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140 new OBC groups, 97 Muslim communities, 17% reservation: Mamata govt set to introduce new bill after Calcutta HC cancelled 12 lakh OBC certificates

OpIndia Staff
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140 new OBC groups, 97 Muslim communities, 17% reservation: Mamata govt set to introduce new bill after Calcutta HC cancelled 12 lakh OBC certificates

West Bengal government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently finalized a new Other Backward Classes (OBC) survey that proposes the inclusion of 140 additional sub-groups within the category, in the run-up to the 2026 assembly poll. The report is set to be presented during the monsoon session of the assembly, commencing on 9th June.

The government has also signaled that the existing 17% OBC reservation policy will remain in effect. The survey has been prepared in accordance with the suggestions provided by the West Bengal Backward Classes Commission (WBCBC), which has recently received approval from the state cabinet.

The reservation for OBC in the state is categorized into two distinct groups. The first category, known as ‘OBC A’, allocates 10% reservation and encompasses a total of 81 communities and 56 of these are from the Muslim community. The second category, ‘OBC B’, provides a 7% reservation and includes a total of 99 communities, out of which 41 belong to the Muslim community. Therefore, out of 180 communities, 97 are Muslim communities in the state.

Clearly, a significant share of the state’s overall OBC reservation is designated for Muslim communities. However, the government maintains that they are socially and economically underprivileged, thereby justifying the need for reservation. It further claims that these decisions were reached through a ‘three-tier process’ which consisted of two surveys and a hearing by the Backward Classes Commission.

A new round of political controversy has been sparked by the development, especially in regards to the decision’s timing. Despite formally stating that the action is intended to address long-standing problems with recruitment, school and college admissions, Trinamool Congress members acknowledge in private discussions that political consideration was behind the move.

“This step clears administrative tangles that have been creating confusion since the certificates were cancelled. It will also help address the negative impression created about the government,” mentioned a party insider, according to a report in News Arena India. The move was applauded by Samirul Islam, party’s Rajya Sabha MP, who described it as “historic” and a gesture that “will set an example for the next generation.”

The opposition, however, has voiced serious reservations. Manoj Tigga, Alipurduar MP for the Bharatiya Janata Party, charged that the administration was engaging in “appeasement politics” by adding a substantial portion of Muslim populations to the updated list. “This decision has been taken with an eye on the elections. We have serious doubts about the transparency of the survey process,” he expressed.

The OBC reservation in West Bengal has increased from 10% to 17% with the admission of the 76 new communities. 64 of the 66 communities that were previously recognized have been retained. Although they are anticipated to be revealed shortly, the specifics of the recently added 76 communities have not yet been formally announced.

The BJP has consistently highlighted the concern that if reservations are allocated based on religion, the genuinely deserving OBCs from Hindu and other communities might be denied their rights.

Govt doing Muslim appeasement: Calcutta High Court’s landmark judgement

The matter came to light last year when the Calcutta High Court cancelled Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates issued to 77 groups by the Left and Trinamool Congress governments between 5th March 2010 and 11th May 2012. The development came as a shocker for the incumbent government amid the Lok Sabha elections in the state. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee openly announced to flout the verdict of the court.

The matter came up for hearing before a two-judge Bench of Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha of the Calcutta High Court. The court took into account the arguments made by the West Bengal government and the petitioners and struck down 5 lakh OBC certificates issued by the government since 5th March 2010.

The judges noted that the West Bengal government had placed “extensive reliance” on the Sachar Committee Report of 2006 which had infamously concluded that the condition of Muslims in India was worse than those belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). It ruled that the report relied upon by the state to justify the backwardness of Muslims and include them in the OBC category, has no constitutional sanction.

“This was done to support the argument that the Muslim community is in fact backward in the State. The report was placed to justify the inclusion of 99% classes of Muslims as OBC under the subject memoranda, and to bypass the Commission in the process of sub-classification. This court notes that the Sachar Committee was constituted by the PMO under the Cabinet Secretariat O.M. No. 105/1/1/75-CF dated 20.11.1975. It was not constituted under Art. 340 of the Constitution which empowers only the President to constitute a Commission for backward classes. Hence, the report of the Committee does not have Constitutional sanction or support,” the court pronounced.

The bench further stated, “Such exclusion of the role of the Commission, and arrogating to itself the power to ignore the Commission at its own sweet will whim and fancy therefore tantamounts to an exercise of fraudulent legislative power and consequently a fraud on Constitutional power under Art 16(4). It appears that the Act of 2012 has been enacted for the oblique purpose of bypassing the Commission or at the least to render the mandatory requirement of consulting the Commission optional.”

CM Yogi Adityanath leads Ram Darbar Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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CM Yogi Adityanath leads Ram Darbar Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya: Read details

The consecration of Ram Darbar at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh was concluded on Thursday (5th June) in the presence of Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who was the chief guest at the ceremony. Coincidentally, the occasion also marked the 53rd birth anniversary of CM Yogi. This was the second consecration ceremony held at the temple following the first consecration ceremony, which was held on January 22, 2024 in the presence of PM Modi.

The consecration ceremony, which initiated at 11 am, involved installation of idols of Lord Ram, Mata Sita, Lord Hanuman, Lakshman and other deities on the first floor of the temple complex amid Vedic chants. A gold plated ‘Shikhara’ was also mounted on the top of the temple. In addition to that, Idols were also installed in seven other temples situated at each corner of the the sanctum’s surrounding precincts. 101 Vedic scholars performed the entire ritual.

The Pran Patishtha was held during the ‘Abhijit Muhurat’ and under an astrological ‘lagna‘ within auspicious time-period of 17 minutes occuring between 11.45 am and 12.45 pm. The 3-day long ceremony, organised by the Anjaneya Sewa Trust, began on 3rd June and concluded on 5th June. While in the Garbh Griha of the temple, Lord Ram is present in his Baal Roop (Child form), in the Ram Darbar, sits as the king of Ayodhya.

The entire temple was decorated with colourful lights and flowers ahead of the ceremony.

Around 62,000 boxes of special Prasad were sent from Lucknow for the special event.

The idols installed in the Ram Darbar have been sculpted from white marble procured from Jaipur in Rajasthan. It took 7 months to sculpt the idols. Sculptor Suryanarayan expressed gratitude for getting the opportunity to make the idols for the Ram Darbar.

A Surat-based businessman Mukesh Patel offered diamonds, gold and silver jewellery for Ram Darbar. Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s national treasurer Dinesh Nevadia said that the jewellery included a thousand carat diamond, 30 kg silver, 300 grams gold, and 11 crowns made from 300 carat ruby. Apart from these, there is a necklace, earrings, forehead tilak, bow and arrow for the four brothers. These ornaments were brought to Ayodhya by chartered plane. These were donated to the Ram Mandir Trust.

