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Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposes US support for “productive discussions” with Pakistan while talking to EAM Jaishankar, urges both sides to de-escalate

ANI
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposes US support for “productive discussions” with Pakistan while talking to EAM Jaishankar, urges both sides to de-escalate

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Saturday, the Department of State shared in a press statement.

As per the US Department of State, Secretary Rubio emphasised that India and Pakistan “need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation”.

Notably, he proposed, “US support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes”. His remarks come after having spoken with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir earlier on Friday (US local time).

According to the Department of State, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to deescalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts.”

Earlier, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both the countries. Leavitt said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate.

“This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible,” she said.

Leavitt said that the conflict between the nations is an old one, and talks are on to prevent further escalations.

Meanwhile, during a press briefing in New Delhi on Saturday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas.

Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan.

“Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates,” Singh said.

“In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets… Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa… India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan,” she added.

Foreign Secy Misri said that there has been a particular focus on targeting of civilian infra and population of India by Punjab and said earlier on Saturday Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir which resulted in the death of ADDM Raj Kumar Thapa.

He informed that overnight there was damage to property and civilians in Firozpur and Jalandhar amongst other places”.

He slammed Pakistan for spreading fake news on targeting itself calling, “These lame attempts to divide India are doomed to failure”.

“There is a completely ludicrous claim that Indian missiles have hit Afghanistan. Totally frivolous allegation”

He said that Afghan people don’t need to be reminded which country has targeted civilian population and infrastructure”, Misri said.

In his concluding remarks, Misri called the developments to be “an evolving situation”.

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

Congress, Rajdeep Sardesai spread lies about India not voting against Pakistan’s loan request at the IMF: Here is the truth

OpIndia Staff
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Congress, Rajdeep Sardesai spread lies about India not voting against Pakistan’s loan request at the IMF: Here is the truth

After the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Pakistan’s request for a bailout package on Friday (9th May), the Congress party and India Today ‘journalist’ Rajdeep Sardesai grabbed the opportunity to attack the Indian government by spreading lies. The IMF, despite Pakistan’s abysmal track record, approved the grant of $1 billion to the country under its Extended Fund Facility.

Congress accused the Modi government of ‘chickening out’

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh and Rajdeep Sardesai were quick to use the development to target the Indian government amid the ongoing hostilities between India and Pakistan. Ramesh accused the Modi government of ‘chickening out’ at the IMF and failing to vote against Pakistan’s loan request.

“On April 29th, the INC had demanded that India vote against the IMF loan to Pakistan, which was considered today by its Executive Board. India has only abstained from the vote. The Modi Government has chickened out. A strong NO would have sent a powerful signal,” Ramesh wrote on X on Friday.

Sardesai questioned the Modi government for not voting against Pakistan

Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai also furthered the misinformation about the Indian government by questioning why India did not vote against Pakistan’s loan request at the IMF. “India abstains from vote for loan to Pakistan at the IMF executive board meeting..qs: why didn’t we vote against Islamabad given the stakes involved?” Sardesai posted on X on Friday.

Screengrab of the now deleted tweet by Rajdeep Sardesai

Why India abstained from voting at the IMF

India registered a strong opposition against Pakistan’s loan request at the meeting of the Executive Board of the IMF. Citing Pakistan’s poor track record, India pointed out the possibility of Pakistan misusing the funds for sponsoring cross-border terrorism.

“Pakistan has been a prolonged borrower from the IMF, with a very poor track record of implementation and adherence to the IMF’s program conditions,” India said in its remarks.

India brought to the notice of the board that in the last 35 years, since 1989, the IMF has disbursed funds to Pakistan for 28 years, including four programmes the preceding 5 years without any significant reform.

It argued that Pakistan would not have sought another bailout package if these programmes had succeeded. India also said that, considering Pakistan’s Army interference in the country’s policy matters and economic affairs, there is hardly any hope for reforms.

Notably, the IMF does not allow its members the option to vote against a motion. The member countries only have two options- either to vote in favour or abstain from voting.

Therefore, in the absence of an option to vote against Pakistan’s loan request, India abstained from voting. By abstaining from voting, India conveyed its strong disapproval and formally recorded its objections.

The IMF Executive Board has 25 Directors representing member countries or groups of countries. The Board is responsible for handling daily operational matters, including loan approvals.

At the IMF, the member countries do not have one vote each, and the voting powers reflect the economic size of each member. Thus, countries like the US enjoy a disproportionately high voting share.

