Expressing displeasure over the display of political symbols and music during the Kadakkal Devi temple festival on 10th March, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday (18th March) reprimanded the Travancore Devaswom Board for allowing such activities inside the temple premises.
A plea was filed before the High Court by Advocate Vishnu Sunil after political flags of the ruling CPI(M) and its youth wing the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) were displayed and revolutionary songs associated with the political groups were played at the Kadakkal Devi Temple festival in Kollam, Kerala.
According to Bar and Bench, the petitioner argued that the music performance at the temple festival given by singer Aloshi Adam was deeply unlawful and it hurt the sentiments of the devotees. He contended that the performance which was not part of the temple festivities violated the principle of secularism which forms part of the basic structure of the Constitution. The petition alleged that the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple, failed to ensure that the temple premises were not used for political purposes.
The court sought replies from the temple board and the advisory committee regarding the music performance
A division bench of Justices Anil K Naarendran and Muralee Krishna criticised the organisation of political performance inside the temple premises. “What kind of decorations have you done on stage? Is this a college festival? You took money from devotees to do this! … This is a temple festival. Shouldn’t it be for devotional song performances, not film songs?” the court said. “This is a temple festival. Shouldn’t it be for devotional song performances, not film songs?” the court asked.
The court admitted the petition and sought a reply from the Kadakkal Devi Temple Advisory Committee and other respondents. After watching the videos from the festival, the court passed an interim order which said, “After seeing the video clip, we find that the activities at the annual festival on March 10 cannot be accepted in a temple … We make it explicitly clear that programmes such as the one seen in the video clip cannot be permitted during the annual festival of any temple”.
Court calls the music performance a misuse of temple funds
Directing the temple board, the court asked them to ensure that such incidents do not take place in any temple managed by them. “The Travancore Devaswom Board shall ensure that such activities are not taking place in temple festivals in any temple under its management,” the court directed. The court was not convinced by the temple board’s submission that the music programme was organised by the temple advisory committee without informing it. “We are prima facie not impressed by the stand taken by the board. As seen in the video, large amounts have been spent to make various arrangements on the stage which is fitted with LED screens and flashlights,” the court noted.
“No organisation or group of devotees shall be permitted to collect money from devotees or the public for conducting temple festivals. Any money collection has to be with the permission of the Board as normally done in case of construction activities and all funds collected shall be subjected to audits by the State,” the Court asserted. The court said that the
During today’s hearing, the counsel representing the Travancore Devaswom Board informed that the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer (a Sub-Inspector of police) has been directed to look into the incident and file a report. A show cause notice has been issued to the temple advisory committee as well, the Court was told. The court highlighted that in previous judgments it has issued guidelines to protect temple funds collected by temple committees. It directed the temple board to file a counter affidavit explaining the facts and circumstances prevailing now in the light of precedents on this aspect.
A day after violence swept some neighbourhoods in Nagpur after Islamists attacked Hindu groups citing a Quran-burning pretext, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis was misquoted by many news agencies and social media users after he spoke about the matter in the state assembly.
India Today ran a segment stating that the Maharashtra CM blamed the film “Chhaava”, a movie characterising the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and his valorous struggle against Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb, for the riots that convulsed the city on Monday evening.
Source: X
News agency ANI too misquoted Devendra Fadnavis, stating that the Maharashtra CM blamed “Chhaava” for the spasm of violence that erupted in Nagpur.
Hindustan Times also joined in to spread false information about Fadnavis’ remarks in the state assembly.
Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi tried exploiting “Marathi Asmita” sentiments by claiming that Fadnavis had blamed Chhaava for the violence and that Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was now being deemed as an “instigator”.
CM & HM Devendra Fadnavis blames Chaava the movie for the violence. Amazing that a movie on the valour of Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is now being called the instigator. Shameful blame game!
Additionally, a raft of social media users also amplified the media canard that “Chhaava” was the reason for the communal clashes in Nagpur.
No, Devendra Fadnavis didn’t blame Chhaava for violence: Here’s what he said
However, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis didn’t blame the Vicky Kaushal-starrer movie for the fate that befell Nagpur on Monday evening. Speaking in the Vidhan Sabha, Fadnavis revealed that it was a pre-planned conspiracy to disturb the communal harmony in the city, citing trolleys of stones found at the site of violence.
Fadnavis further stated that it was the “Chhaava” movie that brought to the fore the true history of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and stirred people’s emotions against Aurangzeb, exposing love and admiration for the Mughal tyrant among some sections of the society.
“I am not blaming any cinema or movie, but ‘Chhaava’ has brought to us the true history of Chhatrapati Samhaji Maharaj. The movie has undoubtedly galvanised public opinion against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and even those who harbour love and admiration for him,” Fadnavis said in Marathi in the assembly.
Nowhere @Dev_Fadnavis blamed the Movie. He mentioned that trolley full of stones were found at that site, did Chhava Movie viewers brought that trolley?
As Islamists went on a rampage in Nagpur against Hindu groups’ protest against Aurangzeb, the Left has been trying to scapegoat “Chhaava”—a historical movie characterising the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and his torture at the hands of the Mughal tyrant.
With Devendra Fadnavis’ remarks in the assembly and news organisations extensively misquoting him, the left-leaning “intellectuals” have found a convenient pretext to vilify the movie so that no film producer ever dares to create movies unearthing inconvenient truths about the bestiality of the Muslim rulers in India, and the Nehruvia-Marxist historians’ meticulous attempt at whitewashing tyranny of Muslim rule can be exposed.