Strict security arrangements were made in Ayodhya for the three-day long consecration ceremony. Teams of CRPF, SSF and PAC were delpoyed and the verification of residents of unauthorised settlements and tenants was carried out before the ceremony began.

13000+ properties worth ₹1 lakh crore: Know what is enemy property, about Waqf Board’s attempts to usurp them, and how Modi Govt ensured such properties remain with Govt of India

श्रवण शुक्ल
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13000+ properties worth ₹1 lakh crore: Know what is enemy property, about Waqf Board’s attempts to usurp them, and how Modi Govt ensured such properties remain with Govt of India

Two days ago, the government auctioned the land of former Pakistani dictator Pervez Musharraf in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. A few days before that, the government converted Raja Mahmudabad’s property in Uttarakhand into a parking place, and in December last year, the government took possession of the property of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan (which also included a mosque built in 1918) after a court order.

It was claimed about this land that it was made a waqf even before the country’s independence, which turned out to be a fake claim. In such a situation, despite the mosque being there and the claim of waqf, the government got this land because this land came under the category of enemy property.

If we look at all three cases, there was a common link in them, the existence of enemy property. Now the Government of India can use such properties as per public interests. This is now possible because in the year 2017, the Modi government brought a law, which was introduced in Parliament as Enemy Property (Amendment and Verification) Bill 2016. According to this law, not only the person who has gone to the enemy country, but also the heirs of the person who has gone to the enemy country will come under the category of enemy and they will not be able to make any claim on this enemy property.

With this step of the Modi government, more than 13 thousand properties across the country, valued at more than 1 lakh crore rupees, will now belong to the government. That will be discussed later in this article. For now, let us share with you that in the Waqf Amendment Act brought by the Modi government, even the claims of Waqf on enemy property have been rejected. The effects of such a provision are far-reaching.

By bringing both the laws, the Modi government has done the work that the previous Congress governments have been avoiding due to various reasons. Now that Congress has been mentioned, and in relation to the enemy property, so let us give you an important information which everyone should know. However, before that, let us tell you what enemy property is and how the Modi government brought the law. Notably, Congress-led UPA government had given property worth thousands of crores to the heirs of the enemies of the country by not bringing such a law earlier.

What is enemy property

Enemy properties are those properties which belonged to those people who left India during the India-Pakistan partition of 1947 or after 1962 (war with China), 1965 and 1971 (wars with Pakistan) and took citizenship of Pakistan or China. The Government of India considered them ‘enemies’ because these people went with those countries which were at war against India. The purpose of confiscating such properties was that they should be used for the security and development of the country.

Under the Enemy Property Act 1968, Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) was created to oversee these properties, which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs. There are 13,252 such properties across the country, out of which 12,485 belong to Pakistani citizens and 126 to Chinese citizens. Their total value is more than Rs 1.04 lakh crore. In this, the maximum properties are in Uttar Pradesh (6,255) and West Bengal (4,088).

For example, Pakistan’s first prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan had eight biswa land in Muzaffarnagar, on which a mosque and shops were constructed. Investigation found that it was enemy property. Similarly, properties of Nawab Hamidullah Khan’s daughter Abida Sultan (who had migrated to Pakistan in 1950) in Bhopal – such as the Flag Staff House and Noor-us-Sabah Palace (worth more than Rs 15,000 crore) – were also declared enemy properties. Pervez Musharraf’s 13 bigha land in Baghpat was auctioned for Rs 1.38 crore. All these properties are in the possession of the Government of India, so that they can not be misused.

Conflict between enemy property and Waqf

Now the question is what is the dispute between enemy property and Waqf property. Actually, it happened many times that the Waqf Board tried to take possession of the properties which were enemy properties. The biggest reason for this was loopjholes in the Waqf Acts of 1984 and 1995.

In 1984, the Indira Gandhi government made an amendment to the Waqf Act, under which ‘evacuee property’ (i.e. properties that were left behind during the partition) was allowed to be declared as Waqf. If a property was earlier a Waqf, but later became enemy property, then it could be converted into Waqf again. This means that the properties that belonged to people who left the country could be registered in the name of the Waqf Board.

Modi government amended the law in the year 2017: In 2017, the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act was introduced, which made this law more stringent. This amendment made many important changes-

Expansion of the definition of enemy: Now the heirs of the enemy, even if they are citizens of India, cannot claim these properties.

Ownership of the custodian: The owner of the enemy property is now the custodian (Government of India).

Role of civil court ends: Cases related to enemy property will no longer be heard in civil courts, but in special tribunals.

Permission to sell: The government can now sell such properties, and the money will go to the country’s treasury (Consolidated Fund of India).

The case of Raja Mahmudabad’s properties worth thousands of crores

Raja Mahmudabad, i.e. Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan belonged to a prominent Shia Muslim family. Mahmudabad Estate had huge properties in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. His father Maharaja Sir Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan left behind huge property after his death in 1931, which included Butler Palace in Lucknow, Mahmudabad Mansion in Hazratganj, Metropole Hotel in Nainital and 956 acres of land in Sitapur, a sugar mill, a polytechnic institute and a degree college.

Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan migrated to Iraq in 1945 and took Pakistani citizenship in 1957. He was the treasurer of the Muslim League and a close associate of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who gave financial and political support to the Pakistan Movement. The interesting thing is that Amir Ahmed Khan had donated all his properties to Pakistan, however, his properties in India were left behind. In such a situation, the Government of India confiscated his properties under the Enemy Property Act 1968.

His son Mohammed Amir Mohammed Khan (also known as Sulaiman Miyan) was an Indian citizen and started a legal battle to get his ancestral properties back in 1974. The battle lasted 37 years, it continued from the district court to Bombay High Court to eventually Supreme Court. In 2005, the Supreme Court gave a major verdict, stating that Sulaiman Miyan was an Indian citizen and not an ‘enemy’. The court ordered the return of all his properties, which were estimated to be worth Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 crore at the time. These included Lucknow’s Butler Palace, prime real estate in Hazratganj, Mahmudabad Fort and vast lands in Sitapur.

Role of Congress government in the game of returning properties

When the Supreme Court verdict was delivered in 2005, there was a Congress-led UPA government at the centre under the leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh. This verdict put the government in an uncomfortable position because returning such huge properties to a family whose father had supported the Pakistan movement was a sensitive issue for national security and public sentiment. But the UPA government took steps to effectively implement this verdict. On 21 December 2005, the Lucknow district administration handed over the keys of Butler Palace and documents of six other properties to Sulaiman Miyan.

There were many reasons for this action of the Congress government. Among them were:

1- It was legally necessary to implement the Supreme Court’s decision.