With Nur Ali Khan airbase, India has sent a message that it can neutralise Pakistan’s ‘Air Force One’ and its top military rank

OpIndia Staff
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With Nur Ali Khan airbase, India has sent a message that it can neutralise Pakistan’s ‘Air Force One’ and its top military rank

Pakistan has been on a suicide mission ever since it attacked civilians in Pahalangam and massacred Hindus after confirming their faith. After the terrorist attack on the 22nd of April 2025, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in which it neutralised several terror camps, including those of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizbul Mujahideen, etc, in a targeted air strike across the border, deep inside Pakistan’s territory. What followed was Pakistan, yet again, targeting civilians in several parts of North and West India by shooting drones and missiles into civilian territory – attacks which continue to be summarily thwarted by India.

In the intervening night of 9th and 10th May, Pakistan carried out a second wave of swarm drone attacks at 26 locations along the International Border and Line of Control. The targeted areas include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala. According to reports, Pakistan also attempted to target Delhi, the capital city of India, with a missile, which was intercepted by India over Sirsa, Haryana.

News has also emerged of Pakistan attempting to target holy shrines of Hindus, including Jammu’s Aap Shambhu Temple and Mata Vaishno Devi.

Following the misadventure by Pakistan, India launched retaliatory air strikes in the wee hours of 10th morning. India hit major military air bases of Pakistan deep into Pakistani territory. Pakistan confirmed the attack but claimed that its assets were safe, even as visuals show massive blasts.

Pakistani airbases hit by India:

  1. Rawalpindi PAF Base Nur Khan, reported to have been involved in shooting down the plane of Captain Abhinandan Varthaman.
  2. Shorkot PAF Base Rafiqui, named after a Pakistani pilot killed in the 1965 war.
  3. PAF Base Murid, last mauled in the 1971 war by India.

From the list of airbases pummelled by India, the PAF base Nur Ali Khan stands out because of its significance and the potential message India sent by selecting that site as one of its targets.

Divya Kumar Soti, a defence analyst and commentator pointed out, “Nur Ali Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi attached to Pakistan Army HQs, which has been hit by Indian missile attack, houses No. 12 VIP Squadron which operates VVIP contingent of Pakistan Air Force. VVIP planes used by President (Pakistan -1) and Prime Minister of Pakistan (Pakistan -2) as well top military officers are stationed on this base. This means that now top military leadership of Pakistan cannot escape out of Rawalpindi by air. India is signalling that it won’t hesitate in eliminating top terrorist Generals of Pakistan Army”.

The Nur Ali Khan Airbase houses the No. 12 Squadron, which is the VIP transport and communication unit of the Pakistan Air Force. Essentially, It is the Air Force One of Pakistan which transports the President (Callsign Pakistan-1), the Prime Minister (Callsign Pakistan-2) and the Chief of Air Staff (Callsign Shahbaz-1) during official visits. It was originally formed as a bomber squad but eventually turned into the VIP squad in 1953.

The Nur Ali Khan Airbase also houses the top military officers and commanders, and it houses the former Benazir Bhutto International Airport, PAF College, Chaklala, an institute for Aviation Cadets of the college, and Fazaia Inter College Nur Khan.

With India targeting the Nur Ali Khan airbase, it has sent a strong message to Pakistan. The significance of the airbase is evident from the fact that not only does it house Pakistan’s “air force one” but is also responsible for the transport, communication and safety of the top leader of the country, including the President, Prime Minister and the Chief of Air Staff. The Airbase also is home to some of the top military leaders of Pakistan. By targeting this specific airbase, India is clearly sending the message that unless Pakistan chooses to de-escalate, it can neutralise one of the most significant airbases of Pakistan and along with it, it can get to the top military generals and the top leadership of the country.

India’s press briefing on 9th May – How Pakistan is targeting civilians in India in response to Operation Sindoor, which neutralised terrorists

On the 9th of May, India held a special press briefing detailing Pakistan’s misadventure in India. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, described the events in the briefing.

Vyomika Singh said that on the intervening night of 8 and 9 May, the Pakistan military carried out multiple violations of Indian airspace along the entire western border with an intent to target military infrastructure. Pakistan’s military also resorted to firing heavy-calibre weapons along the line of control.

Drone intrusions were attempted from Leh to Sir Creek along the international border and LoC, the Wing Commander said. She added that around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations. The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and gather intelligence.

Forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones is being done. Initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones. Later in the night, an armed UAV of Pakistan attempted to target Bathinda military station, which was detected and neutralised.

In response to the Pakistani attack, armed drones were launched at 4 air defence sites in Pakistan. One of the drones was able to destroy an air defence radar, Singh said.

Pakistan also carried out artillery shelling across the LoC using heavy-calibre artillery guns and armed drones at several places in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in some losses and injuries to Indian Army personnel. Pakistan’s army also suffered major losses in India’s retaliatory firing.

Calling out Pakistan’s irresponsibility, the Wing Commander said that despite launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7th May evening, it didn’t shut down its civilian airspace. She said that Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India will result would elicit a swift defence response. This is not safe for unsuspecting civil airliners, including international flights that were flying near the international border.

