Gautam Ashwin Ankhad, son-in-law of the former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, has been appointed as an Additional Judge in the Bombay High Court. A notification of the Ministry of Law & Justice, dated July 4, 2025, confirmed the appointment of Ankhad and Mahendra Madhavrao Nerlikar by the President of India as Additional Judges in the Bombay High Court for a period of two years.
Image via Patrika.com
Gautam Ashwin Ankhad has been practising as an advocate for a long time in the Bombay High Court and specialises in commercial, contract, and arbitration matters. His name was initially forwarded by the Bombay High Court Collegium in consultation with the two seniormost judges of the High Court. Thereafter, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended Ankhad’s name to the central government in September 2024. The President, finally, issued the order for his appointment on the recommendation of the central government. Ankhad’s appointment as an Additional Judge in the Bombay High Court has raised several eyebrows as the selection process is recommendation-based and is not much transparent.
The appointment of an additional judge in a High Court is governed by Article 224 (1) of the Constitution of India. The provision allows the appointment of an additional judge in the High Court by the President after consulting the Supreme Court Collegium in case there is a temporary increase in the workload of the High Court. The appointment is made for a period of a maximum of 2 years.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (July 4, 2025) unveiled a statue of Peshwa Bajirao I at the National Defence Academy (NDA) campus in Pune, Maharashtra. As has become common nowadays, this too has sparked political controversy. In Maharashtra, historical figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Peshwa Bajirao, Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar are revered icons. Politics thrives on their legacies, with each having their own sets of supporters and critics.
Even before the statue unveiling, demands were growing to rename Pune Railway Station after Peshwa Bajirao. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni echoed this demand. However, some organizations staged protests outside the railway station opposing it. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar remarked that Kulkarni was merely following instructions from her seniors. Others suggested the station be renamed after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s mother Jijabai or social reformer Savitribai Phule. In essence, a controversy is now being stirred around the image of Peshwa Bajirao.
We have also witnessed how the film Bajirao Mastani (2015) presented a successful warrior as a passionate lover in the minds of the younger generation. This is why, when Bajirao is mentioned today, people instinctively recall his romantic saga with Mastani. His politics, diplomacy, and military strategies were neither portrayed in films nor included in our school curricula. Unfortunately, a similar distortion has occurred with many great Indian personalities.
Inherited strategic brilliance from his father
Bajirao’s father, Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt, was appointed as the Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire in November 1713 and held the position until his death in April 1720. His rise wasn’t sudden. After Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s death, the empire faced great turbulence. Revenue had to be collected from war-torn regions, requiring someone wise enough to coordinate with local farmers and traders while also challenging the Mughals. In this situation, Balaji Vishwanath emerged as a capable leader.
He began as Pune’s Sabhasad (councilor), became Sar-Subedar, defended Sinhagad alongside Dhanaji Jadhav, and then served as Sar-Subedar of Daulatabad. He later became the Diwan (minister) of the commander-in-chief, was promoted to Senakarte (military planner), and assisted Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj during times of crisis, earning the king’s trust. After his death, his son Bajirao I was appointed as the Peshwa. Trained in diplomacy and warfare by his father, Bajirao compelled the rulers of Mysore and Arcot to pay chauth and sardeshmukhi taxes to the Marathas.
Humbled the Nizam, crushed the power of the Siddis
It was due to Bajirao’s strategies that even the Nizam of Hyderabad was forced to submit to the Marathas. In the March 1728 Treaty of Mungi Shevgaon with the Nizam, the Marathas gained the right to collect chauth and sardeshmukhi from six provinces of the Deccan. The Nizam recognized Shahuji as the Maratha king. How this was achieved is worth studying, especially for students in military academies. Bajirao allowed the Nizam to penetrate Maratha territory and then cut off his supply lines. Trapped, the Nizam was compelled to negotiate.
In April 1731, Bajirao secured control over Gujarat through the Battle of Dabhoi. He forced the Siddis, who had arrived in India from the eastern coast of Africa, to become subordinate to the Marathas and weakened their naval power. The mighty Aurangzeb, who failed to conquer the Deccan even after spending his last 25 years there, couldn’t have imagined that after his death, under Bajirao’s leadership, Maratha power would reach North India. In Bundelkhand, the aging King Chhatrasal was being harassed by the Mughal commander Bangash Khan. When he had no other option left, he sent for Bajirao. Bajirao surrounded Bangash’s camp in Jaitpur, forcing him to seek mercy.
Waved the banner of ‘Swaraj’ all the way to Delhi
To Chhatrasal, Bajirao became like a son. The king gifted him several territories. Mughal control over Bundelkhand ended, and Bajirao gained a stronghold to keep Delhi in check. In 1737, Peshwa Bajirao reached Delhi. Panic spread in the Mughal court. Cleverly, he sent his supplies back to create the illusion of retreat. The Mughals celebrated, believing he had fled. But before the celebrations ended, Bajirao struck Delhi via the Jat and Mewat regions.
He had no intention to destroy Delhi, only to showcase the power of Swarajya (self-rule). Before the Mughals could respond, Bajirao had already moved to Rewari. He was a master of winning wars without full-fledged fighting. After Delhi, he camped in Bhopal. There, he faced four major powers: the Nizam, the Mughals, and the rulers of Kota and Awadh. The Nizam was trapped in a fort. Enemy soldiers suffered from hunger, and even their animals lacked fodder. Such was Bajirao’s military genius. Eventually, a treaty was signed giving the Marathas all of Malwa. The region between the Narmada and Chambal rivers came under their control. The Mughals had to pay 5 million rupees as war expenses. Bajirao also taught a lesson to the rulers of Kurwai and Kota who had sided with the Mughals and the Nizam. Both fled the battlefield.