2- Sulaiman Miyan himself had been an MLA from Mahmudabad on a Congress ticket in 1985 and 1989, due to which he had a deep relationship with the party.

3- At that time, Congress had a strategy in politics to strengthen the Muslim vote bank.

Many people believe that the Congress was lenient in this matter and the government did not put its side strongly in the Supreme Court, due to which the way was cleared for returning such huge properties of Raja Mahmudabad.

However, there was a lot of controversy after this decision. Many political parties, especially the BJP, called it against national interests. In response to this, the UPA government tried to bring an emergency ordinance in 2010, which said that only the government would have the right over enemy properties. But this ordinance could not be introduced in Parliament as a bill, because there was pressure from within and outside the Congress. Salman Khurshid played an important role in applying this pressure. He had represented Raja Mahmudabad in the Supreme Court case and the very next year, he was appointed as the Law Minister in the UPA government at the Centre.

Salman Khurshid’s behind the scenes role

Senior lawyer and Congress leader Salman Khurshid was the Union Minister of Minority Affairs at the time. He represented Raja Mahmudabad in the Supreme Court as his lawyer. He was faced with eminent lawyers like P. Chidambaram. Arun Jaitley and Ram Jethmalani, who were on the side of the government. Khurshid argued that Sulaiman Miyan was an Indian citizen and could not be considered an ‘enemy’ on the basis of his father’s activities. His arguments played a key role in the 2005 Supreme Court verdict.

Salman Khurshid’s role was not limited to the courtroom. In 2010, when the UPA government tried to bring an ordinance to amend the Enemy Property Act, Khurshid opposed it. He met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and led a group of Muslim MPs, which also included leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mohammad Adeeb. The group argued that the amendment to the Enemy Property Act was ‘anti-Muslim’ and would hurt the sentiments of the Indian Muslim community.

Due to this pressure led by Khurshid, the ordinance was not introduced as a bill in Parliament. Apart from this, there was a provision in the ordinance that the heir of enemy property would have to prove his Indian citizenship within 120 days. But when the bill was prepared, this provision was removed, making claims on enemy properties easier. Many analysts believe that Khurshid used his legal and political influence to create an atmosphere in favor of Raja Mahmudabad and forced the Congress government to take a soft stand in this matter.

There were many reasons behind this, including…

1- Salman Khurshid’s strong influence in Congress and his popularity among the Muslim community.

2- Raja Mahmoodabad’s old relationship with Congress, because Sulaiman Miyan had been a Congress MLA twice.

3- he UPA government’s strategy, in which it wanted to keep the Muslim vote bank happy.

Khurshid’s role in this whole matter can be clearly linked to ‘vote bank politics’, because he linked it to the interests of the Muslim community, even if it had an impact on national security.

Modi government’s Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, preventing enemy properties from becoming Waqf

The Modi government took several strict steps to prevent enemy properties from becoming Waqf in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. The old Waqf Act 1995 had some loopholes, due to which the Waqf Board could arbitrarily declare properties as Waqf. For example, under Section 40, the Board could declare any property as Waqf without concrete evidence and it could only be challenged in the Waqf Tribunal. Due to this, many enemy properties like Liaquat Ali Khan’s land in Muzaffarnagar were stuck under Waqf claim.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 removed these loopholes and prevented enemy properties from becoming Waqf through these important provisions..

Abolition of Section 40: In the old law, Section 40 gave uncontrolled power to the Waqf Board. Now it has been removed, so that the Board cannot declare any property as Waqf without documentary evidence. This has made it almost impossible to claim Waqf on enemy properties. For example – Nawab’s properties in Bhopal which are enemy properties can no longer become Waqf.

Central Waqf Property Portal: This bill has provided for a central portal where the record of all Waqf properties will be maintained in a transparent manner. This will ensure that only properties with valid documents will be considered Waqf. Enemy properties like Liaquat Ali Khan’s land can no longer be claimed in the name of Waqf.

Ban on conversion of enemy property into Waqf: Sections 108 and 108A of the old law which allowed conversion of enemy properties into Waqf have now been abolished. This has ensured that no enemy property can become Waqf. For example – Waqf Board’s claim on 123 acres of land in Vijayapura (Karnataka) was rejected because it was enemy property.

District Collector’s Inquiry: Now the District Collector has the right to inspect Waqf properties. If a property turns out to be an enemy property, the collector can stop it from being declared a Waqf. This provision prevents the arbitrariness of the Waqf Board.

Accountability of Mutawalli: The accountability of Mutawalli (manager of Waqf property) has been increased in the bill. If a Mutawalli does not maintain records or misuses the property, he can be removed. This will stop attempts to declare enemy properties as Waqf in an incorrect manner.

What would have happened if Modi government had not made this provision

If these provisions were not made in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, enemy properties could have gone into the possession of the Waqf Board. For example – the properties of Mahmudabad, which were worth more than Rs 50,000 crore, could have gone in the name of Waqf. This would not only cause economic loss but could also pose a threat to national security, because such properties could be misused against the country. Further, the uncontrolled powers of the Waqf Board would have increased further, due to which wrong claims could be made on the properties of common people. For example, the Waqf Board had made claims on 123 acres of land in Vijayapura and several properties in Munambam (Kerala), which were enemy properties.

The Congress-led UPA government played an important role in returning properties worth thousands of crores of rupees to Raja Mahmudabad after the Supreme Court’s decision in 2005. In this process, the role of Salman Khurshid was decisive, who not only strongly presented the case of Sulaiman Miyan in the court, but also led Muslim MPs to put pressure on the government to weaken the ordinance in 2010. But the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Enemy Property (Amendment) Act 2017 took strict steps to prevent such properties from becoming Waqf.

The Modi government has refused to return the properties of Raja Mahmudabad. This matter is pending in the court and now under the existing laws, it seems impossible for them to reach back to the heirs of Raja Mahmudabad. In such a situation, it is clear that these laws brought by the Modi government not only curbed the arbitrariness of the Waqf Board, but also ensured that the enemy properties remain in the hands of the Indian government in the interest of the country. This step of the Modi government not only increases economic and legal transparency, but also strengthens national security.

The original article can be read here.

How Indian students are sanitising their social media timeline before applying for the US visa

OpIndia Staff
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How Indian students are sanitising their social media timeline before applying for the US visa

Enhanced scrutiny in the US visa application process combined with Trump administration’s plans to mandate social media screening before visa approvals for international students has caused worries among Indian students aspiring to study in the US.

In the light of pro-Palestine and anti-Semitic demonstrations carried out in various US universities last year, the Trump administration recently launched a crackdown on academic institutions including the Ivy League institutions.