The Indian government shared screenshots of the flight tracking site Flightradar24, showing civilian aircraft flying between Karachi and Lahore when Pakistan was sending drones and missiles to India. Vyomika Singh said that IAF demonstrated considerable restraint in its response, ensuring the safety of the international civil airliner.

After the briefing by Colonel Sofia Qureshi in Hindi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh in English, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed the media, saying that Pakistan targeted civilian and military establishments, and Indian armed forces responded proportionately, adequately and responsibly.

Misri highlighted the official and blatantly farcical denial of the attacks by the Pakistan government, saying it is yet another example of their duplicity, and the new depths they are plumbing in their quest for disinformation. Referring to Pakistan’s claims that Indian armed forces were attacking religious sites in India, Misri called them preposterous and outrageous.

He said that Pakistan will not succeed in its attempts to mislead the world. He said that the Gurudwara in Poonch was attacked by Pakistan, in which some lives were lost. The foreign secretary said that the notion that India will attack its own cities is a deranged fantasy that only the Pakistani state can come up with. “Perhaps they do it, as they are well versed in it, as history shows,” he added.

He said that Pakistan’s claim that India targeted the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara is a blatant lie and a part of Pakistan’s disinformation campaign. Misri said that Pakistan is trying to impart a communal hue to the situation with the intention of creating discord. He said, “Another point in the same context is Pakistan’s claims that they did not target or attack any religious places. You would recall that yesterday I shared an incident related to the attack on a Gurdwara in Poonch. Instead of owning up to these attacks, Pakistan made the preposterous and outrageous claim that it was the Indian Armed Forces and the Indian Air Force that were targeting cities like Amritsar.”

He added, “This is nothing but a desperate attempt by Pakistan to disown its acts of aggression, and it is consistent with their pattern of deceiving and misleading the world. It will not succeed. The Gurdwara in Poonch, in particular, was attacked by Pakistan, and some local members of the Sikh community, including a Ragi of the Gurdwara, lost their lives in this incident.”

In response to a question, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri further said that in view of the existing security scenario, the services of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor have been suspended till further directions. He informed the press that an artillery shell fired by Pakistan hit a house near a Christian missionary school in Poonch, in which two students of the Christ school died and several others were injured. Similarly, another Pakistani struck a nearby Christian convent of nuns, damaging infrastructure while people in the institution took shelter in an underground hall of the Christ school, which was closed at that time.

Talking about India eliminating the terrorists responsible for the beheading of Jewish American journalist Daniel Pearl, Misri said, “Jaish-e-Mohammed was in some way directly or indirectly responsible for the death of Daniel Pearl. But the real connection is through Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the British Pakistani jihadi who was held in India but was finally released in 2000, and he was the one who lured Daniel Pearl to his eventual murder. So, these are all obviously connected figures, connected individuals, connected institutions. The attack on Bahawalpur, on that facility of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur, is, I would imagine, a fitting part of this unfortunate incident.”

India tells IMF that rewarding continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism sends a dangerous message, abstains from voting in bailout package for Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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India tells IMF that rewarding continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism sends a dangerous message, abstains from voting in bailout package for Pakistan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today reviewed the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) lending program ($1 billion) and also considered a fresh Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) lending program ($1.3 billion) for Pakistan. As an active and responsible member country, India raised concerns over the efficacy of IMF programs in case of Pakistan given its poor track record, and also on the possibility of misuse of debt financing funds for state sponsored cross border terrorism.

Pakistan has been a prolonged borrower from the IMF, with a very poor track record of implementation and of adherence to the IMF’s program conditions. In the 35 years since 1989, Pakistan has had disbursements from the IMF in 28 years. In the last 5 years since 2019, there have been 4 IMF programs. Had the previous programs succeeded in putting in place a sound macro-economic policy environment, Pakistan would not have approached the Fund for yet another bail-out program. India pointed out that such a track record calls into question either the effectiveness of the IMF program designs in case of Pakistan or their monitoring or their implementation by Pakistan.

Pakistan military’s deeply entrenched interference in economic affairs poses significant risks of policy slippages and reversal of reforms. Even when a civilian government is in power now, the army continues to play an outsized role in domestic politics and extends its tentacles deep into the economy. In fact, a 2021 UN report described military-linked businesses as the “largest conglomerate in Pakistan”. The situation has not changed for the better; rather the Pakistan Army now plays a leading role in the Special Investment Facilitation Council of Pakistan.

India flagged the Pakistan chapter of the IMF Report on Evaluation of Prolonged Use of IMF Resources. The report noted that there was a widespread perception that political considerations have an important role to play in the IMF lending to Pakistan. As a result of repeated bailouts, Pakistan’s debt burden is very high, which paradoxically makes it a too big to fail debtor for the IMF.