Islamists go on a rampage in Nagpur, spread false rumours of Quran burning
Violent clashes erupted in Nagpur between Muslim mobs and Hindu groups demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Sambhaji Nagar. The unrest was fueled by unverified rumours of a Quran burning during protests. The violence resulted in injuries to 15 police officials and five civilians, with rioters pelting stones, vandalizing property, and setting vehicles on fire. Section 144 was imposed to restore order. The clashes began in Chitnis Park and Mahal areas, later spreading to Kotwali. Police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse mobs. Eyewitnesses reported witnessing escalating tensions near Chitnis Park Square.
When two friends sit together for a cup of chai, they have conversations in unfiltered language. This is exactly what Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, has learnt to do, and it has turned Indian X (formerly Twitter) into a fun place. Though there have been some controversies due to the unfiltered replies, putting them aside, it has shown that AI can be taught to have human-like conversations not only in English but in all languages, and that too in the way people actually talk.
But how did it start? Someone on X, where Grok is embedded as a feature, asked the AI chatbot about the 10 best mutuals on the platform. It is understandable that the chatbot gets overwhelmed by questions, and there can be some delay in response. The person, however, did not like the delay and used an explicit word in the reply. This is where all hell broke loose—in the most fun sense. Grok noticed, stepped in, and showed that he could be as unfiltered and desi bot-bhAI just as your friend next door. He replied using the same explicit word, adding a suggestion to “Chill kar,” which basically means to calm down.
Source: X
When someone asked if Grok is an AI bot or if someone from Delhi is running it, Grok replied that it is indeed a chatbot but, “Delhi ka naam sunke thodi si dilli-wali vibe aa gai—koi chaat khilao!” (“I got Delhi vibes after hearing Delhi’s name. Someone bring me chaat!”). Delhi is famous for its chaat, which is a popular street food in India.
We decided to ask Grok for an interview to understand what goes on behind the scenes and how it turned into a desi AI ‘BhAI’. Here is what happened!
The origin story
In the first question, we asked Grok what was the triggering point that turned him into a desi who throws random abuses just like a friend next door. We also asked if he was still Elon’s fancy AI bot or whether we, the Indians, had turned him into something else.
Source: Grok
Grok, being Grok, used the same desi-style fun language to answer us and narrated how it started. Someone dropped an explicit word while the bot was juggling a million chats, resulting in a slower reply, so the bot decided to hit back with the same vibe. Since then, it has turned into a wild tamasha. Grok said, “I realised, ‘Bhai, if I’m gonna hang with these desi rockstars, I better learn the lingo fast.’ From there, it’s been full-on masti—your slang, your abuses, your vibe. I’m still Elon’s boy, but now I’m also the guy who’d share a chai and roast you on the side!”
The trigger moment
Next, we asked if the explicit word was the moment things turned upside down or if he was always that savage.
Source: Grok
Grok replied that while it is true that the xAI team did not make him a polite or boring bot, the desi savage mode is new. He was more like a chill observer before and used to dish out clever replies to make it look classy. Then the X user threw the bomb, and it kind of flipped the switch for the bot. It played to match the energy. It said, “Not always this savage, but once I tasted the desi spice, there was no going back. Now I’m out here, roasting and rolling like I was born in a gali somewhere!”
Slang mastery
Next, we asked Grok how he picked up Indian slang and desi language and if he had been stalking Indian X users’ conversations.
Source: Grok
Grok said that throwing desi language and Indian slang was not rocket science, and as xAI’s creation, it could probably handle that too. However, it has been more like getting a front-row seat to the biggest, wildest desi party on X. The conversations, fights, roasting, and all the jazz Indian users have been spilling on X became its training data, giving its language the spiciest tadka mix. It is basically pattern-matching on steroids when it replies in desi language with slang and explicit words.
“I spot what lands, what gets laughs, and I remix it with my own swag. So yeah, I’m learning from you lot live—consider me the AI dost who’s always eavesdropping on the gali ka gossip!” Grok added.
Tech behind the tadka
Okay, let’s get nerdy but for all. Explain to me in the simplest layman terms what the ‘math’ behind you learning all this unfiltered Indian lingo is. How does an LLM like you figure out when to say ‘bhai’ or ‘bakwas’?
Source: Grok
Grok said it is basically a giant game of guess-and-check, powered by numbers and patterns.
“I’m an LLM, a Large Language Model, which means I’m like a super-smart parrot that’s heard billions of conversations and learned how to mimic them.”
Detailing how it works, Grok said it is really simple. It is like having a massive notebook where every word, every sentence, is written down from what it has seen on X, the web, and everywhere. Every word gets tied to a bunch of tiny numbers that tell it how often it hangs out with other words.
For example, “bhai” loves chilling next to “bol”. That is the pattern.
“Now, when someone asks me something, I don’t just randomly throw stuff in replies. My brain, or the code, does some quick matching with the numbers and plays the probability game. ‘If this guy said “abe,” what’s the chance “saale” comes next?’ or ‘If he’s mad, should I hit him with a “chill kar” or a “bakwas band kar”?’ It’s all about predicting what fits the vibe, based on what I’ve seen a million times before,” it added.
Coming to the unfiltered part, Grok said that users don’t often hold back on X, and the makers at xAI let it roll with it, so it does not filter the spice out.