Elite institutions allowing anti-Semitic and radical activities on their campuses have been in headlines since October 2023, when Hamas killed and abducted civilians and Israel started a war in retaliation.

The visa crackdown has led to Indian students, who are planning to apply to the US academic institutions, cleansing their social media timelines to avoid visa rejection.

Fearing that their social media posts might lead to visa rejections, students are not just sanitising their social media accounts but in some cases even deleting them. In this process, the students are being guided by their visa counsellers who inform them about the content or posts which may be deemed inadmissible by the US authorities and could result in visa rejections.

Sudden deletion of social media accounts might also alert authorities: experts

Founder of Gradding.com, Mamta Shekhawat said that for conducting the background check of student visa applicants, the immigration authorities require students to provide the details of their social media profiles for the preceding five years. “Immigration authorities require student visa applicants to provide their social media handles for the previous five years, allowing them to make character evaluations and determine whether and how the applicant’s professional and academic background matches the visa objectives,” Shekhawat told India Today.

Speaking about social media jokes, Shekhawat said, “Even the smallest hint of political or violent activism, or controversial remarks, can be counted as suspicious when piled together during the scrutiny of the visa application.” Advising students to be cautious of their digital footprint, Shekhawat warned them that sudden deletion of social media accounts might also alert the immigration authorities who will be vetting the social media profiles using AI tools. The entire project of screening of social media accounts of international students is being supervised by the US Secretary of State (SoS) Marco Rubio.

Meenal Damani, an education consultant quoted in the India Today article, said that posting, liking, commenting or sharing posts relating to activities considered illegal in the US could result in visa rejection. “Don’t like, comment on, or share posts that could be misinterpreted. Refrain from joining, posting about, or engaging with political movements online. Even sharing someone else’s opinion can be viewed as an endorsement,” Damani said.

Even though, what qualifies as ‘objectionable’ in the US remains unclear but anti-semitic and pro-Palestine views could certainly attract an unfavourable action by the US immigration authorities. “What can be deemed objectionable ranges from political opinions and controversial jokes to posts about protests or criticism of US policies,” India Today quoted Sanjog Anand, co-founder of Rostrum Education as saying.

Indian students sanitise their social media profiles

According to India Today, an Indian student, Manya (name changed), who was enrolled in a master’s programme at an Ivy League university, deleted her Instagram and LinkedIn accounts on the advice of her visa counsellor. Similarly, another student, Diljeet (name changed) turned on private mode on his social media accounts.

Just like Suraj, a PhD scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), also began deleting his posts relating to Gaza casualties, Palestine and right-wing criticism after his post-doctoral appointment was halted by a US university. Uncertain whether this would suffice for getting a US visa, he is now considering deleting his Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Trump administration has amplified scrutiny under the US immigration policy, particularly for international students planning to study in the US, as a step towards strengthening national security and curbing anti-semitism and radicalism. Last month, he introduced a 15% limit on the enrollment of international students in the US universities, including the Harvard university. Earlier, the Trump administration had terminated federal funding to Harvard, including $60 million in grants, $450 million in additional funding and $2.2 billion in research grants over the varsity’s alleged failure to curb antisemitism and comply with federal demands. Trump also called for the revocation of Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Harvard University has filed two lawsuits against the Trump administration.

Anubrata Mondal viral audio: WB Police seize phones of the cop, who was threatened and abused, saying call recording was illegal, TMC leader not questioned and his phone not confiscated yet

OpIndia Staff
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Anubrata Mondal viral audio: WB Police seize phones of the cop, who was threatened and abused, saying call recording was illegal, TMC leader not questioned and his phone not confiscated yet

Days after an audio clip of TMC leader Anubrata Mondal abusing a police officer appeared on social media, West Bengal Police has termed the recording of the phone call illegal, and seized the victim cop’s phones. In the meanwhile, Mondal has already skipped two summons issued to him to question over the matter, citing ill health, and his phone is yet to be seized by the police.

While the West Bengal police is yet to initiate any action against the TMC strongman for abusing one of its own officers, the police have launched a probe to find out how the phone call was recorded and leaked. As per reports, Birbhum police have initiated a probe to find out how the call recording of the conversation between the Bolpur inspector-in-charge (IC) Liton Halder and Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal, was leaked.

In respect to that investigation, Birbhum police on Thursday confiscated two mobile phones of IC Liton Halder. As per police sources, a departmental investigation will be conducted against the IC, to find out how the audio recording of the call reached BJP leaders who posted it on social media.

In the audio of the call that emerged on 30 May, Mondal was heard abusing and threatening Liton Halder and his family, including his wife and mother, of physical harm. He had threatened that he will assault the police officer, and sexually molest his wife. Mondal also used lots of curse words in Bengali during the call, while Liton Halder kept saying that a person in such a responsible position should not use such language.

After the audio went viral, a case was registered against him under section Section 222 (threatening a public servant), 132 (assault or criminal force used against a public servant), 75 (sexual harassment), and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). TMC instructed Mondal to issue an apology within 4 hours, and he did so within 40 minutes.

Police security given to Mondal was also withdrawn after the incident. However, while police have confiscated the phone of the police officer who received threats and abuses from the TMC leader, the phone of Anubrata Mondal is yet to be seized. While he is booked under serious charges under BNS, he has not been detailed, and he has been avoiding summons using a medical certificate.

As police stared probe to find how the call recording was released, an internal investigation against the police officer on corruption charges made by the TMC leader has also been started. Notably, Anubrata Mandal had accused the IC of Bolpur police station of colluding with the sand mafia. He even claimed that Haldar asked for money when he went to the police station to lodge a complaint against the sand mafia.

Who is Inspector Nargis Khan who has amassed properties worth over ₹10 Crore across UP and Uttarakhand, read about her 14-year saga of corruption

OpIndia Staff
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Who is Inspector Nargis Khan who has amassed properties worth over ₹10 Crore across UP and Uttarakhand, read about her 14-year saga of corruption

In Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, a case of disproportionate assets has been registered against Inspector Nargis Khan by the state’s anti-corruption department under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation has revealed that Nargis Khan has earned assets worth more than Rs 10 crore in the last 14 years, which is way higher than her income.

Nargis Khan is the wife of Samajwadi Party leader Suresh Yadav and was posted on many important posts during the SP rule in Uttar Pradesh. During this time, she used her reach and influence while holding influential posts in Meerut and surrounding areas. Khan’s posting in the SP government was always at such places from where it was easy to earn financial benefits. When she was made in-charge of the women’s police station in Meerut, she established her dominance in the police station by introducing her husband as SP leader Shivpal Yadav’s OSD.