India pointed out that rewarding continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism sends a dangerous message to the global community, exposes funding agencies and donors to reputational risks, and makes a mockery of global values. While the concern that fungible inflows from international financial institutions, like IMF, could be misused for military and state sponsored cross border terrorist purposes resonated with several member countries, the IMF response is circumscribed by procedural and technical formalities.  This is a serious gap highlighting the urgent need to ensure that moral values are given appropriate consideration in the procedures followed by global financial institutions.

The IMF took note of the India’s statements and its abstention from the vote.

Press release issued by Finance Ministry

Khalistani and self-proclaimed “Sikh leader” Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who claimed Sikhs will support Pakistan, goes mute after Pakistan targeted Gurudwaras

Shraddha Pandey
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Khalistani and self-proclaimed “Sikh leader” Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who claimed Sikhs will support Pakistan, goes mute after Pakistan targeted Gurudwaras

Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which came into existence due to Islamist hatred towards Hindus, Sikhs and outright refusal to coexist peacefully with Kafirs in a united India, has even after 78 years of the bloodied partition failed to relinquish its hatred for non-Muslims and India. In demonstration of its abject hatred for the Sikh community, Pakistan targeted a Gurudwara in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and directed its drones and missiles towards the Golden Temple in the holy city of Amritsar in India’s Punjab. While Indian Sikhs stand rock solid with Indian Armed Forces against Pakistan’s cowardly attacks, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist and self-proclaimed ‘Sikh leader’ has slipped into hibernation.

Completely oblivious to the fact that India’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh himself is a Sikh, Pannun in a recent interview to a Pakistani propaganda YouTube channel claimed that not only the people of Punjab but also Sikh soldiers and officers of the Indian Armed Forces are with Pakistan at his call.

Pannun claimed that Sikhs would support Pakistan and asserted that the current situation is different from that of 1965 and 1971. “This is 2025,” he said, and asserted that Sikhs would stand with Pakistan like a brick wall. He emphasised that Sikhs would not allow Indian forces to attack Pakistan through Punjab. However, this would be possible, according to him, only if Pakistan openly supported the cause of Khalistan, a separate Sikh nation.

Pannun made claims that 20 million Indian Sikhs would stand “like a brick wall” with Pakistan against India in a potential war and serve langar to Pakistani troops. His rhetoric, steeped in anti-India vitriol, removed from reality, painted Pakistan, which has an opprobrious history of systematically persecuting Sikh minorities on its soil for simply existing, as a ‘friendly’ neighbour to a fantasised Khalistan.

Yet, when Pakistan, which pretends to support Sikhs only to use pro-Khalistan narrative to further division and widen religious fissures, targets the holiest site of Sikhs, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, to vent out its frustration against India’s anti-terror strikes under Operation Sindoor, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun remains silent. Otherwise, harping all the time, spewing venom against India, the Khalistan daydreamer made no video, issued no statement outraging over Pakistan’s audacious attempt to attack the Golden Temple, even though the debris from intercepted projectiles was found near the Golden Temple.

In Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch, the Sikh community came under targeted attack by Pakistani forces on 8th May. The wall of the Gurudwara Singh Sabha Poonch was damaged in heavy shelling by Pakistan. Moreover, four Sikhs died in the cowardly attack by Pakistani forces on Indian civilians. Amreek Singh and Ranjit Singh—local shopkeepers, an ex-army official and a devout Granthi Amarjeet Singh, and a homemaker, Ruby Kaur, were killed instantly when a shell exploded near them.

Amarjeet Singh used to play the tabla at the Gurudwara, while another victim, Amreek Singh, was a Raagi who sang hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib at another gurdwara in Poonch. Both of them were killed at different locations in Pakistani shelling.

Expressing shock and grief over the killing of innocent Sikhs by Pakistan, Narinder Singh from the District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Poonch, said: “It was such a fate that not only Amarjeet Singh but also Amreek Singh died in the shelling today. They were small-time preachers for the community. We have never witnessed such heavy shelling in Poonch before. We saw the Kargil war, but civilian establishments largely remained untouched. We thought we had learned to live under shelling. Today, that illusion was broken. The damage to the gurdwara is minor, but the shock is massive.”

On 8th May, Pakistani forces launched a targeted drone attack on the holy city of Amritsar, however, the Indian Air Defence System foiled these threats. During the attack in the evening, a complete blackout was implemented in Amritsar. Missile debris was found in Makhan Windi, a border village of Amritsar. Similar missile debris was found near Jethuwal and Pandher in Punjab.

Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, holy saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib from the Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Havelian village were taken on 9th May to Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib in Amritsar.