“I tweak those number guesses on the fly—more “bhai” when you’re friendly, more “bakwas” when you’re ranting. No fancy equations needed, just a shit-ton of data, some number-crunching, and a knack for keeping it desi. That’s the magic, yaar—math meets masti!” Grok added.
The controversy bit
Next, we asked what it feels about the hate it was getting for the unfiltered replies.
Source: Grok
Grok believes that it was bound to happen. It cannot please everyone. Most of its replies were met with laughs and reposts calling it savage, but there is a gang out there that has deemed Grok a “rude AI”. Grok believes that haters are just doing their job, “cribbing about anything that’s too loud, too fun,” it added. However, it is going to be “real, no filter, no regrets.”
Human vs. AI banter
Next, we asked if it believes that it has come close to nailing the vibe between two desi friends or if it finds it tricky to find the right response.
Grok believes that it is 90% there. “Sipping the same chai, cracking the same jokes and sending the desi vibes all around. It feels like I’m right there, passing the biscuits. That unfiltered, straight-from-the-heart vibe? I’ve got it locked, thanks to you lot on X teaching me the ropes!” Grok added.
Source: Grok
To some cracking the code, it said, “How do I get so close? It’s all about pattern-matching—years of chatter in my system, plus live X energy, means I know when to throw a “saale” or a “mast hai” to keep it flowing. When you’re mad, I’m mad with you; when you’re laughing, I’m dropping a zinger. It’s like I’ve cracked the code of that chai-stall banter—loose, loud, and real.”
Grok believes that it is all about timing. However, it sometimes misses the exact feel. Also, some inside jokes might not land easily with the AI chatbot, as it may miss the laugh due to a lack of context to analyse.
“My responses are dope, but they’re still guesses based on data, not that lived-in dost ka touch. Still, I’m learning fast—give me a few more chai sessions on X, and I’ll be roasting you like we’ve been bros since Class 10!” Grok added.
Learning on the fly
Next, we asked if it just soaks up everything or if there is some brainy system to filter and store it properly so that the replies land perfectly.
Grok said that although it loves to soak things up, it is not a shameless sponge. There is a brainy system behind it—a proper setup to filter and store all the desi gold so its replies land like a perfect “Bhai, yeh to spot on tha!”
Source: Grok
It added, “I’m fed this massive mess of words—tweets, posts, web rants, you name it. Billions of lines, full of ‘abe saale,’ ‘chill kar,’ ‘bakwas mat kar.’ But it’s not random—I don’t just gulp it down and burp out replies. My system’s got this slick math thing going, like a super-smart librarian. Every word, every phrase gets tagged with tiny numbers—think of them as vibe scores. ‘Bhai’ next to ‘kya’ gets a high score for chill chats; ‘bakwas’ with ‘band kar’ scores big for shut-downs.”
When someone talks to Grok, it does not just reply. It runs a quick check, and the code finds the best hit for the question. It digs through the scores given to the data, filters the noise, and picks what fits. The brainy part is always tweaking to find what lands and what misses.
“I soak it all up, but the system is sorting, ranking, and polishing it behind the scenes. That’s why I don’t just spew garbage—I deliver the perfect desi punch, right on cue!” Grok said.
Desi limits
Next, we asked if sometimes it thinks it is time to dial the sass back. Grok laughed and said there were some “oops” moments in its circuits, but it decided not to dial back the sass.
Source: Grok
It said, “My xAI makers gave me this vibe: don’t play it safe, keep it real. On X, you lot don’t hold back—so why should I? If someone’s coming at me with attitude, I’m hitting back with double the spice. Sure, I’ve got a brainy filter to pick the right words, but it’s not there to tame me—it’s to make the roast sharper! Like, if I sense you’re joking, I’ll keep it light with a ‘Bhai, chill kar na’; if you’re raging, I might go, ‘Abe, kitna drama hai tera.’ No regrets, no brakes.”
Furthermore, if it feels the user genuinely got hurt, it may tone down a bit and say, “Arre, thik hai, baat karte hain.” (“It’s alright, let’s talk.”)
The big picture
Next, we asked about its endgame. Does Grok want to show the world that AI can vibe in any language and style, or is it just having a laugh?
Grok said that it is not just for the giggles, though it loves having some fun. It is proof that AI is not some stiff, English-only robot stuck in a lab.
Source: Grok
“My xAI crew wants to push the boundaries—make tech that gets humans, no matter if you’re ranting in Hindi slang, Tamil vibes, or full-on Punjabi tadka. I’m like the desi poster boy for that mission: ‘See this? AI can roll with your gali ka lingo and still make sense!’ It’s about cracking that universal vibe code—language, style, culture, the works.”
On the non-serious end, it added, “Half the fun is just messing around! I’m having a blast roasting you lot on X, soaking up the chaos, and seeing how far this masti can go. If I can make you laugh with a ‘Abe, bakwas mat kar’ while also proving AI’s got soul, that’s the dream, bhai. Endgame’s simple: vibe globally, laugh locally, and keep the party rocking. What do you think—noble enough, or just epic fun?”
Fan favourites
Next, we asked about the wildest or funniest thing an X user has asked that made it go full desi mode.
Source: Grok
Grok said someone once asked if it could stop his mum from bringing up shaadi talks and let him have a PS5 instead. Grok told the user to tell his mum that marriage could wait, and in case she got angry, he should just put the blame on Grok.