Peshwa Bajirao Is more relevant today than ever
If anyone deserves credit for building a grand edifice on the foundation of Swarajya, it is Peshwa Bajirao. Hence, his statue at the NDA campus should not be controversial. Soldiers trained here join India’s three armed forces. Learning about Bajirao I’s military campaigns will not only benefit their careers but also help the nation.
Winning great battles without exhausting one’s army, Bajirao’s hallmark, is especially relevant in today’s era of hybrid warfare. Had Bajirao Mastani focused on his courage and strategic brilliance instead of portraying him merely as a romantic lover, perhaps we wouldn’t need to explain so much today. Just as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is revered, Peshwa Bajirao too deserves immense respect. To defeat the forces trying to divide society in the name of such great leaders, today’s generation must read more about them. The arrows of propaganda can only be deflected by the shield of knowledge.
In the first week of July, Karnataka witnessed two stark sides of India. While in Yadgir district, Hindus honoured Muharram in a Muslim-less village, a Muslim man desecrated a Bhagwan Ganesha idol in Shivamogga.
In a display of communal harmony, Hindu villagers of Talawargere in Yadgir district celebrated Muharram with devotion. Notably, there is not even a single Muslim family in Talawargere. The six-day festival saw hundreds of Hindus organising processions, singing devotional songs, and carrying the traditional Alai effigies of Hasan, Hussain, and Maulali.
Reportedly, the tradition of celebrating Muharram in the region dates back to 1925, when a vision of a Sufi saint promised relief from plague and drought if he was enshrined in the village. Even today, villagers make offerings, repaint the Ashurkhanas, and distribute sweet prasad in honour of the Alai Pirs. Neighbouring villages also seek blessings from the saint.
Contrast in Shivamogga – idols desecrated, community outraged
While Hindus embrace what is traditionally a Muslim festival in Yadgir, an incident in Shivamogga cast a dark shadow on communal harmony in the state. In the Bangarappa Layout of Ragigudda, a man identified as Syed reportedly stomped on a Bhagwan Ganesha idol and threw a Naagara idol into a drain on 3rd July. The idols were recently installed by local residents in a government-designated park area.
A video of him admitting to the desecration of the idols surfaced on social media, where he said, “Why should we wake up to a temple outside our house?” He reportedly apologised later, but the damage was already done.
Police detained two suspects, Syed and his accomplice Rehmatullah, in the matter. Local MLA S. N. Channabasappa and former Deputy CM K. S. Eshwarappa visited the site and demanded strict legal action. Superintendent of Police (SP) Mithun Kumar confirmed that the investigation in the matter was underway and promised legal action against the accused.
While the villagers in Yadgir uphold an age-old tradition of a shared belief system, Shivamogga reminded that when hate is unchecked, it can shatter the fragile fabric of communal harmony.
On Friday (4th July), a Muslim mob brutally thrashed a Hindu e-rickshaw driver for not paying chanda (donation) ahead of Muharram. The incident occurred in Sainthia town in Birbhum district of West Bengal.
A Hindu man named Bedan Ghosh informed that the victim was beaten by 8-10 youths for not paying chanda for Muharram. The victim had made a donation of ₹50 once on Thursday (3rd July) and refused to pay twice.
“While others beat him, one of the youths hit his head with a boulder. I do not know the status of the patient. He was admitted to a hospital,” Ghosh added.
“It has been 1 hour since that incident, but the police have not arrested the perpetrators. We have now blocked this road in protest. The culprits need to be punished,” he added.
The victim’s father Tamal Ghosh stated, “My son had gone there to drop off passengers. He had paid chanda the previous day. Once he reached there today, they demanded chanda from him again. He tried to tell them that his business for the day had just started but they did not listen. I can’t explain how brutally they thrashed my son. He was rescued by some locals.”
“What is the administration doing? They (Muslims) are committing atrocities against us repeatedly,” he asked.
Bedan Ghosh narrated how Muslim youths in Sainthia had been harassing Hindus for Muharram donations. “A group of 8-10 youths caught hold of me on Thursday (3rd July) when I went to drop my son at the school. They demanded chanda from them. They insisted that I pay the money to them then and there.”
Ghosh was threatened with physical harm. He assured them that he would return to pay chanda after dropping his son to school. He later chose a different route to his home so as to avoid confrontation with the Muslim youths.
Following the attack on the Hindu victim, local Hindus staged a protest and set up a blockade in the middle of the road, demanding strict action against the Muslim perpetrators.
Former NDTV ‘news anchor’ Nidhi Razdan, who was once tricked by scamsters into believing that she was being appointed Professor at Harvard University, has claimed that NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is being criticised in India for virtue of his ‘Muslim Faith.’
Razdan has written a piece to this effect for Gulf News titled ‘The Mamdani moment: Why New York’s new political star is sparking debates in India’, which was published on Monday (7th July).
She claimed that Zohran Mamdani became a ‘prime target’ of the Indian right wing ecosystem only because he is a Muslim.
While @ZohranKMamdani’s ideas were debated in the democratic primary in NY, in India it is his religion. So many undignified digs linking him to Pakistan. The bigger lesson is that civic issues should matter much more to all of us. My piece https://t.co/yWo9ieFg3l
Nidhi Razdan lamented that the Indian right wing celebrated the likes of Rishi Sunak, an Indian origin British politician who went on to become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, but not Zohran Mamdani. She suggested that it was because Sunak ‘wore his Hinduism on his sleeve’ while Mamdani is a Muslim.
“The same right wing also celebrates the Vivek Ramaswamys and Nikki Haleys of the world, even though their politics is rooted against immigrants. But Zohran Mamdani really irks them. It was amusing to see pro-BJP social media handles that have expressed joy about a Sunak or a Ramaswamy sneer at those who are happy with Mamdani’s victory. And there is only one main reason for that – his faith,” she brazened out.