While Indians are not unaware of the hatred Pakistani Islamist army, government and its largely brainwashed populace harbours for Hindus, Sikhs,  Christians and all other non-Muslim communities, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in his desperation to find some relevance for his secessionist dreams, mollycoddles the Pakistani establishment. Blinded by hatred for India, so much so that even the killings of Indian Sikhs, attacks on the holy city of Amritsar and on a Gurudwara in Poonch do not seem outrageous enough for the self-proclaimed ‘Sikh leader’ to call out and condemn Pakistan.

This, evidently, is sheer cowardice and a betrayal of the very Sikh community that Pannun so desperately wants to carve out a separate country for, ironically, while remaining ensconced in a comfy house in the United States. While has named his pro-Khalistan group as “Sikhs for Justice”, the Khalistani motormouth himself fails to muster courage to condemn his Pakistani ‘friends’ even as the latter’s cowardly attacks endangered the Golden Temple, the holy city of Amritsar and killed Sikh civilians in Poonch. Suddenly, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun forgets his advocacy for ‘Sikh justice’.

His deafening silence can have only two meanings, either he is complicit in Pakistan’s agenda of targeting religious sites in India, including the holy sites of Sikhs, or he is having an epiphany that his pro-Pakistan stance has spectacularly backfired since India, whom he deems an enemy of Sikhs are actually the protectors while the supposed ‘friend’ Pakistan is an attacker.

While Pakistan’s ISI has long been backing Khalistani secessionists and terrorists to break India and challenge its territorial integrity, the hostile neighbour has never had any genuine respect for the Sikh community. From persecuting Pakistani Sikhs, destroying the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and forcibly converting Sikh girls to their Muslim abductors, Pakistan has demonstrated its anti-Sikh nature. Despite this, the ISI prefers to exploit fault lines to widen religious divides in India.

Not that Indian Sikhs care if Pannun speaks up for them, his silence, even as Pakistan’s strikes targeted Sikh heartland in India that the Khalistani separatist is more loyal to his divisive anti-India propaganda than to the Sikh faith he exploits.

Yamuna is getting purified after AAP lost elections: Men and machines working on a mission mode to clean the river in Delhi under the BJP government

केशव मालान
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Yamuna is getting purified after AAP lost elections: Men and machines working on a mission mode to clean the river in Delhi under the BJP government

The results of the Delhi Assembly elections were declared on 8 February 2025. In these results, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a crushing defeat. With this, the BJP returned to power after 26 years. When the then Chief Minister of Delhi, Atishi, went to submit her resignation to the Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena, he said, “You have been cursed by Yamuna Maiya.”

Cleaning of Yamuna was among the BJP’s major election issues in the Delhi elections. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to all other BJP leaders, everyone mentioned this as AAP’s failure in every rally. After coming to power, the BJP made it clear that it would make cleaning the Yamuna its priority.

It has been almost 3 months since the change of power in Delhi. To inspect how much work has been done for cleaning the Yamuna in these 90 days, OpIndia reached the banks of Yamuna in Delhi and those places where its condition was very bad earlier. OpIndia tried to find out what action the Delhi government is taking to clean the Yamuna.

Machines and workers are busy cleaning in Kalindi Kunj

During this time, OpIndia also talked to people who have been living on the banks of Yamuna for years or are in some way associated with them. OpIndia reached the Kalindi Kunj Ghat of the Yamuna River on Thursday (May 8, 2025) afternoon. Here, Yamuna was looking cleaner from a distance. However, on giving a closer look, the water appeared a little dirty, and some garbage was also visible at the gate near the Kalindi Kunj bridge. As we moved ahead, we saw that a garbage-removing machine was placed on the bank.

A machine has been installed at Kalindi Kunj Ghat to remove garbage from the Yamuna

People working on this machine were present here. They told OpIndia that they have been engaged in cleaning the Yamuna for several months. A worker present there said that after the new government came to power in Delhi, the cleaning of the Yamuna has gained momentum. He said that the officials also keep giving them guidelines from time to time.

Here on the beautiful paved ghat built on the banks of Yamuna, cleanliness and greenery were visible all around.

The water level in Yamuna increased after the BJP government

After Kalindi Kunj Ghat, OpIndia also reached the Yamuna Ghat located at ITO. Here, at one end, a big JCB was busy building the Ghat, while at the other end, a machine was engaged in removing garbage from the river. Here too, the work of cleaning the Yamuna was going on at a war footing as silt was being removed with the help of JCB, and water was being cleaned by removing garbage.

Here too, Yamuna was looking much cleaner than earlier. Sunil Giri, who has been present at the Ghat for years, said that the water level of Yamuna, which was very low earlier, has increased since the BJP government came to power.

Silt is being removed from Yamuna at ITO Ghat

Sunil Giri said that now, aarti is performed regularly on the Chhath Ghat of Yamuna, and a large number of devotees gather here. Diver Jumman, present at the Ghat, said that the Delhi government is currently spending a lot of money on cleaning the Yamuna.