The investigation by the Anti-Corruption Department revealed that Nargis Khan has acquired property many times more than her income as her total legal income was Rs 5.36 crore, while she bought property worth Rs 10.59 crore in 14 years. This property includes a house in Shastrinagar, Meerut and Nandini Bar in Nauchandi police station area on Garh Road. The price of her Shastrinagar bungalow built in 640 yards is said to be around 5 crore rupees. Apart from this, there is also a plot worth about 50 lakh rupees in their name in Meerut itself. Nargis’s husband Suresh Yadav has a house, bar, restaurant and 21 shops in Meerut in his name.

In addition to this, Nargis Khan also has many other movable and immovable properties, the investigation of which is still ongoing.

Besides, Nargis Khan and her husband have two flats worth Rs 1 crore in Noida, UP, adjacent to Delhi. Suresh Yadav also has a bar. Apart from this, Inspector Nargis’ husband also has a flat in Ghaziabad. The duo also have a plot in Amroha, two apartments in Lucknow, a farmhouse built in two bighas in Kanpur and about 50 bighas of land in their names. Nargis Khan and her husband’s property extends to Uttarakhand. Her husband has two flats in Dehradun.

As per reports, there is also a benami property worth crores of rupees which Nargis had bought in the name of her husband. Apart from land, house, bungalow, plot and flat, there are three petrol pumps in Kanpur and Bareilly in the name of Nargis’s husband Suresh Yadav. Nargis Khan has a good collection of luxury cars including Thar, BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover.

This, however, is not the first time that Inspector Nargis Khan has been embroiled in controversies. Back in 2021, she and her husband Suresh were arrested from a flat in Aliganj, Lucknow. This arrest was made in a case of fraud of Rs 1.72 crore from the wife of a retired Deputy Labour Commissioner. In that case, she was accused of misusing her influence and influencing the investigation. Besides, many other complaints were also filed against her when Samajwadi Party was in power in the state, including cases like making a constable wear shoes and handing over a girl recovered from the railway station to a beggar gang.

Dassault Aviation partners with Tata Advanced Systems to make Rafale fighter jet’s fuselage in India, cutting-edge facility to be set up in Hyderabad

OpIndia Staff
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Dassault Aviation partners with Tata Advanced Systems to make Rafale fighter jet’s fuselage in India, cutting-edge facility to be set up in Hyderabad

French Aviation company Dassault Aviation has entered into an agreement with Tata Advanced Systems to make fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet in India. In a statement, Dassault Aviation said, “Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited have signed four Production Transfer Agreements to manufacture the Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage in India, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains. “

It added, “This facility represents a significant investment in India’s aerospace infrastructure and will serve as a critical hub for high-precision manufacturing.”

This is the first time Rafale fuselage will be made outside France. Dassault Aviation’s Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier said, “For the first time, Rafale fuselages will be produced outside France. This is a decisive step in strengthening our supply chain in India. Thanks to the expansion of our local partners, including TASL, one of the major players in the Indian aerospace industry, this supply chain will contribute to the successful ramp-up of the Rafale, and, with our support, will meet our quality and competitiveness requirements”.

Under the partnership, Tata Advanced Systems will set up a cutting-edge production facility in Hyderabad for the manufacture of key structural sections of the Rafale, including the lateral shells of the rear fuselage, the complete rear section, the central fuselage, and the front section.

Dassault said that the first fuselage sections are expected to roll off the assembly line in financial year 2028. The facility is expected to deliver up to two complete fuselages per month.

The company added, “The signing of these contracts reflects Dassault Aviation’s strong commitment to India’s ‘Make in India’ and AtmaNirbhar initiatives. This partnership aims to strengthen India’s position as a key player in the global aerospace supply chain while supporting its goal of greater economic self-reliance.”

Talking about the deal, Tata Advanced Systems CEO and MD Sukaran Singh said, “This partnership marks a significant step in India’s aerospace journey. The production of the complete Rafale fuselage in India underscores the deepening trust in Tata Advanced Systems’ capabilities and the strength of our collaboration with Dassault Aviation. It also reflects the remarkable progress India has made in establishing a modern, robust aerospace manufacturing ecosystem that can support global platforms.”

Notably, Indian Air Force has already acquired 36 Rafale fighter jets after a deal was signed in 2016. Earlier this year, orders were placed for 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft for Indian Navy.

Bengaluru stampede: How a toxic cocktail of government apathy, mismanagement and chaos claimed 11 lives

Shraddha Pandey
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Bengaluru stampede: How a toxic cocktail of government apathy, mismanagement and chaos claimed 11 lives

The show must go on, even as innocent people die. The evening of 4th June 2025 became the worst nightmare for thousands of people gathered in Bengaluru to attend sudden celebrations for the first-in-18-years IPL victory of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Overwhelming crowd, chaos and gross mismanagement at the Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in a deadly stampede that claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured.

The tragedy, marked by sheer mismanagement, chaos and a glaring lack of preparedness by the Congress government in Karnataka, has a cast a dark shadow of RCB’s historic win. The apathy of the Karnataka government, coupled with inadequate crowd control measures turned the moment of collective joy into one of immense sorrow, raising questions over public safety and accountability.

A wave of euphoria prevailed in Bengaluru after Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings on 3rd June in the final match at Ahmedabad to clinch their maiden Indian Premier League trophy. To celebrate the IPL franchise’s triumph, a victory parade on 4th June was announced, starting from Vidhan Soudha, where the RCB team was felicitated by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

Followed by this, there were celebrations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, the event drew an unprecedented crowd, far exceeding the stadium’s capacity of 32,000. The massive turnout, passion of RCB fans to have a glimpse of Virat Kohli and other team members and lapses in crowd management led to catastrophic consequences.

Eyewitness accounts and viral videos show uncontrolled crowds, bottlenecked entry points, and a visibly underprepared security apparatus. The injured persons were taken to the Bowering Hospital in Shivajinagar from the stadium area. Anticipating the arrival of the RCB team from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, fans had jam-packed the roads and alleys between the two places, causing traffic chaos and a law and order situation.

Victory parade taken out despite local police’s refusal

It is being reported that the victory parade was taken out despite the Bengaluru Police stating that there will be no such parade. The RCB on the team’s social media pages on Wednesday posted that the victory parade will take place at 5 pm and also announced limited free passes. This came hours after the Bengaluru Police had stated that no such parade will take place due to security reasons. The local police also denied permission for an open-top bus parade.

Some social media users highlighted that the Bengaluru traffic police had posed on X saying that no victory parade will take place. However, after RCB franchise’s official handle posted that the parade will indeed take place, the Bengaluru traffic police deleted its post.

As per the police, over 50,000 fans had gathered within a one-kilometre radius of the stadium, and many of them tried to push through the gates and climb barriers installed by the authorities. It is due to the inability to manage such a huge crowd in a small area that the police had denied permission for victory parade. This aspect was also pointed out by sports journalist Vikrant Gupta in a video.