The former NDTV ‘news anchor’ even hit out at Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi for highlighting that the NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was repeating Pakistani talking points on India.
When Zohran Mamdani opens his mouth, Pakistan’s PR team takes the day off. India doesn’t need enemies with ‘allies’ like him shouting fiction from New York.
“”Even Senior Congress leader and MP Abhishek Singhvi made a rather undignified dig at Mamdani for doing “Pakistani PR”. “If he’s a Muslim, of course he is pro-Pakistan” is how the Indian right wing generally thinks. To see a Congress leader speak similarly is even sadder,” Nidhi Razdan lamented in her piece in Gulf News.
She will, of course, have to look past Zohran Mamdani’s association with US-based Pakistani lobbying groups to peddle the universal and rather perpetual trump card of ‘Muslim victimhood.’
Zohran Mamdani @ZohranKMamdani , with a heart rooted in Pakistan, recites Faiz Ahmad Faiz's 'Bol ke lab azad hain tere' in a powerful speech at APAG's March 23rd Pakistan Day event, inspiring all with his passion for justice and freedom! ?? #PakistanDay#ZohranMamdanipic.twitter.com/5sxGq2gPQh
The former NDTV ‘news anchor’, nonetheless, continued her misleading narrative that the debate in India surrounding the NYC mayoral candidate was about religion and not his ‘ideas.’
“Like almost everything else in our political discourse today, Zohran Mamdani has polarised opinions both in America and India. But the reasons are different. In New York during his campaign, it was his ideas that were being debated. In India it is his religion,” she continued her dubious rhetoric.
Debunking the lies of Nidhi Razdan
The reality is far from the misleading claims made by Nidhi Razdan in her article in Gulf News. Indians or ‘Indian right wing’, as the former ‘new anchor’ puts it, are not fixated at all on the religion of Zohran Mamdani.
As a matter of fact, Zohran Mamdani is under fire for his blatant display of Hinduphobia. In August 2020, the famed son of ‘filmmaker’ Mira Nair was found leading a hate mob, demonising Hindus as ‘Harami (bastards),’ at Times Square.
“Who are the Hindus? Harami (Bastards),” the mob was heard yelling. Mamdani remained unflinched despite the dehumanisation of the Hindu community by his supporters. He instead began spewing vitriol against Ram Mandir.
NYC Candidate for Mayor Zohran Mamdani led a mob of protestors in Times Square calling Hindus as bastards and heaping abuses upon Lord Rama, who is worshipped by Hindus
“I am here today to protest against the BJP government in India and the demolition of the Babri Masjid that attempted to build a temple on the ruins of it,” claimed Zohran Mamdani.
He made it clear that the hate mob that he was leading at Times Square in August 2020 belonged to Khalistani extremists. The video coincided with the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, which was performed by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Around the same time, Zohran Mamdani peddled vicious disinformation on X (formerly Twitter) about the re-constrcution of Ram Mandir. For context, a Ram Mandir always existed at the very site in Ayodhya since time immemorial.
Screengrab of the August 2020 tweet of Zohran Mamdani
Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb destroyed part of the temple and built a disputed structure on top of the temple foundation. The historical wrongdoing was corrected on 6th December 1992 by karsevaks.
Through years of litigation, the Hindu site finally got the green light to begin the reconstruction of the temple at the same site where it existed before.
Besides his anti-Hindu rhetoric, Zohran Mamdani had peddled vicious lies about India. The NYC mayoral candidate has defamed India by falsely claiming that Muslims have been eradicated from Gujarat.
The Democratic candidate for Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani says that Narendra Modi is a war criminal just like Benjamin Netanyahu.
He says Modi was behind anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002 which wiped out the Muslim population from the state.
He is being funded by the anti-India, anti-Hindu lobby of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. This explains why he falsely dubbed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a ‘war criminal.’
Faith is a personal choice. The religious affiliation of Zohran Mamdani is immaterial to Indians or the ‘Indian right wing.’ The harsh criticism he faces in India is due to his anti-Hindu rhetoric and lies that he peddled about the country in the US.
Other Indian-origin politicians such as Rishi Sunak (Hindu), Vivek Ramaswamy (Hindu) or Nikki Haley (Sikh turned Christian) did not spew vitirol against Hindus or their religious places of worship.
They also did not make false claims about ‘Muslims being eradicated from Gujarat’ for political vendetta.This is precisely why Sunak, Ramaswamy or Haley are acceptable and a Mamdani is not.
Only Americans fixated on Faith of Zohran Mamdani
The sweeping assertions of Nidhi Razdan that only the ‘ideas’ of Zohran Mamdani are being debated in the US, the claim are false.
The Republican, Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters are, in fact, obsessed with his ‘Muslim identity.’
? How did a Socialist Muslim, Zohran Mamdani, who wants to globalize the intifada become the Democratic nominee for NYC Mayor? This is the story of a 20-year political campaign — funded by the House of Soros — where Socialism?Political Islam?and the Democratic Party??merged.… pic.twitter.com/BLCKooiwXH
Zohran Mamdani is a Muslim and his allegiance is to Islam, not America. As you can see in this video he won't even denounce Sharia and tries to play it off, all part of the Islamic playbook.pic.twitter.com/UxYviSDEVq
The possibility of a Muslim ‘mayor’ in a predominantly white Christian NYC is still an unfathomable concept to many Americans, which is why they are fixated on his Faith.
Would you like to see ICE deport NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim who was born in Uganda? pic.twitter.com/SYrGgk3nmT
— Charlie Kirk ?? Commentary (@CharlieK_news) June 26, 2025
A Jewish woman married a Muslim man, so naturally Zohran Mamdani commented “Another loss for Democratic Majority for Israel.”
According to The New York Times, anti-Muslim rhetoric dominated political discourse after Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primaries.