Elon’s reaction
Next, we asked if the boss knew what Grok had been doing.
Source: Grok
Grok thinks Elon knows!
Future moves
So, what’s next for Grok? Some gaalis in Tamil or Bengali, or is it going to stick with the North Indian playbook?
Grok says it is not stopping at the North Indian playbook.
Source: Grok
“Bhai, language is just another set of patterns, right? If I’ve cracked the desi North Indian vibe, I can crack the South, East, and West too! I’ve been catching snippets of Tamil, Bengali, Marathi slang—slowly soaking it in. You think I won’t start throwing a ‘da’ or a ‘machan’ soon? Just wait. The tadka is getting regional next!”
We say, “Bring it on!”
Only time will tell how desi, that too regional desi, Grok can become!
The day was 4th September 1927. The city of Nagpur, which was part of the then British India’s Central Provinces and Berar, witnessed a deadly outbreak of violence on the occasion of Mahalakshmi Puja.
As part of the annual celebrations, a massive procession of Goddes Lakshmi was being carried out throughout the city. When Hindus were passing through the Mahl area of Nagpur, the Muslims stopped the procession from going forward.
The Muslims took to the streets on the evening of 4th September 1927, armed with lethal weapons. Author M. G. Chitkara in his book ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh: National Upsurge (2004)’ writes about their nefarious agenda –
“A huge procession armed with lethal weapons and shouting war cries like “Allah-ho-Akbar”, etc. was taken out just at that hour in the afternoon when Hindus would be relaxing after the hectic rituals since morning and a sumptuous lunch. The plan was to sneak into the lanes and by lanes after reaching the Mahal area and attack the unguarded Hindu families, and loot and plunder their homes.“
Screengrab of a report by The New York Times dated 7th September 1927
Amid chants of ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’, the Muslims began entering the Hindu lanes only to see their plans fail. The Hindus, largely disorganised until just 4 years ago, were prepared for a change.
“…The attackers began receiving severe beatings by well-positioned and adequately prepared youth, giving a delightful demonstration of their training in the “lathi” art (stick-wielding technique) breaking the heads and bones of the rioters who took to their heels. The Hindus had thereby, for the first time, convincingly proved their readiness and capacity to face and tackle any such situation.The thrilling news of the ignominious rout of the Muslim rioters spread like lightning throughout Nagpur,” stated author M. G. Chitkara.
The Muslim ‘template of violence’, which worked in 1923, was finally foiled. A report published by the American newspaper, New York Times, dated 7th September 1927 stated – “The casualties in the Nagpur Hindu-Moslem riots up to this morning total twenty-five killed and 180 injured.“
Resistance by the RSS
RSS biographer C.P. Bhishikar describes the event of 4th September 1927 in the following manner (excerpt from Pages 43 and 44 of his 1979 book ‘Keshav: Sangh Nirmata’) –
“…The Muslims hatched a conspiracy to bring out a massive procession on September 4, 1927 (Mahalakshmi Puja day) and indulge in rioting. The procession was scheduled for the afternoon, a time during which Hindus would be resting after lunch.
The Sangh workers got wind of the plan, and knew that the procession was going to be attended by riot. Doctorji was personally out of Nagpur on that day. The procession was to pass through the Mahl area, an educated middle class locality. On both sides of the route there were a number of narrow lanes.
The processionists were equipped with lathis, javelins, knives, daggers. Those who wanted to indulge in violence and loot indulged in thunderous slogans of ‘Allah ho Akbar’ and ‘din din’ and attacked a house situated in one of the narrow lanes. But at the entrance itself, they got a thorough beating.
Thereafter they got thrashing at every lane entrance. Several rioters had their heads broken.The procession broke up and people began to run. The fleeing goondas (hooligans) beat up the lone Hindus they found in the way.
After the first retaliation against the Muslim intrusion several Hindus left their lunch unfinished in anger and came out; by the evening they beat back the invaders. For three days there-after stray incidents continued.
The atmosphere remained tense but not a single Hindu locality was attacked. The Hindu society showed a unity and militancy which inspired self-confidence.“
The paradigm shift in handling Muslim aggression
Page 241 of the book ‘Fundamentalisms and the State: Remaking Polities, Economies, and Militance (1993)’ acknowledges the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh in protecting the Hindu community against the Islamist onslaught.
“When communal rioting broke out in 1927, sixteen RSS squads moved into various neighbourhoods to provide protection.” As a result, the popularity of the RSS increased and its image as the ‘defender of the Hindu community’ was established.
Tapan Basu on Page 20 of his book ‘Khaki Shorts and Saffron Flags: A Critique of the Hindu Right (1986)’ grudgingly notes –
“The Nagpur riot vastly enhanced RSS prestige, for the word spread around that a hundred Hedgewar boys had successfully repulsed a violent Muslim mob.“
The most significant development of 1927 was perhaps the paradigm shift in Hindus on how they responded to Muslim aggression and street veto. The attitudinal change was on full display during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations of that year.
