumar Tiwari acted in collusion with Raval and procured the information unlawfully. Furthermore, Ravishankar Maharaj allegedly sought the help of D P Singh to persuade the members of the inspection team to give a favourable report in lieu of the bribe.

On the day of inspection, Dr Manjappa C N of Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, who was part of the inspection team, allegedly struck a deal with Tiwari. He coordinated the bribe collection via hawala, and the money was distributed via a Bengaluru-based associate to the assessors, including Dr Chaitra.

The FIR further pointed out that Raval conspired with the Project Head of Teehinfy Solution Pvt Ltd of New Delhi, Randeep Nair, and unidentified officials of the NMC and received illegal gratification from various medical colleges. In exchange, they extended undue favours, including the unauthorised sharing of sensitive and advance information pertaining to scheduled physical inspections by NMC assessor teams.

The FIR noted that Nair and his associates approached medical colleges including Swaminarayan Institute of Medical Sciences & Research in Kalol, Gujarat, National Capital Region Institute of Medical Sciences, Meerut, UP, Shyamlal Chandrashekhar Medical College, Khagaria, Bihar, and others to pass information about inspection teams, including details and inspection dates, in advance. This enabled the involved colleges to fabricate compliance, including arranging proxy or ghost faculty.

CBI points to systemic rot and regulatory collapse

In the FIR, the CBI observed the extent of malpractice and stated that the acts committed by the accused “undermine the integrity of the regulatory framework and jeopardise the quality of medical education and public health standards in the country”. The agency noted how systemic corruption allowed institutions to stage artificial compliance during inspections that were meant to ensure standards in teaching quality, infrastructure and patient care. The agency noted that officials were not only complicit in these activities but also profited from them directly.

Wider crackdown expected, more arrests likely

With around 40 officials, intermediaries and institutional heads already named, it is an indication that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The CBI is expected to summon and interrogate several individuals as it is currently tracking the money trail in both northern and southern states.

Calcutta HC commutes death sentence of two men convicted of raping and murdering 5-year-old girl after TMC govt said they are from socially backward backgrounds and can be reformed

OpIndia Staff
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Calcutta HC commutes death sentence of two men convicted of raping and murdering 5-year-old girl after TMC govt said they are from socially backward backgrounds and can be reformed

On Wednesday (23rd July), the Calcutta High Court commuted death sentence of two men convicted of raping and murder a 5-year-old girl. A division bench comprising Justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment taking note of the state’s submission that there is ‘possibility of their reformation’.

The bench was hearing the plea moved by convicts Fagun Mandi alias Pui and Rabindra Routh alias Bhaku against the 2023 trial court order and death sentence. The trial court had earlier given death sentence to the duo under Sections 376DB(gang rape), 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 363 (kidnapping) and 365 (kidnapping with intent to confine them) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act). 

The prosecution had alleged that Fagun Mandi and Rabindra Routh had abducted the minor victim who was playing outside a Kali puja pandal. The duo raped the victim, strangled her and then hid her body in the year 2021.

On Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court ruled that the convicts will not be eligible for remission or premature release for the next 60 years. The court noted that the convicts first raped the minor girl and then bamboo sticks in her private parts.

While the bench highlighted the depravity of the convicted duo, the state submitted that the possibility of their reformation still exists.

Taking note of this, the court said that there needs to be a balance between the gravity of the offence and the punishment, the court ordered that the convicts will serve life sentence with no remission for a period of 60 years.

“In such circumstances, taking into consideration the respective age of the two appellants their socio economic background and mental health conditions as also the nature of the crime, we deem it appropriate to impose life sentence on both the appellants without the possibility of remission for a period of 60 years from the date of commission of the offence,” the Court ruled.

TMC government sympathised with rape convicts

Notably, the TMC government in West Bengal submitted that the perpetrators were from ‘socially backward’ background and ‘slow learners’ at school with little to no education.

Highlighting the contents of the state government’s report, the court stated, “Appellant No. 1 is a slow learner with severe speech problem. Financial condition of the appellant No. 1 and his family is very poor. Appellant No. 1 and his elder brother had worked under the same fishermen in a fishing trawler at sea. Report has noted that the family of appellant No. 1 is socially backward. Report has stated that is no criminal antecedent so far as appellant No. 1 is concerned. Family members of the appellant No. 1 is sympathetic to appellant No. 1. Report has noted that, the rectification process of the appellant No. 1 is working well at the correctional home.”

“Same report of the State has noted that appellant No. 2 attended primary school but was a slow learner. He had dropped out from the school after attending Class I due to educational dissatisfaction and improper guidance from his parents. Report has noted that the financial condition of the family of the appellant No. 2 is poor and that, his parents worked as labour at a local market. Family of the appellant No. 2 has been noted to be socially backward,” the court order reads.

