INDIA

Punjab has been grappling with severe flooding for several weeks, causing widespread disruption and hardship for local communities. In response, numerous community groups, NGOs, and individuals have stepped forward to provide aid to those affected. Among them, social and political activist Angad Singh Khalsa visited multiple villages in Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur, and Firozpur to participate in relief distribution efforts. During his visits, Angad Singh commended several community groups for their efficient and well-organized approach to providing assistance. He observed a community relief camp where volunteers meticulously collected data on the needs of affected residents, including their village location and the number of people requiring aid. After verification, a dedicated ...

More than a thousand acres of farmland in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, have been leased for Adani Power’s upcoming 2,400 MW thermal power plant, but villagers say the deal has left them aggrieved and uncertain about their future. A ground investigation by Startuppedia reported that around 1,020 acres were handed over to the company for a nominal lease of Re 1 per year for 33 years. Farmers interviewed on site alleged that they were “forced” to part with their land and that compensation was uneven. Some claimed they were pressured by local officials to sign documents without clarity on terms. We were told the land had to go, whether we agreed or not. The price given was nowhere near its real value,” one farmer was quoted as saying. Another villager alleged that those who resisted faced ...

The Supreme Court on Monday observed that the ecological challenges seen in Himachal Pradesh were not confined to the state but extended across the entire Himalayan range, which it described as being “very violent” this season. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, hearing a suo motu case on environmental degradation in Himachal Pradesh, said it would issue an order on September 23 after examining submissions. “Ultimately, it is not going to be limited to Himachal only. It is the entire Himalayan range that is facing this. This time around, it has been very very violent,” Justice Mehta remarked. During the hearing, the Himachal Pradesh government placed a report before the court outlining its assessment of environmental conditions. The document covered tree cover, mining, g...

Police here have registered a case against 200 unknown people in connection with the protest that erupted here on Friday following objectionable social media posts against Prophet Muhammad and the Quran. This came after police arrested a 45-year-old man for his derogatory social media posts against Prophet Muhammad and the Quran. Soon after the arrest on Friday, several people tried to enter the police station around 9 pm and raised slogans amid the protest that turned violent as they set two two-wheelers on fire. They did not relent even after the police explained to them that the man behind such posts had been arrested. Shahjahanpur Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi said that personnel of the force had to resort to baton-charge to disperse the crowd. The protesters then...

India will be represented at InterVision 2025, one of the world’s most prestigious international music competitions scheduled in Moscow, with Kashmiri singer Rauhan Malik set to take the stage. The milestone has been made possible through the efforts of Mr. Wasim Bhat, CEO of Kashmir Talkies Entertainment and General Secretary of the Cultural Forum Peace Foundation (Global), in collaboration with Mr. Jaan Nissar Lone, Global President of BRICS and Jury Member representing India at the event. Rauhan Malik, whose soulful track “Ishq” has resonated with audiences across the country, has been chosen to represent India, marking a proud moment for Kashmir and a recognition of India’s cultural strength. “It has been an incredible journey to bring India’s voice to InterVision 2025. Music ...

The Supreme Court has upheld a Kerala High Court order suspending toll collection on the Mannuthy–Edappally stretch of NH-544, ruling that toll can only be justified when citizens are provided with safe and motorable roads. The case, National Highways Authority of India & Anr v. OJ Janeesh & Ors, stemmed from a public interest litigation (PIL) in which the High Court on August 6, 2025, halted toll collection by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and its concessionaire. The court observed that failure to provide safe and regulated highways breaches the principle of public trust, which governs the relationship between citizens and state agencies. The judgment noted that citizens cannot be compelled to pay tolls merely because of a private concession agreement if...

An Odisha-based social worker has accused Microsoft-owned LinkedIn of arbitrarily silencing his voice by permanently restricting his account, a move he says has devastated his livelihood, crippled his NGO, and left marginalized communities unsupported. Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, Manoj Das, founder of the Sadaqat Welfare Foundation, said his account with over 36,000 followers was permanently restricted on March 11, 2025, despite receiving a written assurance from LinkedIn just six days earlier that no further action would be taken without evidence of a violation. He shared a copy of LinkedIn’s email dated March 5, 2025, in which the platform confirmed the restoration of his account and advised him that “any additional violation” would be required for further restrictions. “This was ...

Police in Khandwa district have registered a case against Mohammad Hanif, president of the mosque committee in Kharkala village, for allegedly failing to inform authorities about an outsider, Akhtar Raza, staying on the mosque committee premises. Raza, a resident of Bihar, was temporarily appointed as the mosque’s imam to lead prayers, with his permanent role pending committee approval. The FIR against Hanif was filed under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for contempt of a public servant’s order, as district rules require reporting the stay of outsiders to the police. Hanif told Maktoob that Raza, who was on probation, lived in space allocated by the committee, not inside the mosque itself. “We planned to submit his documents once his permanent appointment was confir...

National Conference parliamentarian from Srinagar Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday said that his party had not issued any directions to him regarding the Vice Presidential election. In a statement on X, Mehdi said, “I did not receive any communication from the party about this matter. However, it was an obvious ideological choice and decision, therefore I cast my vote in favour of the candidate of the INDIA bloc.” His remarks underline a growing trend of legislators publicly highlighting their individual positions even within larger political formations. Earlier in the day, lawmakers elected C. P. Radhakrishnan, the NDA’s nominee and current Governor of Maharashtra, as India’s new Vice President. He secured 452 votes, defeating the INDIA bloc’s candidate, former Supreme Court judge Ju...

At Jaripatka Qabrastan in Nagpur, community members, rights activists, and relatives gathered on Sunday to honor the memory of Kamal Ahmed Ansari, a man who spent 16 years in prison on terror charges before being acquitted posthumously. Ansari died behind bars in 2021, four years before the Bombay High Court cleared his name in connection with the 2006 Mumbai train bombings. The commemoration was marked by grief and quiet defiance. Portions of the July 21 High Court verdict that exonerated him were read aloud at his grave, an act participants described as a symbolic restoration of dignity. “He had always said he was innocent. Today, even the law affirms it,” said Dr Abdul Wahid Shaikh, General Secretary of the Innocence Network, who led the tribute along with Jamiat-e-Ulama Nagpur presi...