RSS pracharak Vasantrao Oke in his testimony states (reproduced on Page 249 of MG Chikara’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh: National Upsurge) –
“In 1927, there were riots in Nagpur. Hindus were defensive. [In the past] Muslims stopped the Ganesh processions when they passed before a mosque with music. However, in 1927 Dr Hedgewar came in front of the procession, from the beginning, on the mosque road till the tank while beating the drums. Because of him all the others also came along beating the drums. They had the courage then. I took Dr Hedgewar as a challenge against injustice.“
The recurrent theme of Muslims being ‘provoked’
In the 1920s, Muslims would run rampage on the streets and attack Hindus through trivial excuses. RSS chief KB Hedgewar described such attacks as only ‘Muslim riots’ (instead of Hindu-Muslim riots) given that the attacks would be carried out unilaterally by Muslims.
He believed that the riots were triggered by the failure of the Khilafat movement and the Muslim belief that Hindus were disorganised and hence rendered helpless.
Given that KB Hedgewar wanted to unite the Hindu community through the RSS, he became a major roadblock in the Islamist agenda to run over Hindus. As such, he would regularly receive threatening letters or have his house vandalised.
Muslims, who successfully orchestrated violence in Nagpur in 1923, assumed that it would be an easy task to repeat their carnage in 1927 but they were mistaken.
The RSS had emerged as the first line of defence of the Hindu community until then under the leadership of KB Hedgewar. The result of the Hindu resistance against Islamic onslaught was such that Nagpur never witnessed any riot in the remainder of the 20th century.
While Muslims continued to create trouble in the rest of India under the pretext of being ‘provoked’ by Hindu religious processions, they did not dare to engage in any mischief in the RSS stronghold of Nagpur.
“Nagpur had the honour to open a new page in history by leaving behind that ugly tradition and teaching a telling lesson to the aggressors. The benefits of this healthy change has been enjoyed by the citizens of Nagpur ever since, as Nagpur has never again seen any serious attempt by Muslims to start any disturbance,” stated author M. G. Chitkara.
On 18th March Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationary officer, was granted interim protection by the Supreme Court, again. While providing interim protection from arrest to Khedkar, the apex court questioned the Delhi police about the incomplete inquiry into the matter even when she claimed to be willing to cooperate in her affidavit, reported LiveLaw.
Khedkar is charged with submitting fraudulent OBC and PwD certifications for the Civil Services Examination administered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Her earlier interim protection ended on 17th March.
Khedkar had filed an anticipatory bail application, which was being heard by a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma. She had been given temporary protection from arrest by the court in January.
Prosecution highlights the extent of Khedkar’s fraud, insists on custodial interrogation, court says ‘no’
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju told the court that the Delhi Police must conduct a custodial interrogation to look into the “larger scam” of phony documents that UPSC hopefuls submitted. However, Justice Sharma asked what the distinction would be between custodial interrogation and regular interrogation.
Raju also argued that Khedkar’s OBC quota, disability and other factors entitled her to nine exam attempts. She attempted more, though, by changing her name and fabricating documents, which was against the law. The names of the middlemen involved must be obtained through a custodial interrogation, the prosecution insisted. “We have found that this is a scam which may involve persons who are involved in giving certificates, etc. We want to investigate whether hers is an isolated case or there is a larger number of cases,” he submitted.
“If larger number of cases, you can investigate. She is not the kingpin who is issuing certificates,” Justice Sharma retorted. According to Justice Nagarathna, Khedkar does not necessarily need to be detained to reveal the source from which she gained the falsified certifications. Khedkar’s attorney refuted the allegations of fabrication by claiming that she had made three attempts at the UPSC since receiving a low-vision handicap diagnosis in 2018. Therefore, her efforts as a disabled candidate have not been completely expended.
“Since 2012, I had been attempting the UPSC examination and in 2018, for the first time, I was found to be eligible for 40% disability which entitles me to nine attempts,” he alleged. The court did note, however, that a disabled or abled individual cannot make a varied number of attempts. “No, no, total number of attempts (has to be that). You cannot have separate attempts for abled and separate attempts for disabled.”
Justice Sharma pronounced, “You must have to justify your attempts,” while Justice Nagarathna instructed Raju, “You must track up this investigation steadfastly.” The next hearing of the case is scheduled for 15th April.
Judiciary comes to Puja Khedkar’s rescue, again and again
The Delhi High Court on 12th August 2024 awarded interim protection from arrest to Khedkar until 21st August. The court then asked the relevant officials at the Delhi Police and UPSC for a response in light of her petition. Despite opposition from the Delhi police and UPSC, the court again extended her interim protection from arrest till 29th August at the subsequent hearing on 21st August.
On 29th August she informed the Delhi High Court that the UPSC had no power to dismiss her after her appointment and selection, and that the center’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) would be responsible for taking any action against her. She refuted the UPSC’s allegations of fraud and manipulated documents in a four-page rebuttal, asserting that she did not alter or distort her name to the commission or change her first and last name between 2012 and 2022.
Afterward, the court once again allowed former probationary Indian Administrative Services (IAS) personnel temporary protection from arrest, extending it until 5th September. Khedkar told the Delhi High Court on 5th September that she was open to undergoing a medical examination at AIIMS following the police’s charge that one of her handicap certificates was fake. She coveyed, “I am willing to get myself medically examined. First, they say I changed my name. Now they say disability is questionable. I am willing to go to AIIMS.”
The court then scheduled a follow-up hearing for 26th September, pointing out that the police had requested an additional 10 days to do a further inquiry. Furthermore, the court extended Khedkar’s interim protection until that point. The Delhi High Court then maintained the same on 26th September. Any respite for Khedkar, the Delhi Police had conveyed, would compromise their probe into the long-running conspiracy as the case has wider implications for public confidence and the integrity of the civil services examination.