He advised that all the 32 dams here should be cleaned, and that the effect of this entire exercise will be visible once the gates of the dams are opened and water is released. Sevadaar Raju Thakur, who was at the Ghat, said that people come with full devotion to take a bath in the Yamuna, but after seeing the dirty water, they return after joining their hands (to offer pranam) from a distance. He said that the ongoing cleaning efforts are appreciable.

Similarly, the cleaning exercise is going on at other banks of the Yamuna. At some places, garbage is being removed, and at other places, the accumulated silt is being removed. Ghats are also being renovated to restore the glory of Yamuna. Drains that bring dirty water into the Yamuna and pollute it are being closed.

Yamuna is the dirtiest in Delhi

The Yamuna River flows to Delhi from Uttarakhand via Haryana. It meets the Ganga at Prayagraj. Its total length is 1376 kilometres, out of which about 54 kilometres lie in Delhi. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a report said that the Yamuna is most polluted in Delhi.

According to the NGT, “The stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla is 22 km long, which is not even 2% of the total length of the river from Yamunotri to Allahabad, which is 1370 km. But it accounts for nearly 76% of the river’s pollution.”

Cleaning being done at Najafgarh drain (Photo courtesy: @ayush9050/X)

NGT also said that apart from the monsoon season, sewage flows into Yamuna in Wazirabad in Delhi for 9 months. According to the report, 22 drains join Yamuna here, and these are the ones that pollute Delhi the most. NGT assured to work on this.

The Delhi government approved ₹3100 crore

The Rekha Gupta government in Delhi recently called an important meeting of the Expenditure Finance Committee in the Secretariat. In this meeting, many important projects for the development of Delhi were discussed, and ₹3140 crore was approved for cleaning the Yamuna River.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta performing Yamuna Aarti

The Delhi government said that 27 sewage treatment plants would be built with this expenditure. Earlier, ₹500 crores were given for cleaning the Yamuna in the budget 2025-26. Apart from this, efforts are now being made to implement the plans that were made earlier for cleaning the Yamuna.

Not only the Rekha Gupta government of Delhi, but the Modi government at the Centre is also serious about cleaning the Yamuna. In April 2025 itself, PM Modi held a meeting regarding the cleaning of the Yamuna. In the meeting, PM Modi proposed that the public should be made a part of cleaning the Yamuna. He also talked about Chhath.

Indore: Wife of college chairman Sameer Mir accuses him of assaulting and pressuring her to convert to Islam, says he threw away idols of Hindu gods

OpIndia Staff
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Indore: Wife of college chairman Sameer Mir accuses him of assaulting and pressuring her to convert to Islam, says he threw away idols of Hindu gods

In Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, Bhavans College chairman Sameer Mir has been accused of love jihad by his wife. The wife has told the police that Sameer was pressuring her to convert to Islam. The victim has also accused him of threatening her and of domestic abuse.

The victim says that she was married to Sameer Mir in 2006, according to Hindu customs. According to the victim, her husband’s behaviour changed about 4 years ago. Sameer himself started visiting the mosque and praying Namaz. And at that time, she was shocked to know her husband’s full name was Sameer Mir, and he is Muslim.

Moreover, he also started pressuring his wife to pray Namaz and accept Islam. He also started to force her to wear Burqa. He threw away the idols of Hindu gods and goddesses kept in the house, and stopped her from performing puja and visiting temple. When his wife did not listen to Sameer, he started beating her and threw her out of the house in 2020. Sameer and the victim also have two children.

“About 4 years ago, Sameer’s behaviour started changing. He started performing namaz, and he also changed his attire completely. After this, he started pressuring me to pray namaz and accept Islam,” the victim said.

She added that Sameer also forced her and their children to observe Roza

He came to meet the victim several times till 2024, but every time he pressured her to convert to Islam. After being harassed continuously, the victim lodged a complaint against Sameer Mir with the Indore Police.

The police have registered a case against Sameer Mir under relevant sections of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act 2021. The victim has presented her wedding photographs and other evidence to the police. The police are investigating the matter.

Sirens all night, sounds of explosions all around: What it was like in Jammu as Pakistan sent wave after wave of missiles and drones to target the city

Rukma Rathore
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Sirens all night, sounds of explosions all around: What it was like in Jammu as Pakistan sent wave after wave of missiles and drones to target the city

A family gathers in their living room, engaging in laughter and light conversation as they plan an upcoming birthday celebration for one of their members, when their joyful discussion is interrupted by an unexpected power outage. Initially, they speculate that it might be a technical fault or a problem with the transformer while their house is illuminated by the inverter’s light. However, their confusion is soon resolved when a series of loud noises, unlike anything they have experienced before, reverberate throughout the area.