Excerpts taken from relevant court order

However, the court said that it is not in a “position to say that release of any of the appellants on remission would not be a menace to the society.”

“Merely commuting the death penalty to one of life imprisonment simplicitor would not subserve the ends of justice in the facts and circumstances of the present case particularly given the nature of the offence committed by the appellants,” the court said.

Lead poisoning scandal in China: 230 children hospitalised after school used industrial paint in cafeteria food, authorities tried their best to cover-up the incident

OpIndia Staff
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Lead poisoning scandal in China: 230 children hospitalised after school used industrial paint in cafeteria food, authorities tried their best to cover-up the incident

A food safety scandal has come to light from Gansu province in northwest China. At least 230 kindergarten children fell ill after consuming poisoned food mixed with industrial-grade lead paint at Brownstone Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui city.

The Guardian reported six staff members, including the principal and kitchen staff, have been arrested while twenty-seven others from the school, hospital, and local government are being probed over the matter. They are being accused of negligence and bribery for tampering with medical records.

The investigation revealed that in an attempt to boost admissions, the principal of the kindergarten had ordered to make the food in school cafeteria more attractive by using poisonous bright colours. The school had earlier used cheaper food safety colouring but later switched to brighter, industrial-grade pigment. The colours were bought online, and despite the packaging clearly warned ‘not for consumption’, however, the school used it. One of the pigments was found to contain lead levels 400,000 times the legal limits.

Aftermath of consuming the meal

The poisonous food had infected the students of the school, with reportedly at least 235 children being hospitalised. The common symptoms found were stomach pain, nausea, and, in some cases, blackened teeth.

The Tianshui Second People’s Hospital, where the children were treated, also came under fire. As per reports, the hospital changed the test results of at least two children to show lower lead levels than present. The Gansu provincial centre for disease control and prevention violated testing protocols, resulting in false readings that led to the exposure. The functioning and the conditions in the hospital have been described as pathetic with poor management, insufficient training, and no quality control systems in place.

Previously, Peixin school had been charged with charging premium fees despite lacking a valid operating licence. Officials from multiple departments are now under investigation for accepting bribes from the kindergarten’s main investor, who helped the school operate without proper oversight.

The food safety scandal, which came to light on Sunday, July 20, sparked immediate public outrage. Angry parents of the students gathered outside the kindergarten in protest. According to Li, a Chinese dissident who monitors domestic unrest, violent confrontations broke out between the police and the parents, with officers resorting to use of batons. The parents blocked police vehicles that were transporting plain-clothed individuals, suspected of being involved in the assault, while shouting, “Hand over those who beat people up!”

The Gansu provincial party committee released a formal apology, saying “We are deeply saddened by the abnormal blood lead problem in the Brownstone Peixin Kindergarten… and express our deep apologies to the children and their parents.”

The authorities have promised free medical care for affected children, legal assistance for families, and temporary state management of the kindergarten. The extended reforms included centralising food procurement for schools, more rigorous testing protocols, and stricter oversight of private kindergartens.

The case in China has reopened the previous wounds of the 2008 melamine-tainted baby formula scandal, in which six babies died and thousands fell ill due to the contamination by melamine.

Varanasi: Temple-gurudwara site sealed since Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984 opens after 42 years with a historic Hindu-Sikh truce

OpIndia Staff
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Varanasi: Temple-gurudwara site sealed since Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984 opens after 42 years with a historic Hindu-Sikh truce

After over four decades of silence and locked gates, peace and harmony returned to a plot of land in Varanasi’s Jagat Ganj area this week. On Monday, 21st July, the rusted locks on a 4,000-square-foot disputed plot were finally broken. Members of both the Shri Bade Hanuman Mandir Management Committee and the Varanasi Gurdwara Management Committee were present. 

This site, previously overgrown with weeds and crumbling walls, has a rich history. It was donated by the ancestors of social worker Pradeep Narayan Singh to build a Hindu temple and a Sikh gurudwara. 

However, the area was locked up by the district administration on 31st October, 1984, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. Tensions heightened throughout the nation. In anticipation of violence between communities. The plot was shut down for 42 years. 

Singh, whose relatives had originally made the land donation, was instrumental in putting an end to the long-standing conflict. For the past two months, he had conducted several negotiations talks with both the temple and gurudwara committees. His efforts finally paid off when both parties agreed to share the land equally and presented a joint settlement letter to the local court.

The gurudwara was a small building at that time, and the temple was temporary, Singh said. “To avoid any communal stress following the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi, the administration locked the entire place.”

Ever since, the land had been left untouched, a testament to an issue that nobody had ever been able to solve. There were numerous attempts over the years, but none of them succeeded. Temporary walls and buildings would sometimes arise along the contested border, but whenever talks were initiated, they would collapse again.