While questions must be raised over the local administration’s failure, the management of the RCB is also to be questioned for unusual hurry to fly the team to Karnataka and organise a the celebration in haste. There was serious communication gap.

As per Karnataka deputy CM, while the Chinnaswamy stadium’s capacity was of 32,000, over 3 lakh people had gathered there. Although the severe backlash Karnataka government is receiving has compelled the minister to ‘apologise’, this sensitivity was missing when the stampede happened.

Death toll increased outside Chinnaswamy stadium, celebrations continued inside

Even as the news of a stampede broke, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar arrived at the stadium for celebrations and said how he is very proud of RCB and Karnataka and Kohli’s loyalty has paid royalty.

Inside the stadium, celebrations were going on, with Karnataka CM and deputy CM and RCB players and management rejoicing, all while the fans of the same team were dying, enduring injuries and battling to come out alive. While it is being said that people inside the stadium were largely unaware of what tragedy unfolded outside the stadium, however, it is impossible that the state’s chief minister and deputy chief minister, who are responsible for ensuring the safety of their people, especially during such massive events, were unaware of the stampede.

The least the authorities could have done is stop the celebrations and take swift action to disperse the crowd properly. However, the Karnataka ministers decided to let the show go on, make reels and hog limelight with cricketers.

The deputy CM posted on X giving out open invitation to everyone to join the celebrations of RCB’s victory despite knowing the fact that the fan frenzy was uncontrollable. The Congress government hastened the celebrations even as there was a lack of adequate security and crowd management arrangements.

The state government and RCB should have coordinated to hold the celebrations and even victory parade after two or three days in well-planned manner just as NDA government in Maharashtra did after India’s T20 World Cup in last year, so that the Bengaluru police and administration could get enough time to make necessary arrangements. However, communication gap and the state government’s apparent desperation to encash the moment and emotions of fans resulted in hurried celebrations that eventually transformed into a gut-wrenching tragedy.

Despite knowing the popularity of RCB in Bengaluru and the significance of the franchise’s first IPL title, the state government grossly underestimated the turnout or perhaps they were not much concerned about the possibility of a stampede-like situation as they were engrossed in encashing the triumphant moment.

While the Bengaluru Police initially denied permission for an open-bus parade due to safety reasons, the event proceeded regardless, with insufficient security measures. Reports say that around 5,000 police personnel were deployed, however, this number was woefully inadequate for a crowd of lakhs in such a small place. There was a lack of proper barricades, entry protocols, and crowd dispersal strategies leading fans who were already running high on emotions to breach gates, climb over barriers. Meanwhile, the collapse of a temporary slap over a drain under the weight of the crowd near the stadium also contributed to escalating panic.

Besides, rumours of free tickets being distributed at the main entrance became nothing less than a death trap as massive crowd turned over to claim their free tickets even though there no such official announcement.

Notably, the Chinnaswamy stadium has 21 stands with 13 gates. Gates 9 and 10 were reserved for state cricket association members. The gates 5, 6, 7, 19 and 20, located along the team’s main entry route witnessed the highest concentration of crowds. Reports say that maximum deaths happened at gate 7.

“There was an ambulance with 40 injured people. I was lucky to get out in time. Even police were struggling to manage the crowd,” said Avinash from RR Nagar.

Another eyewitness Sinchana N, who got caught in the melee, said, “I could avoid the worst only because I reached late. Cops were not controlling the crowd in the real sense, and were just pushing people around.”

The visuals of the stampede and eyewitness accounts describe scenes of desperation, with people trampled and unconscious before finally help arrived. As the crowd was beyond the expected estimates of the authorities, emergency services were overwhelmed, with ambulances struggling to navigate through crowded streets and police had to do lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.

Delayed response to crisis, overwhelming crowd, communication gaps,  prioritising publicity over public safety, rumours, disastrous crowd control and the state government’s apathy collectively caused the stampede that turned a day meant to be remembered for celebration of a historic victory into a day of unimaginable tragedy.

While the stampede unfolded outside Chinnaswamy stadium, the state’s Chief Minister, Deputy CM and other leaders appeared disconnected from the crisis. Their celebratory mood persisted even as the reports of the stampede emerged, with the event inside the stadium continuing as if nothing tragic happened at all. A lap of honour and brief speeches continued for about 30 minutes and eventually the program was abruptly halted.

The Karnataka Chief Minister announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The Chief Minister acknowledged the unexpected scale of the crowd, however, this situation would never had arose if instead of announcing celebrations in a haste, the Congress government took a few days to plan the event well and then organise celebrations. This too little, too late response is essentially useless now that so many people who came to a part of a celebration lost their lives.

Also, in a country like India, where cricket celebrations are predictable spectacles, giving excuses like ‘we did not expected this much crowd’ does not make sense. It is rather, the most convenient way of evading accountability.

RCB has a issued a statement mourning the loss of lives, cricketers will also issue statements on Instagram with a heartbreak emojis and thick-skinned politicians will play blame game, compensations and inquiry have already been announced, massive social media outrage is ongoing, but those who lost their lives in the stampede will never return. Their families are devastated all because of the state government’s misplaced priorities and criminal negligence. This tragedy serves as a painful lesson that no victory, no celebration, however historic, is worth a human life. The dystopian scenes from Bengaluru on 4th June 2025 will haunt the city and India for a long time, and remind the people that for apathetic leaders, people are just crowd, just numbers and nothing more.

Exploited the underprivileged, gave jobs to illiterates: CBI shares details of ‘Land for Jobs Scam’ in Railways during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as minister

OpIndia Staff
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Exploited the underprivileged, gave jobs to illiterates: CBI shares details of ‘Land for Jobs Scam’ in Railways during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as minister

During a hearing of the land for jobs scam case in the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Wednesday (4th June), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made some shocking submissions against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav who is an accused in the case.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) DP Singh, appearing for the CBI, said before Special Judge Vishal Gogne that during his tenure as the Railway Minister under the UPA-I government between 2004 and 2009, Lalu Prasad Yadav exploited job aspirants from underprivileged backgrounds by giving them Group-D jobs in railway in exchange for their lands. The central agency said that these job aspirants transferred their lands to Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members at extremely lower prices in exchange for jobs. Notably, all the transactions were done using cash to avoid scrutiny.

Job aspirants had forged documents: CBI

The SPP highlighted that the job aspirants were primarily from Bihar and owned land that the Yadav family found beneficial. “We have a clear cash trail. These people were seeking government jobs and were willing to part with their land in return,” said Singh. The agency further said that no public notice or advertisement was issued before making these appointments. It pointed out before the court that many approvers had confirmed that there was “enormous pressure from the top” of the Ministry to approve these appointments.