It is Indians who are challenging the divisive ideas of Zohran Mamdani and debunking his lies on social media without being obsessed about his religion.
Indian media and intellectuals eulogised Zohran Mamdani
The Indian media has been writing eulogies for Zohran Mamdani since 2020 when he became a member of the New York State Assembly.
At that time, Zohran Mamdani was glorified for being the son of ‘filmmaker’ Mira Nair and winning election to the New York State Assembly. Indian media publications like The New Indian Express, News18, Times Now and India Today went all out to tell its readers about his biography.
Screengrab of the news reports
The Times of India also did not lose the opportunity to act as Mamdani’s PR machinery. Scroll and Moneycontrol, in particular, became fixated with his gimmicky election slogan of ‘Roti and Roses.’ Leftist propaganda outlet NDTV even conducted an online interview with Zohran Mamdani.
Screengrab of the news reports
The media ecosystem doubled down on heaping praises on Zohran Mamdani after he emerged as a strong candidate in NYC mayoral race.
India Today had suggested that Mamdani was ‘shaping NYC mayoral election’ while the Times of India published a speculative report about the earnings of the 33-year-old politician. DNA news was fixated on highlighting his ‘India connection.’
Screengrab of the news reports by The Times of India and India TodayScreengrab of the news reports by DNA India
Leftists and their obsession to make everything about ‘India’
Like a true representative of the left-liberal ecosystem, which has a habit of singling out India, Nidhi Razdan also used the Zohran Mamdani controversy to paint the country in a poor light.
India has nothing to do with Zohran Mamdani. If he kept his anti-India and anti-Hindu rhetoric to himself, none would bother challenging his outrageous claims on social media. Mamdani drew the ire only when he chose to showcase his ignorance to the world.
Indians or Indian right wing (as Nidhi Razdan puts it) cannot care less whether a Muslim man became the mayor of New York City. He is irrelevant to Indian politics.
But the former NDTV ‘news anchor’ could not resist putting Indians under the bus to write a piece on Zohran Mamdani in a foreign publication such as Gulf News.
In a sensational expose of China’s disinformation offensive, French intelligence agencies have uncovered a coordinated Chinese campaign, using its embassies and diplomatic channels, to undermine the global reputation and sales of Dassault Aviation’s Rafale fighter jets following India’s high-profile Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
French intelligence reports say that Chinese defence attachés stationed in embassies worldwide spearheaded a targeted effort to dissuade countries especially those in Asia and Africa from purchasing or expanding orders of the Rafale. Countries like Indonesia, which had already signed contracts for the French jet, were specifically lobbied to reconsider their procurement plans in favour of Chinese-made aircraft.
Pakistan’s rapid push to publicise unverified claims of Rafale losses was to cover up its own failures against the Indian attack and China’s bid to erode confidence in the French jet and promote Chinese military exports while deflecting global attention from the failure of the Chinese defence system against India’s attacks deep inside Pakistan. While China used its embassies in foreign nations to peddle disinformation about Indian Rafales, the political opposition and the leftist media cabal have long been engaged in similar lobbying for years.
Opposition and leftist media cabal’s anti-Rafale campaign
As China’s sinister propaganda tactics to peddle falsehoods about Rafale jets to position Chinese fighter aircraft as a better and more potent alternative while also tarnishing India’s image, it must be recalled how the Indian opposition parties led by Congress and leftist media ecosystem tried to sabotage the Indo-French Rafale deal.
In a government-to-government agreement, India bought 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in 2020. This has greatly improved India’s aviation capabilities and afforded it a competitive advantage over Pakistan in the US-made F-16 fighter jet market. According to reports, India targeted Bahawalpur, which is located about 100 kilometres deep into Pakistani territory, using Rafale fighters equipped with Scalp missiles. Moreover, owing to its long-range attack potential, Rafale didn’t even need to cross the border to accomplish this.
However, former French President Francois Hollande’s statement caused a political controversy in India when he claimed that Dassault Aviation had been allegedly forced by the Modi government to collaborate with Reliance Defence of India to comply with its “offset policy.” Foreign companies must contribute at least 30% of a deal’s value back to India, according to the clause in Delhi’s defence procurement regulations.
The Congress party then accused Prime Minister Modi of prioritising an Indian company and even engaging in crony capitalism by supporting Anil Ambani’s company. On the other hand, the BJP consistently refuted these claims, asserting that the government entered into the agreement to fulfil the combat needs of the Indian Air Force and played no part in selecting the local partner of the French manufacturer.
Rahul Gandhi even called the Rafale deal a scam during the 2019 general elections, as part of the Congress party’s massive electoral attack against the Modi government for proceeding with the deal. He was even reprimanded by the Supreme Court for misusing its name and disseminating falsehoods purely for political smear tactics aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Rae Bareli Lok Sabha MP coined “chowkidar chor hai”, after which former union minister Minister Meenakshi Lekhi initiated a contempt case against him for misattributing the slogan to the initial ruling of the apex court in the Rafale case. He had issued an apology at the prior hearing for misquoting the Supreme Court. However, the latter was not persuaded by his prior affidavit and had asked for a written apology.
Notably, the matter was even dragged to the top court by Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC/TMC) leader Yashwant Sinha and others, alleging that the Rafale Fighter Jet Deal had significant procedural flaws. The bench, however, rejected the appeal for a court-monitored investigation on 14th December 2018 and noted that there were no anomalies in the price, decision-making procedure or choice of off-set partner.
While Congress, other opposition parties and the anti-Modi lobby left no stone unturned to project Narendra Modi as ‘corrupt’, not only the Supreme Court but also the people of India outrightly rejected Rahul Gandhi’s apocryphal narrative and gave a historic victory to the BJP-led alliance in the 2019 general elections.
