INDIA

BJP leader Yogi Adityanath, who is also the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, in his latest hate speech targeting the Muslim community has said that Adhaan will disappear from the mosques in the next five years. Addressing the Palghar rally, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, “Now, no one dares to offer Namaz on the roads of Uttar Pradesh. The mosques have removed their mikes. In the next five years, people will forget about screams (Azaan) from mosques." Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, known for his anti-minority rants, targeted Opposition leaders on April 22, accusing them of reciting the Fatiha (a short sura from the Quran essential to ritual prayer) at the graves of criminals and gangsters. He urged voters to allow these leaders five more years to continue thi...

In a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, Himanta Biswa Sarma, known for his Anti-muslim rhetoric has utilized state government funds amounting to crores of rupees for hiring helicopters and chartered planes to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party, both within and outside the state, The Wire reported. As per a Right to Information (RTI) response from the Assam government to inquiries by The CrossCurrent on August 26, 2022, Sarma used taxpayer money to hire chartered planes for attending weddings and party meetings, activities not classified as official government work. The government initially claimed in September that the expenditure on chartered planes was solely for official government programs. However, the General Administration Department initially remained unresponsiv...

The Supreme Court has dismissed the petitions seeking review of its judgment upholding the abrogation of the special status of Jammu Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. A 5-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant and AS Bopanna dismissed the review petitions in chamber noting that there was no apparent error in the judgment delivered on December 11, 2023. “Having perused the review petitions, there is no error apparent on the face of the record. No case for review under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 2013. The review petitions are, therefore, dismissed,” the bench noted in the order passed on May 1. While upholding the Presidential Orders which took away the special status of Jammu and Kashm...

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday arrested a young voter in connection with a viral video doing rounds on social media which showed him casting multiple votes in favour of a BJP candidate at a polling booth in a populous state. The accused, identified as one Rajan Singh, was arrested after several leaders of the opposition parties, including Congress and Samajwadi Party, shared the video of the incident on X (formerly known as Twitter). In the two-minute-long video, the voter can be seen voting for a BJP candidate, Mukesh Rajput, on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at least 8 times. India Today, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. Notably, Rajput is a BJP candidate from Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Following the rev...

Chandrakant Valvi, a GST commissioner from Gujarat currently stationed in Ahmedabad, has made headlines for his recent purchase of an entire village in the picturesque Kandati Valley, located in the Satara District of Maharashtra. Spanning over a staggering 600 acres, this acquisition has raised serious concerns about the violation of crucial laws protecting the environment. Reports suggest that Chandrakant Valvi, hailing from Nandurbar and holding the position of Chief Commissioner of GST in Ahmedabad, has along with family and relatives to procure the entirety of Jhadani village, nestled near the serene town of Mahabaleshwar. This revelation has shed light on the distressing reality of land grabbing, with a total of 620 acres falling into the hands of a single individual. The...

Spain has refused docking permission for the Marianne Danica, an Indian ship carrying arms to Israel, announced Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Thursday. "This is the first time we have done this because it is the first time we have detected a ship carrying a shipment of arms to Israel that wants to call at a Spanish port," Albares told reporters in Brussels. He emphasized that this will be a consistent policy, stating, "The Middle East does not need more weapons; it needs more peace." Transport Minister Oscar Puente confirmed that the Marianne Danica, a Danish-flagged ship carrying 27 tonnes of explosive material from Madras, India, had requested to dock at Cartagena on May 21. This decision coincides with a political dispute between Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Soci...

A Dalit watchman, Veerendra Dhanuk, was allegedly attacked by two home guards following a dispute at the Nawabganj tehsil office in Bareilly district on Wednesday. The conflict arose over "claiming free ration but not voting for the incumbent government." Dhanuk reported the incident to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, stating he was verbally abused and physically assaulted by home guards Rampal Gangwar and Veerpal Gangwar. He claimed the guards were disparaging citizens who receive government-provided rations but do not vote for the ruling party. A video of the incident shows Dhanuk being kicked, slapped, and having his face pinned under a boot. Additional SP Mukesh Chandra Mishra confirmed that an FIR was registered against the home guards, who have been detained...

Campaigning for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah invoked the legacy of his grandfather Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and the Land to Tiller movement. Speaking historic facts, Omar Abdullah said that the Mahraja of Kashmir had confiscated all the land possession rights after he purchased Kashmir for 75 Lakh Nanashahi in the 19th century. "Not just politically, we are also economic slaves of the landlords whose lands we tilled. Then a leader, Sheikh Abdullah was born who wanted to work for the betterment and progress of his people." "One of the biggest contributions of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah other than land to Tiller was the Article 370. We are being taken back to that age of slavery, as they are trying to snatch our lands on one side and are...

Concerns have been raised regarding the responsibilities of the Haj Committee of India and the State Haj Committee Jammu and Kashmir following the arrival of Jammu Kashmir pilgrims in Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2024. As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the recent arrival of pilgrims in Makkah has shed light on several issues and challenges faced by the pilgrims. A Hajj pilgrim from Kashmir, shared his experience with KNO over the phone from Saudi Arabia. He revealed that their scheduled flight on May 12, 2024, was meant to land in Madina, however, due to heavy rainfall, the flight had to be diverted to Jeddah airport. Upon landing, the pilgrims were boarded onto a bus, which remained parked near the airport for the entire night. Shockingly, the pilgrims were left without food ...

The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal until June 1 in the Delhi excise policy case and stated that a detailed order would follow soon. Justices Khanna and Dipankar Datta acknowledged the "extraordinary" situation due to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections but expressed concerns about the Chief Minister's official duties if granted bail. They noted the potential cascading effects and suggested that Mr. Kejriwal refrain from official duties if granted bail. The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) cautioned against granting interim relief, arguing it could incentivize criminal behavior among politicians. AAP objected strongly to the ED's affidavit, citing disregard for legal procedures. The Delhi High Court previously upheld Mr. Kejriwal's arres...