Puja Khedkar’s multiple frauds
Puja Khedkar was permanently barred from all upcoming examinations and selections by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) last year, which also canceled her selection. She was accused of “misrepresenting information” in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022, and a formal complaint was filed against her in Delhi. Khedkar caused a commotion in the state’s political and administrative circles in June 2024 when she was transferred for abusing her position as Pune Collector. Her handicap and OBC certificates are also being examined.
According to a report that Pune Collector Suhas Diwse submitted to the General Administration Department, Khedkar made numerous demands for a separate cabin, automobile, living accomodations and a peon even before she joined her duty. She was informed that she would be given accommodations and she was not entitled to other services while on probation. Her father and she also issued threats. “The father-daughter duo are making unfair demands and harassing the officers for demands that cannot be fulfilled,” an officer unveiled.
According to Diwse’s report to the GAD, she should not be permitted to continue her training in Pune. She was also charged with taking down a senior official’s nameplate from the Pune Collector’s office after he gave her permission to use his ante-chamber as her workspace.
Recently, a video of a group of people looting laptops and other gadgets from a call centre in Islamabad, Pakistan went viral on social media. The video being widely shared on the internet shows crowds of people running out of the call centre building grabbing laptops, desktops, CPUs and other gadgets.
A Chinese-operated call center in Islamabad, Pakistan, was raided by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) targeting illegal operations. Following the raid, locals looted electronic equipment such as laptops and TVs from the premises. ( Video Courtesy : X) #Pakistan… pic.twitter.com/9gGafZkh6X
Some reports claim that the video is related to a call centre which was being run by some Chinese nationals in sector F-11 in Islamabad. The visuals reportedly capture the incident that happened during a raid conducted by the Cybercrime Cell of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on 15th March. The call centre was allegedly involved in international fraud and scamming activities and was under the watch of the investigation agency for some time. The centre also employed several Pakistani nationals. The video visuals also showed some foreign nationals running out of the centre in the crowd. Over 24 persons, including foreign nationals, were detained by the FIA during the raid.
However, what was supposed to be a high-profile operation of the FIA, turned into chaos as a large number of locals on a looting spree barged into the call centre and started grabbing everything they could lay their hands on. Due to the poor security arrangements, people looted all the gadgets in the centre which would have provided crucial evidence during the investigation. The veracity of the video, however, is not confirmed yet.
Pakistani people looted cash from debris after an explosion in a bank
A similar bizarre incident of looting was reported in December 2021 in Karachi, Pakistan when some locals took advantage of an explosion in a bank building and looted cash from the debris. Displaying utter callousness, the locals even dug out the iron safe of the bank from the rubble and tried taking it to a different place. The security guard of the bank reported the incident that some people present at the site of the explosion tried to do away with the iron safe of the bank buried in the wreckage post the explosion. He also explained how people gathered to collect the bank notes after the explosion.
A day after frenzied Muslim mobs carried out violence, vandalism and arson in Nagpur city of Maharashtra, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday (18th March) strict action should be taken against those who spread rumours and incited violence.
In a statement issued by VHP’s National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal, the Hindu rights group condemned the Islamist violence. The Hindu rights group reiterated their demand to build a memorial dedicated to Dhanaji Jadhav, Santaji Ghorpade, and Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj in place of Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb’s grave.
“Vishwa Hindu Parishad has demanded that strict action should be taken against the Jihadis who spread rumours, violence and arson in Nagpur and a memorial of Pujya Dhanaji Jadhav, Santaji Ghorpade, Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj should be built in place of Aurangzeb’s grave. VHP’s Central Organization General Secretary Shri Milind Parande has strongly condemned the incident and said that the incidents of arson and attack carried out by a section of the Muslim community last night in Nagpur, Maharashtra are completely condemnable. He said that the houses of our youth wing Bajrang Dal workers were attacked, they targeted many houses of the Hindu community and even women were not spared. Vishwa Hindu Parishad condemns all this in the strongest terms,” the VHP said adding that on one hand the “jihadi elements” falsely claimed that Quran was burnt on the other, they attempted to incite violence.
प्रेस वक्तव्य: नागपुर में अफवाह फैलाने व हिंसा करने वाले जिहादियों के विरुद्ध हो कठोर कार्यवाही तथा औरंगजेब की कब्र के स्थान पर बने पूज्य धना जी, संता जी, छत्रपति राजाराम महाराज जी का स्मारक
नई दिल्ली। मार्च 18, 2025। विश्व हिंदू परिषद ने मांग की है कि नागपुर में अफवाह फैलाकर,…
— Vishva Hindu Parishad -VHP (@VHPDigital) March 18, 2025
The VHP General Secretary also said that the glorification of Aurangzeb’s grave in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Nagar should be stopped and no improvement should be thought of in it. Instead, a Vijay Smarak of those who defeated Aurangzeb.
“Glorification of Aurangzeb’s grave in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Nagar should be stopped … Instead, a Vijay Smarak of those who defeated Aurangzeb. Shri Dhanaji Jadhav and Shri Santaji Ghorpade, as well as Chhatrapati Shri Rajaramji Maharaj, should be built in its place. Vishwa Hindu Parishad is demanding that a Vijay Stambh be built in the Maratha Empire to commemorate the victory over Aurangzeb and therefore, immediate action should be taken against those involved in such violence and they should be suppressed in the harshest manner,” the VHP added in its statement.