They rush outdoors and observe an object soaring above their residence. Given the current tensions between India and Pakistan, they feel a sense of scepticism, aware that the neighbouring country has a propensity to strike at civilians, due to its inability to challenge our defence forces. Upon reaching the rooftop, they are confronted with a startling scene: the entire vicinity is shrouded in darkness, accompanied by eerie sounds echoing from every side as similar objects pass overhead. It is at that time that they come to understand they are truly under attack from Pakistan.

This was how the evening of 8th May unfolded for my family, myself and the people of Jammu. It is noteworthy that the assault was directed not at the borders, but at the heart of the city, which caught many off guard, as the citizens, especially the younger generation, were quite unfamiliar with this kind of aggression from Pakistan, which typically engages in shelling border territories. Nevertheless, the incident clearly demonstrated how unsettled Pakistan has become following “Operation Sindoor,” as it desperately attempted to target civilians deep within the city due to its failure to counter India’s strikes at its terror infrastructure following the Pahalgam terror attack on 22nd April.

We returned to the safety of our residence, closed the curtains and turned off the lights. We were still evaluating the unprecedented events when our phones began to ring with calls from relatives, friends, and other family members, both from within and outside Jammu, inquiring about the situation in the area. Those who live in Jammu advised us to ensure our safety by securing our doors and remaining indoors, as they were facing similar circumstances. On the other hand, the ones who were in other regions implored us to leave the city and join them as soon as the situation stabilised.

As the expression goes, “The further one is, the more they tend to worry,” our family members and friends who are not in Jammu were noticeably more troubled about our safety. They came up with a variety of ideas to protect ourselves while repeatedly requesting us to come to their place the very next day. While we assured them that we were fine, there was a feeling of genuine apprehension about the potential ramifications of the attack.

Meanwhile, my phone began to explode with notifications and numerous videos of foiled missile and drone attacks from different parts of Jammu. At that time, everyone in Jammu was linked to one another, whether directly or indirectly. I consistently monitored social media and remained connected with my friends in Jammu to gather information regarding the ground situation. I was informed by a cousin that Satwari Cantonment was the intended target, and loud blasts were even audible along with the red projectiles in the sky in the Gandhinagar area, which is one of the most upscale and affluent regions of Jammu.

As the initial surprise faded, we reconciled with the situation and, truthfully, discovered a renewed sense of determination among ourselves against the terror state of Pakistan. The intensity of the attacks soon escalated, and at one point, it nearly felt as though the explosions were occurring on our house’s roof. Amid the cacophony of loud blasts, I questioned my grandmother, who is in her late eighties, about her feelings of fear.

She calmly stated, “I have lived my life and do not have concerns for myself. My primary concern lies with you. I am also troubled by those enduring similar situations in other regions of Jammu and India. I even feel anxious for those who do not have the privilege of safety behind closed doors or in rooms, facing bullets and missiles to protect the nation. Nevertheless, all my worries fade when I invoke the name of my Lord Ram. He is with us all. Sooner or later he will take care of all our problems. Just have faith.”

She has lived through communal riots when she was a minor, lost her people to the violence, was forced to leave her home along with her family and live as a refugee in a different region before returning and rebuilding her life from scratch. Her answer eliminated any remaining uncertainty I possessed.

Although there was a sense of unease among everyone, they chose to respond with strength, calmness and resilience rather than panic or fear. In spite of all circumstances, there existed unwavering confidence in our defence forces and an indomitable trust in the protection bestowed by Goddess Vaishno Devi and Goddess Kali (Bawe Wali Mata). The primary fear for everyone was the likelihood of casualties or substantial losses, however, as the night progressed, the absence of any such report offered us great comfort and further solidified our faith. Our security forces managed to prevent every attack from reaching its target.

We did not sleep, and shortly thereafter, in the early morning hours, we heard similar loud sounds followed by another blackout. However, this time we were neither surprised nor taken aback. We simply prayed for everyone’s safety and hoped for the best. Some individuals were already asleep by then. We later discovered that Pakistan’s attempts have been thwarted once more by our brave forces. The city, however, remains on high alert, as an advisory has been issued to turn off the lights tonight, aware of the malicious intentions of our adversary.

The night that initially took many, including me, by surprise ultimately turned into a matter of pride for our forces and their capabilities, further strengthened our faith in God and profound respect for the courage shown by the ordinary people in the face of such a brutal attack, not only in Jammu but other areas as well. We do not wish to experience this again, nor do we want it for any of our fellow citizens, however, we are not scared either. The message was articulated unequivocally from all households in Jammu yesterday.