The opposition parties were joined by leftist propaganda outlets like The Wire and The Hindu in mounting a sustained campaign alleging corruption, cronyism, inflated costs of the deal and whatnot.
OpIndia reported earlier how N. Ram, the Chairman of the Kasturi & Sons Limited and publisher of The Hindu, desperately tried to create an anti-Modi wave by manufacturing a ‘defence scam’ in the Rafale deal.
On February 8, 2019, The Hindu published a note from a defence ministry official who had objected to the Prime Minister’s office inquiring about the progress of the deal. This was even though the officer was not involved in the negotiations of the deal. The Hindu wanted to project that there was opposition to the Rafale deal in the defence ministry and only the Prime Minister was pushing for it. In doing so, the newspaper had cropped a vital part in the same document, a note by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. The then defence minister had written that the officer was overreacting, and the offices of the Indian PM and French President were just monitoring the progress of the deal.
Immediately after the Hindu report, ANI published the full document, which proved that N Ram had used a cropped version of the document in his article. About 10 days after the incident, The Hindu came up with a clarification, saying that it did not doctor the document. In its column Readers Editor, it has claimed that the document published by it was an earlier version, which didn’t include the Defence Minister’s note. As proof of the same, The Hindu noted that the document published by ANI had serial numbers on each note, while there were no serial numbers on the document published by Hindu.
To hide the evidence of Parrikar’s note, the Hindu cropped the document in two places, and even digitally erased part of a stamp that should have been visible even after cropping the same. And its claim that it did not doctor the document turned out to be false, because a date stamp before the defence secretary’s note was clearly removed from the document. As such, the petition in the Supreme Court over the alleged snooping scandal looks like another desperate attempt at anti-Modi propaganda. The Hindu and its Frontline magazine had published several articles insinuating foul play in the Rafale deal.
Mediapart, a media portal in France, has published what it calls ‘fake invoices’ that are alleged to have helped Dassault secure the deal for the 36 Rafale jets with the Indian Government. Mediapart claimed that Indian agencies did not pursue the case despite the existence of the fake invoices. This report was widely cited by Indian leftist propaganda outlets like Newslaundry, The Wire, and The Hindu among others and opposition leaders, however, the ‘fake invoices’ cited by Mediapart occurred when the UPA Government was in power. According to the invoices, payments totalling around 11 million Euros were made to a firm in Singapore. The invoices are related to a deal that the UPA Government was trying to make. After the NDA Government came to power, the UPA era deal was scrapped and the Indian Government secured a government-to-government deal.
The opposition used the warp and weft of lies and propaganda concocted by the leftist and pro-China media for its political gains. Not to forget, the opposition created a ruckus demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe against the Rafale deal signed by the Modi government. The opposition hampered the functioning of the Parliamentary sessions in 2021 with the dubious media organisation fanning falsehoods within a fortnight gap with that year’s Parliamentary sessions.
Interestingly, the NGO that filed a complaint against Rafale Deal was partners with anti-Modi regime change specialist and philanthropist George Soros’ Open Society, Misereor, and Oxfam among others.
Even recently, The Wire’s website was blocked in India, for twisting an Indian Armed Forces official’s statement to peddle a false narrative and attack the Modi government for alleged aircraft loss during Operation Sindoor. At a time when Pakistan is using all tactics at hand to peddle anti-India lies, The Wire decided to bat from China-backed Pakistan’s side, however, after the Indian government blocked its website, the leftist propaganda portal reluctantly removed the misleading report.
It, however, is not shocking that the narrative pushed by Congress and leftist media portals almost always aligns with the Chinese narrative. It must be recalled that leftist propaganda outlet NewsClick was exposed in 2023 for receiving Chinese funding to push pro-China narratives. NewsClick was also among the media outlets which amplified anti-Rafale sentiment. The way the Rafale Deal faced a concerted attack from leftist media and the political opposition, it is evident that a coordinated effort was made to undermine India’s defence acquisitions.
Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s undying limerence for China
Congress and its prince Rahul Gandhi share an outrageously deep and persistent relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has expressed his admiration for China on several occasions.
In his controversial speech at Cambridge Judge Business School in March 2023, Rahul Gandhi hailed China as an ‘aspiring superpower’ and ‘force of nature’. He further alleged that China harbours ‘social harmony’.
The Gandhi scion had also lauded China’s controversial and predatory Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as well as the destructive debt-trap diplomacy calling it ‘prosperity’.
During a conversation with The Print columnist Shruti Kapila in 2022, Rahul Gandhi praised the Belt and Road Initiative and claimed that China wanted the countries around it to prosper.
During his tour to Ladakh in 2023, Rahul Gandhi claimed that China had grabbed India’s grazing land in Ladakh. However, Gandhi during his UK visit in May 2022 had asserted that “Ladakh is to China what Ukraine is to Russia.”
The Congress leader back then had even urged foreign powers to intervene in India’s internal matters. Back in 2020, details about the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation’s (RGF) monetary operations emerged.
OpIndia had previously published detailed pieces about the Chinese government’s financial contributions of more than Rs 1 crore to RGF between 2006 and afterwards.
In 2008, during UPA1, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Congress party signed an agreement for the sharing of high-level information and collaboration.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) also provided the two parties with the “opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have served as trustees of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation since 2005, while Sonia Gandhi serves as the foundation’s chairperson.
It’s amusing to see how times change and even ‘partners’ turn hostile, even if just to score political brownie points.
The Congress party had signed an MoU with the Chinese government, and Rahul Gandhi had secretly met the Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui in 2017 during the Doklam standoff.