It wasn’t until recently that both of the committees decided it was time to put the matter once and for all. “There were several meetings and mutual faith, and both sides agreed on splitting the land,” said Singh. “They signed the agreement and left it in the court’s hands.”

Paramjeet Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-President of the Gurdwara Management Committee, referred to the occasion as “historic.” According to him, the gurudwara is very important to the Sikh community since Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, visited there. “This gurudwara is about 300 years old, and it’s very holy for us. Thousands of Sikhs from Varanasi and other places will now be able to come and pray here,” he further added.

Ahluwalia said there are approximately 25,000 Sikhs residing in Varanasi at present, and this will be the fifth gurudwara of the city. Work on the new gurudwara will start in the near future.

On the temple side, the committee will also begin work on a massive Hanuman temple. “This settlement will be something our generations to come will remember,” said Satya Narayan Pandey, brother of temple representative Shyam Narayan Pandey.

With both groups now due to construct their places of worship on the same site, the 42-year-old strife has at last come to an end; in its place, peace, respect for one another, and a common vision of religious harmony.

Uttar Pradesh: Six decades after they fled persecution in East Pakistan, Yogi Adityanath govt to grant land-ownership right to thousands of Bangladeshi Hindu refugees

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Six decades after they fled persecution in East Pakistan, Yogi Adityanath govt to grant land-ownership right to thousands of Bangladeshi Hindu refugees

The Uttar Pradesh government led by CM Yogi Adityanath is set to grant land ownership rights to Hindu refugees displaced from former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) due to persecution by Islamists. The UP government is going to grant landownership rights to 2,196 families settled across 25 villages in the Pilibhit district.

The 62-year-long wait is finally going to end after a recent directive by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. The decision came after a high-level meeting regarding the same was chaired by CM Yogi Adityanath. Reports say that only formal procedures remain after the chief minister gave the relevant departments instructions.

On Wednesday (23rd July), Gyanendra Singh, the district magistrate of Pilibhit, said that the administration will start the procedure after receiving the final guidelines.

Notably, even as the government gave these families land in 1960 for housing and farming, they were never given legal ownership. They were also denied access to government social programs since they lacked legal rights. This was the case not only in Pilibhit but also in Bijnor, Rampur, and Lakhimpur Kheri. Despite land allotment, the Hindu refugee families from Bangladesh could not attain formal title of the lands they resided on or cultivated, as there were either legal disputes due to clerical errors, land was under the Forest Department, missing records or a lack of mutation.

However, after CM Yogi Adityanath’s intervention, ownership documents will shortly be provided to verified refugee households.

The officials informed CM Yogi that the process of granting landownership rights to valid refugees could not be expedited due to the legal confusion that arose after repealing the Government Grants Act in 2018. Due to this, there was no legal method to validate old land allotments. However, CM Yogi instructed the officials to find another way, saying that the “law exists to serve the people, not to trap them in misery.”

Official data indicates that 1,466 applicants’ verification reports have already been forwarded to the state government out of the 2,196 affected households living in 25 villages in Pilibhit.  The action will benefit refugees in over 25 villages in the tehsils of Kalinagar and Puranpur, in addition to Tatarganj, Bamanpur, Baila, Siddh Nagar, Shastri Nagar, and Nehru Nagar.

Arunachal Pradesh, India’s orchid capital: Read how its unique climate sustains over 600 orchid species, and how govt has been working on preservation, research and eco-tourism

Aditi
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Arunachal Pradesh, India’s orchid capital: Read how its unique climate sustains over 600 orchid species, and how govt has been working on preservation, research and eco-tourism

With its rich biodiversity and distinctive natural heritage, the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh is on the path to becoming India’s leading eco-cultural tourism hub. The state government, led by CM Pema Khandu, is planning to revive tourism in Arunachal Pradesh through a range of initiatives, which include highlighting the state’s biodiversity and indigenous traditions, reviving traditional handicraft, and rebranding the state as the ‘Orchid Capital of India’.

Recently, CM Pema Khandu, chaired a review meeting with the planning department to develop an integrated tourism plan, which amalgamates natural beauty and cultural heritage, to establish Arunachal Pradesh as a tourism hotspot. The approach of the state government is to strike a balance between the conservation of biodiversity and the attraction of nature-based tourism in a sustainable manner.

Arunachal Pradesh is blessed with a complex topography of the Eastern Himalayas, enhanced by pristine landscapes and a bounty of flora, which make it a preferred destination for nature lovers, photographers, botanists and travellers. The state has an unexplored treasure of orchids with over 600 orchid species, out of a total of 850 orchid species found in the entire Northeast region. The state’s orchid reserve accounts for 40% of the country’s orchid diversity. Some of the orchid species found in Arunachal Pradesh are endemic and are only found here.