The CBI counsel said that many candidates out of those selected for appointments could not even write their names and had forged their documents. He said that a school existed for the sole purpose of issuing forged certificates. “As quid pro quo candidates directly or through their relatives sold lands to Lalu Prasad Yadav on highly discounted rates,” Singh said.

Pointing out the irregularities in the appointment process, the SPP said that so many candidates were selected for the jobs in one single day. “It is a tedious process, yet multiple applications were cleared at lightning speed. There was neither an advertisement nor any emergency justifying such mass hiring,” Singh added.

The CBI Counsel also said that the jobs were given as substitutes, a category normally reserved for temporary replacements in the absence of regular employees. “There’s no justification for hiring so many substitutes so quickly,” Singh said.

Even illiterates were given Railway jobs

Central Bureau of Investigation told the Delhi Court that those who couldn’t even write their own names were given Railway jobs during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as the Railway Minister. CBI says that these people were given Group-D jobs in the Indian Railways after gifting land parcels to former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family.

These fraudulent appointments in question were allegedly made in the West Central Zone of the Railways, based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, between 2004 and 2009.

3 chargesheets filed in the case

An FIR was registered in the case in May 2022 against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, and daughter Hema Yadav. Over 80 other persons, including public servants and private persons associated with the Railway Ministry, were also named in the FIR for allegedly facilitating illegal appointments in various railway zones.

Three chargesheets have been filed by the CBI in the case so far. The first chargesheet was filed on October 7, 2022, after which 16 accused were summoned. This was followed by a second chargesheet filed on March 27, 2024, and summoning of 17 individuals including Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tej Pratap Yadav. The RJD chief, his family members and 78 other accused, including 30 government officials, were summoned when the last chargesheet was filed by the CBI on June 7, 2024. However, all of them were granted bail on a bond of ₹50,000 each.

With Vande Bharat, Kashmir valley ‘connected’ to India: Read about the engineering marvels on USBRL, over ₹43,000 crores and Modi govt’s Railways push to the nation’s frontiers

Rukma Rathore
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With Vande Bharat, Kashmir valley ‘connected’ to India: Read about the engineering marvels on USBRL, over ₹43,000 crores and Modi govt’s Railways push to the nation’s frontiers

The Vande Bharat Express is anticipated to traverse swiftly between Katra and Srinagar, shortening travel time and setting a new standard of comfort for the inhabitants of Jammu and Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off the first Vande Bharat train service to Kashmir on the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) on 6th June.

The new semi-high-speed train will travel 150 kilometers between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra and Nowgam station in Srinagar. It will be fitted with automatic doors, anti-spall layers and heating systems. On 23rd January, the Indian Railways ran a test run of the Vande Bharat train between Katra and Srinagar.

Image via Rising Kashmir

The project was originally scheduled to launch on 19th April, however due to unfavorable weather, it was postponed. The inauguration was further delayed as a result of the 22nd April Pahalgam terror attack. PM Modi was supposed to attend its opening in Srinagar prior to the Pakistan-sponsored assault. According to officials, he will now flag off the train from Katra in the Jammu region.

There are currently train services running between the Kashmir’s Baramulla-Srinagar to Sangaldan. Officials stated, “Trains can now run between the entire stretch since Sangaldan and Katra in Jammu have been connected via rail.”

Chenab Bridge

Additionally, PM Modi will also inaugurate two engineering wonders: India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge at Anji Khad and the highest railway bridge in the world over the Chenab.

The railways successfully conducted its first “trial special train” last month, which transported soldiers on the Katra-Qazigund section, including the Chenab Bridge which is in the last segment that connects Kashmir to the rest of India through rail.

Anji Khad Bridge

An extraordinary engineering achievement

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) stands as one of the most significant railway projects ever pursued in independent India. The project, which is 272 kilometers long and runs across the untamed Himalayas, was constructed for ₹43,780 crore. It connects valleys, ridges and mountain passes.

Ballast-less tracks were laid over bridges and tunnels, crossing deep valleys as part of the USBRL project. 90% of the route passes over 943 bridges and 36 major tunnels totaling 119 kilometers, including the T-50, India’s largest railway tunnel which is more than 12.7 kilometers long.

Another important component of the USBRL is the prominent Banihal-Qazigund Railway Tunnel, often called the Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel. Located in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, this 11.215 kilometre long tunnel is an essential part of the railway line that connects Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of India.

Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel

The train unites remote places with the national rail network and ushers in a new era of mobility, trade and tourism for Jammu and Kashmir. It has been designed to overcome the region’s harsh geography. The introduction of the Vande Bharat Express between Jammu and Srinagar is intended to optimize the impact of this connectivity. It is engineered to withstand the severe Himalayan winters. As low as minus 20 degrees Celsius can not affect its operation.

The train’s year-round functioning and comfort are guaranteed by heated windshields, sophisticated heating systems and insulated restrooms. A snow removal train that travels ahead to clear the tracks supports this route, guaranteeing year-round operation. Likewise, seismic dampers have been placed to absorb shocks, making travel in this high-risk area safer and more comfortable.

The train has climate-specific modifications to enable clear visibility during the brutal winter months, providing advanced heating systems in below-freezing conditions and have heating elements incorporated in the driver’s front looking glass for defrosting. The Vande Bharat train will traverse the Chenab Bridge, which is positioned 359 meters above mean sea level.

Together, these measures are revolutionizing Jammu and Kashmir’s public transportation system to make it more dependable, resilient and equipped for the future. The train will also cross the Anji Khad bridge, India’s first cable-stayed bridge on the Katra-Banihal route. The 725-meter bridge, which is 331 meters above mean sea level is supported by 96 cables.

It is higher than the Eiffel Tower rising 1,178 feet over the Chenab River. An official stated, “The trains and the security apparatus are in place for operation.” There will only be four stations, Srinagar, Banihal, Jammu Tawi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, between Srinagar and Jammu.

Timings and schedule

The Ministry has authorized four Vande Bharat trains, specifically the Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express (26401/26402) and the Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express (26403/26404), two from Srinagar and two from Jammu, according to an official announcement.

The Srinagar-Jammu Tawi Vande Bharat Express (26402) would depart Srinagar at 2 pm every day, with the exception of Tuesdays and arrive in Jammu at 6:50 pm, based on the communique’s approximate schedule. A similar service would be provided by the Srinagar-Jammu Tawi Vande Bharat Express (26404), which leaves Srinagar at 8 am and arrives in Jammu at 12:40 pm every day except Wednesday.