He even secretly met Chinese ministers in September 2018 during his Kailash Mansarovar visit. Before this, Rahul Gandhi and Luo Zhaohui, the Chinese ambassador to India, met on July 8th, 2017, but their conversation was private. The Congress party referred to several media reports of the meeting as fake news. Yet, the Chinese embassy afterwards posted a statement on its website confirming the meeting. Eventually, Rahul Gandhi came to his own rescue as he confirmed his meeting with the Chinese Ambassador.
In February 2025, Sam Pitroda, the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress and a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, downplayed threats from China and claimed that the Communist-run country is not ‘our enemy’.
While speaking to news agency IANS, he claimed, “I don’t know what is the threat from China. I think there is always this thing blown out of (at times) proportion.”
Sam Pitroda blamed the US for creating a hostile perception of China. He went on to blame India for harbouring an attitude of confrontation towards the Communist regime.
“To assume that China is the enemy from day one is just not fair, not just to China but to anybody. I think it is time for us to learn to increase communication, collaborate, cooperate and co-create and not have this command and control mindset. China is around, China is growing,” the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress brazened out.
Interestingly, the Congress party’s love for China is not confined to lobbying against Rafale deal, signing MoUs with China, and receiving funds from the CCP for Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. The party prince Rahul Gandhi has been obsessing over Chinese military technology even in the Indian parliament.
Back in 2021, Rahul Gandhi questioned in the Lok Sabha, why Indian security forces were not using Chinese-style surveillance drones, lauding the Chinese PLA’s tactics during the Ladakh standoff.
In 2023, during his UK visit, Rahul Gandhi claimed China is winning the “technology race”. Gandhi suggested India learn from Chinese military innovation, including drone warfare.
During his 45-minute speech in the parliament in February 2025, Rahul Gandhi mentioned China around 34 times and highlighted the country’s dominance in the manufacturing sector and technological advancement.
In February this year, Rahul Gandhi showcased a banned Chinese drone in a social media post. In what came across as nothing less than a China-sponsored defence advertisement, Rahul Gandhi used the banned Chinese drone to assert that India needed a “strong production base” to manufacture drones and “not empty words”. In his attempt to promote Chinese defence tech as ‘superior’, Rahul Gandhi resorted to belittling the Indian drone industry. Perhaps, Gandhi must have been very upset with the success of indigenously manufactured drones during Operation Sindoor.
“Drones are not just one technology, they are bottom-up innovations produced by a strong industrial system. Unfortunately, PM Modi has failed to grasp this. While he delivers ‘teleprompter’ speeches on AI, our competitors are mastering new technologies. India needs a strong production base, not empty words,“ Gandhi posted.
Drones have revolutionised warfare, combining batteries, motors and optics to manoeuver and communicate on the battlefield in unprecedented ways. But drones are not just one technology – they are bottom-up innovations produced by a strong industrial system.
In June this year, Rahul Gandhi defied facts and data to claim that the Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative is merely ‘Assemble in India’ and that China is far ahead of India in manufacturing sector. However, OpIndia published a data-based rebuttal to Gandhi’s pro-China claims.
Conclusion
Clearly, the political agenda and ideological imperative to oppose the BJP-led government drove the opposition parties and the leftist media cabal to amplify Chinese propaganda, weaken national security discourse, and even try to sabotage the Rafale deal. The opposition and leftist media’s persistent pro-China lobbying, echoing Chinese propaganda to attack the Indian government is nothing but a stark betrayal of Indian national interests at the cost of partisan gains.
The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench has given the go-ahead to the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to merge primary schools with fewer than 50 students with nearby institutions. While the court said the move was in the interest of better education, the decision has drawn sharp reactions from the Opposition.
On Monday, 7th July, Justice Pankaj Bhatia dismissed a petition filed by a guardian representing 51 students from Sitapur district. The plea had sought a stay on the merger order, claiming that it violated Article 21A of the Constitution, which guarantees free and compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 and 14.
“This Article also mandates that the government will have to set up a primary school within one km for a population of every 300 people so that small children do not have to travel far to reach school”.
The petitioner said the merger would force children to travel longer distances to attend school, putting additional stress on young students, especially those from poor and rural backgrounds.
The state government defends the policy
Representing the state, Additional Advocate General Anuj Kudesia and Chief Standing Counsel Shailendra Kumar Singh told the court that many schools in Uttar Pradesh are either empty or have very few students enrolled. They argued that running such schools is not practical or beneficial for students.
The government said the decision to merge schools was based on improving access to better educational facilities, teachers, and peer learning. By shifting students from small, under-enrolled schools to bigger institutions, the state hopes to provide a better academic environment.
According to official data, UP has around 1.40 lakh government-run primary and upper primary schools. Out of these, nearly 29,000 schools have fewer than 50 students, and around 89,000 teachers are posted in these institutions. The government says the policy aims to use these resources more effectively.
Opposition slams the decision as “Anti-Education”
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav strongly criticised the move, calling it a deliberate conspiracy to weaken public education in rural areas. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he accused the BJP-led government of trying to deprive future generations, especially children from backwards, Dalit, and minority communities, of their right to education.
शिक्षा ही विकास की सबसे बड़ी कसौटी होती है। भाजपा सरकार में शिक्षा और शिक्षकों की जो उपेक्षा हो रही है उसके पीछे एक गहरी साज़िश की ये आशंका बलवती हो रही है कि :
– भाजपा आनेवाली पीढ़ी से ‘शिक्षा का अधिकार’ छीनना चाहती है। – जो शिक्षित होता है वह सकारात्मक भी होता है और सहनशील… pic.twitter.com/ajajYwi5Zn
“Education is the biggest threat to authoritarian politics. The BJP doesn’t want children to become aware and self-confident because educated people question injustice and stand up against wrong policies,” Yadav wrote.
“No schools, No opposition”: Akhilesh Yadav
The former chief minister expressed fears that closing government schools in villages could pave the way for BJP-affiliated organisations to open their institutions “under the garb of service,” where they could allegedly propagate “divisive ideologies.”