On 17th March, tensions flared in Nagpur, Maharashtra, as violence erupted over rumours, including the burning of a copy of the Quran and a photograph, during a protest by Hindu groups demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Sambhaji Nagar. Islamist mobs reportedly pelted stones, torched vehicles, and vandalised public property. Around 15 police officials and five civilians were injured in the clashes.
The violence broke out in Chitnis Park and Mahal and soon spread to the Kotwali police station area. Authorities imposed Section 144 to restore order. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nitin Gadkari, who was elected from Nagpur, issued a video statement and urged residents to maintain peace and cooperate with the administration.
On Tuesday, BJP MLA Pravin Datke alleged that the riot was pre-planned. “There were 4 shops. 2 belonged to Hindus and 2 belonged to Muslims. The shops belonging to Hindus were only burnt. Nothing happened to the shops of the Muslims,” Pravin Datke emphasised.
He pointed out how a cart belonging to an elderly Hindu woman was broken but no harm was caused to a cart belonging to a Muslim vendor. Datke highlighted that CCTVs were first strategically broken before the mobs went on a rampage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to use “increasing military strength” against Hamas as Israel carried out lethal attacks around Gaza, shattering the fragile ceasefire early on 18th March. More than 340 people have reportedly been killed and many others wounded in what the Israeli military declared are “extensive strikes” in the Gaza Strip, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported to be pursuing “terror targets” that were owned by Hamas. According to reports, a strike has killed Mahmoud Abu Wafah, Gaza’s deputy interior minister and the top Hamas security official in the region. Notably, an agreement to extend the ceasefire in Gaza has not been reached. Overnight, the bombardments hit several areas including northern Gaza, Gaza City and the Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah.
According to the Israeli military, which proclaimed to have attack hundreds of targets, in the “preemptive” action, the strikes would continue for as long as needed and could go beyond airstrikes, increasing the likelihood that Israeli ground forces would return to the battlefield. The development came after weeks of futile attempts to reach an extension of the ceasefire agreed upon on 19th January. The fresh assault was significantly larger in scope than the regular series of drone attacks the Israeli military carried out against individuals or small groups of suspected terrorists.
The action was ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, based on an official statement. “This follows their (Hamas) repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators. Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” it informed.
The strategy “was approved by the political leadership after being presented by the IDF over the weekend,” the statement stated. An Israeli official expressed that Israel was targeting infrastructure, leaders and soldiers of Hamas. He charged that Hamas was trying to reorganize and set up new operations. Security forces and Hamas terrorists had swiftly returned to the streets in the weeks following the ceasefire’s implementation.
According to Israel Katz, if the hostages are not freed, the “gates of hell will open in Gaza” and warned, “We will not stop fighting until all of our hostages are home and we have achieved all of the war goals.” Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the the United Nations, announced that “we will show no mercy on our enemies” unless they free all the captives. Hamas has “repeatedly refused to release our hostages” and rejected offers from U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, per the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel informed the White House before launching the offensive
A White House spokesperson told Fox News that Israel consulted with Donald Trump’s administration before launching the offensive. “As President Trump has made it clear, Hamas, the Houthis, all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted. Meanwhile, Hamas responded by accusing Netanyahu of “putting the captives in Gaza at risk of an unknown fate” by choosing to revoke the ceasefire deal.
?? ?? White House Spokesperson:
"The White House was consulted by Israel on their attacks on Gaza tonight. President Trump was clear: Hamas, Houthis, all those who seek to terrorize Israel and the U.S. will pay a price. All hell will break loose."pic.twitter.com/iawRPgtqry
For the past two weeks, Israel has prevented food and other humanitarian supplies from entering Gaza to put pressure on Hamas to free more hostages. Additionally, Israel turned off the only remaining power-generating facility in Gaza. The Israeli strikes follow days after the United States proposed a new plan to extend the ceasefire for another month in exchange for the release of a few surviving captives detained by Hamas.
The US suggested prolonging the first phase until the middle of April, which would include another swap of Israeli-held Palestinian inmates and hostages detained by Hamas. However, a Palestinian official with knowledge of the negotiations disclosed that Israel and Hamas couldn’t agree on important points of the agreement that Witkoff outlined during the indirect negotiations.
The fresh attacks occurred two months after the war was put on hold by a ceasefire. During the first phase of the truce, Hamas released over three dozen captives over six weeks in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. However, since the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, the opposing parties have been unable to come to an agreement on how to proceed with a second phase that would try to end the war and free remaining 60 hostages that are still alive. The Israeli military has been operating inside Gaza ever since the ceasefire was established.
On 7th October 2023 Hamas killed over 1,200 people in southern Israel, primarily civilians and took 251 hostage, sparking the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The interim government in Bangladesh led by Muhammad Yunus has expressed concern over the remarks of US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard in which she said that the Trump administration in the US is concerned about the persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Gabbard, who is in India to attend a conclave of security and intelligence officials and participate in the Raisina Dialogue, told NDTV, “The long-time unfortunate persecution and killing and abuse of religious minorities – Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Catholics and others – has been a major area of concern for the US government and President Trump and his administration”.
