INDIA

A petition has been filed by a Hindu group in a Rajasthan court speaking massive controversy, claiming that the renowned Ajmer Sharif Dargah was constructed over a temple dedicated to Mahadev. The petition demands that “Bhagwan Sankatmochan Mahadev Virajman” be declared the rightful owner of the land where the Dargah is situated. Additionally, it seeks the removal of the Dargah and the reconstruction of the Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple at the site. In response to the petition, Syed Naseeruddin Chishti, chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanshin Council and successor to the spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah, condemned the claims, calling them an act of religious provocation. He expressed strong disapproval, stating, "We strongly condemn this act and will respond to it....

Militancy has been buried and won't be allowed to stage a comeback, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday while addressing a rally in Udhampur. Promising a terror-free region under the BJP regime, Shah alleged that the National Conference-Congress alliance would impose Pakistan's agenda if it comes to power. Shah, who is spearheading the BJP’s election campaign, said assembly elections are taking place in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir without Article 370. The Narendra Modi-led government, Shah said in his address, had fulfilled the dream of party’s patriarch Syama Prasad Mukherjee in August 2019 when it abrogated Article 370. Shah said whoever spreads terror in Jammu and Kashmir will get his answer at the the gallows. “I want to ask you whether (Parliament att...

In a peculiar turn of events, Imtiyaz Sheikh, a 36-year-old resident of Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir, was detained by Gujarat police after attempting to cross into Pakistan via the Kutch border. Sheikh had traveled to Gujarat in hopes of meeting a Pakistani social media influencer from Multan, with whom he had formed an online connection. Sheikh's journey led him to Khavda, a village close to the India-Pakistan border. Believing he could secure legal permission to cross the heavily guarded boundary, Sheikh sought help from local villagers, prompting them to inform the authorities. Sagar Bagmar, the Superintendent of Police in Kutch (West), revealed that Sheikh’s actions were driven by confusion rather than any ill intent. “He was under the impression he could easily cross into Pak...

Tensions flared in Dharavi, Mumbai, on Saturday as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) moved to evict the 25-year-old Subhania Mosque on 90ft Road, citing its "illegal" occupation. Protests broke out when members of the local Muslim community opposed the move, leading to clashes with BMC officials. Demonstrators reportedly threw stones, intensifying the situation. Protests began on Friday night, with the community blocking the road in protest. After talks between BMC officials and community leaders at the local police station, a temporary resolution was reached, granting an eight-day extension for vacating the mosque. The local Muslim community plans to take the issue to court, seeking legal recourse against the BMC's eviction notice. Meanwhile, police on the ground worke...

An accused in the Lethpora terror attack has died of cardiac arrest in government medical college Jammu late last night, officials said. An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the accused identified as Bilal Ahmad Kuchay son of Ghulam Nabi Kuchay of of Pulwama was lodged in jail in Jammu division and was unwell since last week. He said that he was getting treatment in the jail and later was shifted to GMC Jammu. "Kuchay suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday evening and died while further proceedings in this regard have been taken up," he said. Meanwhile, Muzaffar his brother confirmed to KNO that Kuchay was undergoing treatment and breathed his last on Monday evening. Kuchay was arrested in 2020 after he was accused of providing logistic support to terroris...

Jammu Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and UP chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of keeping mum on the rape of a Schedule Caste girl in Ram Mandir. Farooq Abdullah, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the girl has been raped inside Ram Mandir but did you hear any statement from PM, did you hear anything from HM, who is sitting in Jammu or from UP CM. "Isn't she our sister, isn't she our daughter? How many times will they become target? Then they will claim to be protector," the NC president asked and said, "They can't protect anybody. They can only protect their chair." Farooq Abdullah was in Budhal to support party candidate Javed Choudhary on the last date of campaigning f...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the government's pledge to restore Jammu Kashmir's statehood, emphasizing the ongoing democratic progress in the region. He said that "the world is witnessing how the people of Jammu Kashmir are strengthening India’s democracy," and praised the region’s contribution. During his address, Modi criticized what he referred to as “three families” responsible for the region's past "destruction," stating that these families, both in Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, are now feeling threatened as their influence diminishes. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the BJP’s commitment to restoring statehood, stating, “We promised in Parliament to restore Jammu Kashmir’s statehood, and we will fulfill this commitment.”

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has overwhelmingly approved a non-binding resolution calling for Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territory within the next year. On Wednesday, the resolution passed with 124 votes in favor, 14 against, and 43 abstentions, during the UNGA’s 10th emergency special session focused on Israeli actions in East Jerusalem and other occupied Palestinian territories, according to Xinhua. The resolution, introduced by the State of Palestine and backed by over two dozen countries, demands that Israel fulfill its legal responsibilities under international law, including those highlighted by the International Court of Justice. It calls for Israel to end its "unlawful presence" in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months. India chose to ab...

The Supreme Court of India has issued an interim stay on demolitions across the country unless approved by the court itself, Press Trust of India reported. The ruling, made on Tuesday, will remain effective until the next hearing scheduled for October 1. This decision comes under the court’s authority granted by Article 142 of the Constitution. However, the court clarified that the stay does not apply to encroachments on public roads, footpaths, railway lines, or water bodies. A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan issued this order in response to a petition challenging the actions of state governments that have used demolitions as a punitive measure against individuals accused of crimes. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, opposed the rulin...

Tensions rose in the Baradari area of Bareilly district when a Hindutva group objected to Eid Milad un Nabi procession in Uttar Pradesh. Members of the Hindutva group blocked the path of Muslim processions, sitting in the middle of the road and raising slogans opposing the event. The group alleged that during a previous Kanwar Yatra, the Muslim community had disrupted their religious procession, vowing now to prevent the Anjuman processions from passing. In response, members of the Muslim community also raised counter-slogans, escalating the situation. The standoff occurred in Jogi Nawada, where district police administration officials quickly arrived at the scene. Authorities, including senior police officers, are working to calm the situation, lifting Hindu women who were blo...