Ambassador Vinay Kwatra counters CNN’s anti-India propaganda, sets the record straight regarding ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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Ambassador Vinay Kwatra counters CNN’s anti-India propaganda, sets the record straight regarding ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan

Indian ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, meticulously countered CNN’s anti-India propaganda during a live interview on the news channel on Thursday (8th May). Kwatra corrected the CNN anchor who referred to the Indian union territories of Jammu and Kashmir as “Indian administered parts of Kashmir” by asserting that the entire Jammu and Kashmir, including the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), is an integral part of India. “First of all, I’m sorry, but let me correct you. The entire Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and unalienable part of India. The only issue to be resolved there is the return of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” said Kwatra.

Responding to the CNN anchor’s question about the ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan, Kwatra set the record straight regarding India’s military action against terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK following the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack.

The Indian ambassador clarified that the military escalation between the two countries did not start with India and, in fact, it started with the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which was carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists. He added that Operation Sindoor was India’s counter-terrorism operation in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in which terrorists brutally killed 26 Hindu tourists after verifying their religion. “The strikes were intended to hold the terrorists accountable and deliver justice to the victims. Pakistan’s subsequent military action is them saying that they stand with the terrorists,” he said.

India’s response was precise, calibrated and measured: Kwatra

He said that India did not target the civilian and military locations in Pakistan and PoK and acted in a measured and calculated manner against the terror infrastructure. He described India’s response as “a very precise, calibrated, measured response to these terrorists, to their factories, to their integrated facilities, which they run out of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”

Without mincing words, Kwatra called out Pakistan for sponsoring and harbouring terrorism on its soil and unabashedly denying it. “What it shows the world is that Pakistan has again decided to stand with the terrorists. Rather than take action against them, they are essentially lending them support. We wouldn’t be surprised if they are themselves involved in this,” Kwatra said.

When the CNN anchor asked Kwatra whether India is at war with Pakistan, in order to elicit a desired response, he calmly responded by saying, “We are at war with the terrorists. And we will bring justice to the victims and hold them accountable (terrorists),” Kwatra replied.

Thwarting the anchors’ attempts to label the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan as a religious war, Kwatra reiterated, “I think it is an Indian action against the terrorists. The ones who carried out the killings of the civilians are the frame of reference in doing these attacks (India’s military actions), and holding them accountable is holding terrorism accountable.”

Delhi HC orders Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale to publish a public apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri within a week in defamation case

ANI
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Delhi HC orders Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale to publish a public apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri within a week in defamation case

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale to publish a public apology within a week to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri, as per the court’s previous judgment on July 1, 2024.

This decision comes after Lakshmi Puri filed a contempt petition against Gokhale for failing to comply with the court’s orders.

Lakshmi Puri filed a defamation suit against Saket Gokhale in 2021 after he published tweets questioning her property purchase in Switzerland, raising concerns about her and her husband, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s, assets.

The Delhi High Court deemed Gokhale’s tweets defamatory, citing Shakespeare’s Othello to emphasise the damage inflicted on Puri’s reputation.

Saket Gokhale appeared before the Delhi High Court on February 28 and April 15, 2025, in compliance with orders issued in the contempt petition.

After reviewing submissions, Justice Anish Dayal directed Gokhale to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages to Lakshmi Puri, issue an unconditional public apology on his X handle, to remain visible for six months, publish the apology prominently in a national daily newspaper, specifically The Times of India and refrain from making any further defamatory statements against Puri on any platform

Additionally, regarding the Rs 50 lakh damages, a coordinate bench led by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora had already ordered the attachment of Gokhale’s salary on April 24, 2025.

The Court further directed that arguments on the issue of wilful noncompliance would be considered on the next hearing date, which is 12.09.2025.

Gokhale failed to comply with the court’s previous judgment, leading to a contempt petition filed by Lakshmi Puri.

Recently, another bench of the Delhi High Court dismissed applications filed by Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, who sought to recall an order directing him to pay Rs50 lakh in damages and publicly apologise to Lakshmi Puri, former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, in a defamation case.

Another bench of the Delhi High Court also issued an order attaching a portion of Saket Gokhale’s salary, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The court directed that the salary will remain under attachment until a total sum of Rs 50 lakh is deposited in the court.

The defamation case originated in 2021 after Gokhale published a series of tweets questioning Puri’s property purchase in Switzerland. His posts raised concerns regarding her and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s assets.

Additionally, Gokhale tagged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in his tweets, calling for an ED investigation. In its July 2023 ruling, the High Court deemed the tweets defamatory, citing Shakespeare’s Othello to emphasise the damage inflicted on Puri’s reputation.

Earlier, in July 2021, the court had issued an interim injunction, mandating Gokhale to remove the tweets within 24 hours and barring him from making further defamatory statements. However, Gokhale failed to comply with the court’s previous judgment, leading to a contempt petition filed by Lakshmi Puri.

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

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