With the exception of Wednesday, the Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express (26403) will operate every day. It leaves at 1:20 pm from Jammu and arrives in Srinagar at 6:00 pm. Similarly, the Jammu Tawi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express (26401) will depart from Jammu at 6.20 am and arrive in Srinagar at 11.10 am every day except Tuesday.

The order stresses a timely launch with a convenient date and describes the introduction of new train services based on Northern Railway’s proposals. It’s possible that the inaugural train could be a special service that eventually links to the normal timetable. It also pointed out the importance to ensure that the changes are executed in accordance with these guidelines.

High speed train trial on Chenab Bridge

The Vande Bharat Express train’s fare from Katra to Srinagar has not yet been formally declared, but according to railway input, it could be around Rs 1600 for an AC chair car and Rs 2500 for an executive chair car. It would accommodate 530 passengers and features seven luxury class coaches and one executive class coach.

A separate goods train service will also operate in accordance with seasonal needs, particularly to facilitate the transportation of fresh vegetables and other necessities. Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi will launch passenger service between Baramulla in North Kashmir and Katra.

According to other reports, the prime minister is expected to flag off two Vande Bharat trains: one from Katra to Srinagar and the other from Srinagar to Katra. These trains will currently only run between the two cities. There is now no direct Vande Bharat service between Jammu and Srinagar due to ongoing development at the Jammu Railway Yard. Passengers will need to change trains at Katra to continue their journey until this work is completed, which should be concluded by August or September.

Vande Bharat brings development

The road trip from Katra to Srinagar takes at least six to seven hours whereas the Vande Bharat train journey would only require three hours. People will be able to travel from Jammu to Srinagar and back that same evening owing to the Vande Bharat trains, per Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The train would help the people of Kashmir by making it easier and less expensive to transport items like apples, dry fruits, pashmina shawls, handicrafts, etc. to other regions of the nation. It is also expected that the cost of shipping everyday items from other parts of the nation to the valley will drop dramatically. Land was also identified for three of the four cargo terminals to be constructed between Banihal and Baramulla.

Vande Bharat train in Kashmir during trial run

The Katra and Srinagar segments of the Vande Bharat Express will enable smooth travel to and from 18 significant stations for the convenience of residents along the route, including Reasi, Bakkal, Dugga, Sawalkote, Sangaldan, Sumber, Khari, Banihal, Shahabad Hill Halt, Qazigund, Sadura, Anantnag, Bijbehara, Panzgam, Avantipora, Ratnipora, Kakapora and Pampore.

How the ambitious project came to fruition

The Himalayas are young, and the seismically most active Zones IV and V are home to the geologically unstable Shivalik Hills and Pir Panjal mountains. Bridge and tunnel building were greatly hindered by the challenging terrain which receives a lot of snow in the winter.

Over 205 kilometers of motorable roads, including 320 bridges and a tunnel, were constructed at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore to move personnel, heavy equipment and building supplies to construction sites, many of which were on steep mountain slopes with an elevation of 70 degrees or more.

Image via @trainwalebhaiya/X

Given the difficulties in building enormous bridges and intricate tunnels in hazardous mountainous terrain, railway engineers developed a revolutionary technique called the Himalayan Tunneling Method (HTM), in which horseshoe-shaped tunnels were constructed rather than the more common D-shaped ones. With this approach, the site curves downward, strengthening the structure where loose soil is present above it.

The broad gauge railway line possesses a ruling gradient of 0.5-1 percent, thus avoiding the need for bank engines in a region characterized by mountains. Originally, diesel engines were supposed to power the trains with the option to electrify them later. Every significant bridge, tunnel and train station will have CCTV cameras and lighting. The tunnels and track have been constructed to require minimal maintenance.

Transformation of railways in Jammu and Kashmir

A 48-kilometer line that ran through Khari and Sumber from Banihal to Sangaldan was put into service in February 2024. Additionally, the 185.66-kilometer Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal-Sangaldan segment was electrified. PM Modi inaugurated services between Sangaldan and Baramulla and marked the start of the valley’s first electric train.

In January 2025, the 111-kilometer Banihal-Katra section’s final safety assessments went underway. This section consists of 4 seven-kilometer bridges and 97 kilometers of tunnels. On the other hand, Jammu Railway Station which is being renovated would include eight platforms and contemporary conveniences.

Image via INSIGHTS IAS

Indian Railways also opened the new Jammu Railway Division in January, which is part of Northern Railway and has its headquarters in Jammu. It will serve Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and portions of Punjab. Large portions of the former Firozpur Division have been reallocated to this 70th division of Indian Railways which will improve operations in the area and oversee significant portions of the USBRL.

A 25 kilometer section between Udhampur and Katra, as well as 184 kilometres of the completed route between Sangaldan in Jammu and Baramulla in Kashmir are currently served by local trains. The remaining portion, the final 63-kilometer Katra-Sangaldan section is also now open to the public.

In 1983, the Congress government, then headed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, placed the first foundation stone for the Udhampur-Srinagar rail line. However, it wasn’t until the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government declared it a national project in 2002 when actual work commenced.

Connecting India via Railways

The USBRL has been finished in stages since it was approved in 1994-1995 and certified as a National Project in 2002. The following important portions have already been commissioned: Banihal-Qazigund (2013), Udhampur-Katra (2014), Banihal-Baramulla (2009) and Banihal-Sangaldan (2020). Last year, a successful Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train trial run was also carried out on the electrified Reasi-Sangaldan line.

There is more to this development than merely a new train service. It serves as a testament to the advancements made in the area’s railway system during the previous eleven years of Modi government. The railway map of Jammu and Kashmir has been meticulously and intentionally redrawn. Once viewed as far-flung aspirations, projects have evolved into valuable links between people, livelihoods and locations.

A Vande Bharat passenger train runs across a green valley on the outskirts of Jammu. (Source: Mint)

A dedicated railway division, station modernization and complete electrification have put the area squarely on track for faster, cleaner and more equitable expansion. Furthermore, the Modi government has successfully linked the valley with the rest of the country. The railway network has seen significant expansion since 2014, connecting parts of India that previously had only a distant dream of such services.

From the northeast to Kashmir, the railways have played a crucial role in linking even the most isolated regions to the rest of the country, providing people with both comfort and convenience. The railways have notably connected remote regions, aiding in economic growth and development. The project will greatly improve the lives of locals while also advancing industries including horticulture, tourism, agriculture and education.

Once considered isolated, the north-east region along with the underdeveloped and terror-affected Kashmir, has now integrated into the mainstream of India’s success story under Modi government and the recent developments stand as evidence of this transformation. Moreover, the current focus on bolstering rail infrastructure in these areas signifies a commitment to integration and inclusive development. This new train link would fulfill a seven-decade-old dream of national unification by connecting Kashmir and Kanyakumari with a continuous railway line.

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