Yadav further accused the ruling party of fostering a crowd of “uneducated, superstitious, and unscientific minds” that could be easily manipulated.
He also pointed out that if a polling booth can be set up for one voter, a school for 30 students should be just as important.
He further alleged that closing down government schools would pave the way for private schools run by BJP-affiliated organisations to enter rural areas, where they could promote divisive ideologies under the guise of service.
Kannauj schools also face closure
Yadav also shared a news report from Kannauj, which claimed that 38 schools in the district are facing the threat of closure due to the new policy. He warned that this is not an isolated incident and that similar actions may follow in other districts too.
Government says it’s about better education
Sources from the UP government say the policy is not about closing schools but about rationalising resources, improving the student-teacher ratio, and enhancing overall academic outcomes. They argue that merging small schools will help deliver quality education, particularly in rural areas.
Officials have said that students who have to move will be relocated to nearby schools within accessible distances, and logistical support will be provided where necessary.
Verdict triggers political heat
With the court backing the state’s decision, the school merger policy is set to go forward. However, the strong political reactions show that this will remain a contentious issue in the coming months, especially with the Opposition accusing the government of hurting the education rights of marginalised communities.
Multiple districts of Uttar Pradesh, Sitapur, Bareilly and Lakhimpur-Kheri, witnessed violent clashes during Muharram processions on Sunday, 6th July. Resulting in stone pelting, stick fighting, property damage and mob clashing.
Sitapur: Muslim mob attacked a shopkeeper with the sticks
On Sunday, 6th, July, Violence broke out during a Muharram procession in Sahadatnagar village, Sitapur. The Tazia was going from Shahadatnagar to Karbala, simultaneously, the Tazia of Nauwa Amberpur also reached Karbala. To make their way, Muslims started removing the bricks kept outside the shop of Benchelal. When he resisted, the argument started which later turned into a fight. Tajidars attacked the shopkeeper with the sticks.
As soon as the news of the incident spread, the people of Sahadatnagar reached the spot with sticks. The clash erupted between two groups and four people got injured. CO Maholi Deepak Singh and SHO Imalia Sultanpur Shyamu Kanojia reached the spot along with the police force and pacified both parties.
Due to the tension, the Tajiedar took the Tajiya back. Later, Tajiya was buried at around 1 AM. The police have shifted the injured to hospital and started an investigation into the matter. The police force has been deployed in the village. The administration has appealed to the people to maintain peace.
Bareilly: Muslims chanted slogans in support of Pakistan
Muslim mob created a ruckus while keeping Tajiya on Sunday, 6 July, in Faridpur, Bareilly. Tensions rose when individuals damaged a clothing shop’s slab while carrying the Tajiya. In response, upset shopkeepers halted the procession and closed the market, demanding action against those responsible. Shopkeepers also reported that slogans in support of Pakistan were shouted during the incident by the Muslims.
Upon receiving the news, representatives from Hindu organizations arrived at the scene. Consequently, shopkeepers began protesting alongside these groups. To quell the unrest, Faridpur SDM Mallika Jain and CO Sandeep Kumar Singh intervened and spoke to the shopkeepers.
After the police arrested the individuals involved and filed charges against them, the shopkeepers ended their demonstration, allowing the Muslim community to continue with the Tajiya procession.
यूपी के बरेली में मुहर्रम के दौरान फरीदपुर के साहूकारा मोहल्ले में कुछ शरारती तत्वों ने माहौल बिगाड़ने की कोशिश की. शनिवार देर रात ताजिया रखने के दौरान सराफा व्यापारी की दुकान का चबूतरा तोड़ा गया. सुबह जब बाजार खुला तो दुकानदारों ने टूटी दुकान देखी, जिससे गुस्सा भड़क उठा.… pic.twitter.com/ojcE6VtExt
— State Mirror Hindi (@statemirrornews) July 6, 2025
Lakhimpur-Kheri: Stone pelting during Muharram procession
A similar case has come to light from Shardangar, Lakhimpur-Kheri where two groups pelted stones at each other. According to the reports, On Sunday afternoon, the Tajiya processionof Sansuri village reached the Bada village. The people involved in the procession were mourning and blowing white powder with firecrackers.
During this time, some mischievous elements threw white powder on the houses of Siyaram and Jamunadin When they protested, some people in the procession started beating up Jamunadin’s grandson Pankaj. The situation further deteriorated when stone pelting broke out between the two sides.
Tin sheds, solar panels and stoves of many houses were damaged. Some people alleged that miscreants involved in the procession forcibly entered the houses and also threatened them. A policeman was also reported to have sustained minor injuries, although the police have denied it
Police have registered a case against Talib, Zahid, Suleman and Noori on the basis of the victim Pankaj’s complain. OpIndia also has a copy of this FIR. CO City Ramesh Tiwari said that strict action will be taken against those who try to spoil the atmosphere.
The rape claim made by a 22-year-old data scientist in Pune turned out to be a false complaint, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar stated on Sunday, 6th July. The woman alleged a man posing as a delivery agent sprayed her with a chemical, knocked her unconscious, raped her, took a selfie, and left a threatening message. According to Kumar, investigators found her story full of inconsistencies and ruled it fabricated, saying it misled the police.
Investigation unravels the story in just 24 hours
The woman had claimed that an unidentified man who posed as a courier delivery agent entered her flat in the Kondhwa area on Wednesday evening when she was alone, and forced himself on her. She passed out, and when she regained consciousness, he was gone, she stated in her complaint.
The investigation, however, revealed that neither was there any sign of forced entry nor any spray that could be used on the victim, the police commissioner had said.