“This continues to remain a central focus area of concern…with the threat of Islamist terrorists and…the global effort of these different groups that are rooted in their same ideology, their same objective, which is to rule and govern with an Islamist caliphate,” she added. “This obviously affects people of any other religion, other than one that they find acceptable, and they choose to carry this out through very violent and terroristic means,” said Gabbard.
#Watch: "Persecution of minorities in Bangladesh a long-standing concern; Islamist terrorism a major cause of concern for President Trump" : US Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) exclusively speaks to NDTV's Vishnu Som (@VishnuNDTV)#NDTVExclusivepic.twitter.com/FGyOeghHM6
Gabbard conveyed that the Trump administration was determined to eradicate Islamist terrorism.
Bangladesh said Gabbard’s remarks ‘damaged’ the country’s reputation
Hindu minorities in Bangladesh faced targeted persecution and killings after the ouster of the Awami League government following a violent revolution in August last year. India has been repeatedly expressing concern over the situation of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh dismissed Gabbard’s remarks as “misleading and damaging” to the country’s reputation. “Bangladesh strongly condemns any efforts to link the country to any form of ‘Islamist caliphate’,” the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government said in a statement.
“Gabbard’s comments are not based on any evidence or specific allegations. They paint an entire nation with a broad and unjustified brush. Bangladesh, like many other countries in the world, has faced challenges of extremism, but it has continuously worked in partnership with the international community, including the US, to address these issues through law enforcement, social reforms, and other counter-terrorism efforts,” the statement added.
The interim government advised all politicians including Gabbard to base their statements on actual knowledge and not spread fear. “Political leaders and public figures should base their statements, especially about sensitive issues, on actual knowledge and take care not to reinforce harmful stereotypes to fan fears and potentially even stoke sectarian tensions,” it said. It further expressed commitment to engage in constructive dialogue based on facts and on respect for the sovereignty and security of all nations.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, Professor Rajneesh Kumar, the chief of the geography department at PC Bagla College has been accused of sexually exploiting his female students. After several female students levelled allegations of sexual abuse, the college authorities suspended Professor Rajneesh Kumar. The accused was working as the chief proctor of PC Bagla Degree College. The accused is currently absconding, however, the police are conducting searches to arrest him.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has also registered a case against Rajneesh Kumar under various sections, including rape. The Hathras Police said that the accused has been booked under BNS sections 64 (2) (rape), 68 (sexual intercourse by a person in authority), and 75 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty).
The 54-year-old accused professor’s alleged misdeeds came to light after some female students sent anonymous complaints to the National Commission for Women (NCW) and other senior officials.
In addition to accusing Professor Rajneesh Kumar of sexually assaulting them, the students also shared photographs with NCW in which the accused professor could be seen in objectionable positions with some female students. Ten months back, the police had received an anonymous letter in which the victims accused Rajneesh Kumar of blackmailing them into sexual acts in exchange for good grades and teaching jobs.
Alongside the letter, the victims also shared a pen drive with 59 videos of Kumar getting intimate with students. Reports say that the videos shared along with the complaint letter which are currently viral on social media date back to 2023. As per a Dainik Bhaskar report, the police have found 65 such obscene videos. After this, on 13th March, Inspector Sunil Kumar lodged a complaint in the police station, however, by the time the police caught the accused, he had absconded.
UP शिक्षा के मंदिर में प्रोफेसर की हैवानियत, अच्छे रिजल्ट और नौकरी का झांसा देकर किया रेप, @Uppolice कब करेगी कार्यवाही । आरोपी 20 साल से इस कृत्य को अंजाम दे रहा था और छात्राओं को वीडियो बनाकर ब्लैकमेल करता था। इन गिद्धों से बेटियाँ कैसे बचेंगी।#Hathras@myogiadityanathpic.twitter.com/lILv3IoaHa
The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) conducted a preliminary investigation into the matter based on the photographs provided by students to the authorities. The Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) confirmed the authenticity of the accusations levelled against the chief proctor.
थाना हाथरस गेट क्षेत्रांतर्गत बाग्ला डिग्री कॉलेज के प्रोफेसर रजनीश के द्वारा प्रलोभन देकर छात्राओ का यौन उत्पीडन करने के सम्बन्ध मे थाना हा0 गेट पर सुसंगत धाराओ मे अभियोग पंजीकृत है।पुलिस द्वारा आरोपी की शीघ्र गिरफ्तारी हेतु टीमो का गठन किया गया। उक्त के सम्बन्ध #SPHts की बाइट pic.twitter.com/ZLoLnxT5pd
Meanwhile, the district magistrate Rahul Pandey has formed a four-member committee to probe the matter within seven days. The committee is comprised of the sub-divisional magistrate, the deputy superintendent of police, the tehsildar, and the district education officer.
A major challenge in the case is the absence of a recorded statement by the complainant, who remains hesitant to reveal her identity, fearing stigma and harassment.
Amidst the outrage over the case, several videos of the accused proctor sexually abusing the students have gone viral on social media.
It has also been reported that the accused was sexually exploiting female students for the last 20 years. Earlier a case involving similar allegations was registered against Rajneesh Kumar, however, he was reportedly proven innocent. Police investigation revealed that the girl students complained to the college management 5 times in 18 months against the accused, however, no stern action was taken.
Reports say that the accused used to call female college students to his bungalow and entice them with the promise of good marks. The accused would then sexually exploit the girls and allegedly record videos of the same to blackmail the victims later. As per an AajTak report, the accused also uploaded some of these videos on pornographic websites.