Cypripedium Tibecticum (Image via X/Jambey Dondu)

Arunachal’s orchids not only form an indispensable part of the state’s natural heritage but are deeply intertwined with its indigenous culture and traditions. The orchids act as a bridge that connects nature with the lives of the locals. From forming part of religious rituals to being used in local cuisine and herbal medicines, the orchids touch various aspects of the lives of the people of Arunachal Pradesh. Their different usages have been passed down through generations in the form of traditional knowledge. Some orchids occupy a sacred place in the indigenous culture of Arunachal Pradesh. One such orchid species is Dendrobium fimbriatum, which is used in the decoration of Buddhist monasteries (gompas) in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Dendrobium Fimbriatum (Image via Wikimedia)

The state flower of Arunachal Pradesh: The foxtail orchid

Orchids are a part of the state’s socio-cultural identity. The foxtail orchid, Rhynchostylis Retusa, is the state flower of Arunachal Pradesh. Locally called Kopou Phool, they are a part of the many spring festivals in tribal communities. Its leaves are used to treat wounds and bruises. The flower is considered a symbol of joy and fertility and adored by the people.

What are orchids?

Orchids are a family of flowering plants popular for their unique shapes, bright colours and pleasant fragrance. With over 30,000 wild species and hybrid varieties created through crossbreeding, orchids are among the largest families of flowering plants. They have a remarkable adaptability and therefore can grow in diverse habitats, including mountains, rainforests and even deserts. Apart from soil, they can also grow on rocks (lithophytic) and even on other plants (epiphytic).

Dendrobium falconeri found in Arunachal Pradesh. (Image via X/Jambey Dondu)

The significance of orchids is not limited to their aesthetic value, their use in bioremediation, which is a process of removing pollutants from the environment, is also being studied. Some orchid species, like Anacamptis morio, have shown capabilities to absorb heavy metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium from contaminated soil. A type of fungi named Mycorrhizal fungi, which are associated with orchids, are also said to enhance plant growth and assist in bioremediation. Because of these properties, the potential of orchids to reduce environment pollution is being explored and studied.

Pleione Hookeriana found in Arunachal Pradesh. (Image via X/Jambey Dondu)

Sessa Orchid Sanctuary: The only orchid sanctuary in India

Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in Bhalukpong Forest Division of Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, the state has a dedicated area for the conservation of natural orchid habitat, called the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary. Established in 1979, it is India’s first orchid sanctuary, accommodating myriad varieties of orchids, with more than 200 orchid species, including 80 documented and some rare and endangered orchid species.

Sessa Orchid Sanctuary (Image via X/Praveen Kaswan)

It is the only officially designated orchid sanctuary in the country. Even though orchid species are also found in some other areas, like Kaziranga National Orchid and Bio-Diversity Park in Assam, they are not officially recognised as orchid sanctuaries. Spanning across 100 square kilometres, the sanctuary is part of the Kameng Protected Area Complex (KPAC). Since its establishment, several studies have been conducted in the sanctuary on the distribution pattern of various orchid species. It is open for visitors throughout the year, but the best time to visit the sanctuary differs depending on the different blooming seasons of the orchids.

For the convenience of visitors who come to see the natural habitats of the orchids in the sanctuary, the Environment and Forests department has developed trekking routes, which take the visitors through a mesmerising topography, including high peaks, valleys, and deep gorges. The sanctuary also has a nursery, which has representative specimens of a wide variety of orchid species present in the sanctuary for the purpose of demonstration. The nursery provides an ideal environment for the growth and conservation of the orchid species.

Another visitor attraction in the area is the Tipi Orchidarium, officially called the Orchid Research and Development Centre (ORDC), which is located around 23 km away from the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary. The orchidarium is engaged in the preservation, exploration and taxonomic study of orchid species. It houses an orchid nursery and a tissue culture laboratory. Several new species of orchids have been discovered by the orchidarium, such as Biermannia Jainiana, Cleistoma Tricallosum, Dendrobium Kentrophyllum, Epipogium sessanum, Eria jengingensis, Eria lohitensis, Gastrodia Arunachalenisis and Herminium longilonbatum.

In December 2022, CM Pema Khandu inaugurated state-of-the-art Ex-Situ Orchid Conservatory at DBT-APSCS&T Centre of Excellence for Bio-resources and Sustainable Development at Kimin. Its conservatory preserves over 600 varieties of orchids, and works with local communities to promote the cultivation of economically important ones, creating opportunities for locals while conserving the rich orchid diversity.

Through its tourism initiatives, the Arunachal Pradesh government is planning to transform the state’s natural and cultural wealth into a story of progress and economic growth founded on sustainable tourism.

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