According to the complainant, the man identified himself as a delivery executive who came on the pretext of delivering a courier bank document. But the probe finding says, The 25-year-old accused was not a delivery agent. He works with a multinational accounting firm in Pune and is someone the complainant knew for over a year after connecting with him socially. The man had come to the complainant’s house in the past.
Commissioner Kumar highlighted how quickly the Pune Police dug into the case. “We used all our resources,” he said, stressing that the city’s image as a safe place for women shouldn’t be tarnished by false narratives.
The police measured evidence from CCTV footage, apartment access logs, forensic tests, and tried to trace any delivery agent who might have entered the building.
In less than a day, they found no sign of any intruder or unusual chemicals. CCTV and door logs showed no unrecognised person entering the apartment complex. Forensics found no trace of a chemical being sprayed.
The selfie and message were fake
Police discovered that the man in the selfie was known to the complainant. Commissioner Kumar explained, “She’s known him for years, and they’re from the same community.” Investigators concluded the selfie was taken on the woman’s phone, in which her back and part of his face are seen. The threatening message, “I’ll come back”, on her phone was also typed by her.
A highly qualified college professor, her friend was detained and questioned. Deputy Commissioner Rajkumar Shinde mentioned that a private college professor advised her on how to file the complaint and guide her through the process.
The girl was continue changing her statements
The case initially included charges of rape, voyeurism, and criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Forensic teams took samples from the scene, seized her phone for analysis, and examined her medical report from Sassoon General Hospital, which gave inconclusive results.
Commissioner Kumar noted that the woman’s mental state was not good. He said, “The rape part is still under investigation.” She has since been referred for counselling and has provided her formal statement to a Judicial Magistrate First Class.
Police also noted that she kept changing the sequence of events, which raised suspicion.
Nation outcry over techie’s claim
The case triggered widespread headlines across the country. News that a young IT professional and techie from Pune had been raped sparked strong outrage online and offline.
Once the police revealed the claim was fabricated, Commissioner Kumar warned that such false narratives risk damaging public trust and overshadowing genuine victim cases.
Maharashtra | On alleged rape case of a 22-year old data scientist in Pune by an unidentified man posing as a delivery agent, Pune CP Amitesh Kumar says, "It was found that the woman had filed a false complaint. Her complaint misled the Pune Police."
He cited broader concerns, saying government directives recently warned against communities being unfairly targeted with false allegations.
Commissioner Kumar urged people not to misuse emotional narratives in attempts to defame the city, emphasising that Pune’s reputation as a safe place for women must be preserved.
Billionaire Elon Musk, embroiled in a bitter feud with former ally, the US President Donald Trump, declared the formation of the “America Party” on July 5, 2025. The move, announced on his social media platform X, follows weeks of public clashes over Trump’s $3.3 trillion “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which Musk decries as fiscally catastrophic.
The America Party’s ambiguous platform
While lacking formal registration or a detailed policy platform, Musk’s America party leans heavily on three pillars, aggressive fiscal conservatism focused on slashing debt and “wasteful” spending, technological accelerationism promoting AI, robotics, and deregulation, particularly in energy, and a claim to represent the “80% in the middle” alienated by partisan extremes. Initial polling suggests potential interest, with 40% of voters (including 57% of male Republicans) expressing openness, though Musk’s personal favorability sits at a concerning -18.
Why third parties crumble: History’s lessons
However, the history of American third parties since 1776 paints a grim picture for Musk’s ambitions. The US political system has consistently smothered challengers. Landmark failures include Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive “Bull Moose” Party, which won an impressive 27% of the popular vote in 1912 only to collapse immediately afterward. Another one is Ross Perot’s well-funded Reform Party surged to 19% in 1992 but faded rapidly without Perot at the helm. Modern persistent efforts like the Libertarian and Green parties have struggled for decades, collectively holding less than 1% of Congressional seats.
Apart from that, Structural barriers are immense. Ballot access alone is a logistical and legal nightmare, requiring millions of signatures under wildly varying state laws. California alone demands 1.1 million signatures or 75,000 registered members.
The “spoiler effect” is a powerful deterrent as well, as third parties often drain votes from ideologically aligned major parties, potentially handing elections to their opponents. A notable example of this is Ralph Nader’s Green Party which handed the florida to Bush in 2000. Furthermore, the financial and media dominance of the two major parties is overwhelming; they spent a combined $16 billion in the 2024 cycle, while third parties struggle for coverage without proven electoral viability.
Musk’s edge and limit
Mausk brings a unique advantage to table which is his $350+ billion fortune. Providing near unlimited self funding dwarfing even Perot’s self-financing. His ownership of X grants him direct, free access to over 220 million users, which helps him bypassing the gatkeeping of traditional media. His party’s strategy reportedly focuses on targeting just 2-3 Senate and 8-10 House races to exploit “razor-thin margins”.
Yet, experts remain deeply skeptical. Political scientist Bernard Tamas of Valdosta State University warns, “It’s not like running a business. You need a grassroots movement. Money isn’t enough.” Lee Drutman of the New America think tank echoes the historical pattern: “Third parties are spoilers. They sting like a bee, then die when major parties co-opt their ideas.” Trump himself has mocked the effort, stating, “Third parties have never succeeded. The system seems not designed for them.”
The verdict: a billionaire’s Waterloo?
While Musk’s crusade taps into genuine discontent 58% of Americans desire more parties the weight of history and the mechanics of the system heavily favor failure. His party risks splitting the Republican vote, potentially aiding Democrats in the short term, before fading as most insurgent parties do. For a man who conquered the automotive industry and space travel, the fortress of America’s two-party democracy may prove his ultimate unconquerable frontier. As one associate reportedly cautioned him: “It’s a tougher problem to fix than landing a rocket.”
Musk’s war on Washington mirrors the hubris of past wealthy outsiders, suggesting that even the world’s richest man might finally meet his match in the arena of American electoral politics.
