The government has to specify what it intends to do with caste census data. It will be closely tracked if the government would simultaneously move towards removing the present 50% bar on reservations using means which are permitted in law. If this is not done, the entire exercise will become meaningless and could boomerang on the BJP, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar to review the security situation in Kashmir following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including tourists. Shah chaired a high-level meeting of security officials, including those from the Army, CRPF, and police. The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, is the deadliest in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, the head of the Indian Air Force (IAF), stated that every Indian citizen is akin to a soldier. While acknowledging the unique appeal of serving in uniform, he emphasized that contributing to the nation doesn't necessitate military attire. Addressing NCC cadets at the Republic Day camp, Singh highlighted the importance of national service, emphasizing that it's not limited to those in uniform. He cited an example, stating that 'every soldier is a citizen in uniform, and every citizen is a soldier out of uniform.' He encouraged cadets to embody the values of discipline and patriotism in their daily lives, even outside of the military context, for the betterment of the nation.
Such public domain discussions affect their morale and dedication -- and that, if anything, will definitely affect combat-effectiveness, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
'When one air force (India's) hits the other's airbases with impunity and that air force (Pakistan's) is not able to respond, then the air force, which has put the other's airbases out of commission, has won.'
Devara's self-appointed guardian of the sea unleashing violence as a means to end violence is purely Junior NTR fan-tasy, observes Sukanya Verma.
Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung deserves to be complimented in telling his life story and that of his people, as subaltern communities within this vast and diverse nation of ours clamour for recognition and a plea for their voices to be heard and their aspirations to be met, notes Lieutenant General Gautam Moorthy.
A delegation of a Meitei civil society group from Manipur has conveyed its concerns to the Centre over an incident where the state's name written on a bus windshield was covered with white paper. The group, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), expressed its commitment to peace and its willingness to cooperate in efforts to restore normalcy. They also raised concerns over the growing threats posed by narco-terrorism, cross border illegal immigration, and widespread illegal opium cultivation in the state.
'Munir hopes to solidify his hold on power.'
General Manoj Chandrashekhar Pande on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, visited the Siachen base camp and forward posts in Ladakh to review operational preparedness.
US President Donald Trump has 'America First' as his priorities and this includes making America safe again, making the country affordable, achieving energy dominance, draining the swamp and bringing back American values, the White House said on Monday.
The law and order situation in Nagpur, which was rocked by violence on Monday night, is under control but a curfew continues in many sensitive areas of the city, a senior official said on Wednesday. Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal said the situation will be reviewed in the afternoon. More than 2,000 armed police personnel have been deployed in the sensitive areas. Violence erupted in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park in the Mahal area on Monday, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. As many as 34 police personnel were injured in the violence. A curfew, restricting the movement of people and vehicles, was subsequently imposed in sensitive areas in the city.
An ultra-violent film about violence, Kill's greatest accomplishment isn't its death count alone but to challenge our perception of violence, observes Sukanya Verma.
The troops of 209 Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) conducted the operation in which eight Naxals were killed and an AK series rifle, three INSAS rifles, a self-loading rifle (SLR), eight country-made guns and a pistol were seized, the officials said.
Jharkhand police chief MV Rao said that a list of dreaded criminals in the state is being prepared and if they resist arrest with arms, they will be killed. Speaking to reporters after holding a crime review meeting in Dumka on Thursday, Rao said that a lot of police personnel hesitate to shoot, fearing litigation, but he has told the force not to worry about using weapons when needed.
The home minister will also review the preparation for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage set to start on June 29.
On India, while appreciating the measures adopted by it to address discrimination, the Committee expressed concern about alleged discrimination and violence against minority groups, including religious minorities, such as Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs, "scheduled castes" and "scheduled tribes", and LGBTI people.
According to two separate notifications, the decisions have been taken after review of the law-and-order situation in both the states.
Taapsee, Vikrant, Sunny are a fine fit on their own as well as around each other and prove themselves to be well equipped to survive the air of double dealing. What's missing is sizzle, feels Sukanya Verma..
'The visit of the honourable PM with the workable strategy towards conflict resolution will help greatly.' 'But visiting the state without concrete proposals may not bring the desired outcome at this stage.'
Vineeth Sreenivasan deserves applause for striving to blend the past with the present and revoking your memories, states Divya Nair.
In a section entitled 'Sikh Extremism' the review goes into detail of how members of the British Sikh community expressed their growing concern over a small but extremely vocal group "hijacking" the Sikh faith to push a subversive pro-Khalistan narrative.
Sam Bahadur is a mechanical summary of his life, ticking off one chapter after another without bothering to pause or ponder over their significance and influences, observes Sukanya Verma.
Steve Smith became the 15th member of Test cricket's 10,000-run club as he and opener Usman Khawaja smashed hundreds to help Australia rack up 330/2 on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
"The amended second draft (known as DAP) has since been finalised by the review committee driven by tenets of defence reforms announced as part of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' and has been placed in the public domain," the ministry said.
The situation now in Manipur is "not related to insurgency". It is a clash between two ethnicities and a situation of law and order, CDS Anil Chauhan said.
New 'Captain Cool' in Town: Shreyas Iyer could be the leader India needs
Curfew was relaxed in three Imphal Valley districts on Tuesday and the suspension on broadband internet lifted with conditions, even as Chief Minister N Biren Singh blamed the Congress for the present crisis in Manipur and NDA MLAs called for a "mass operation" against militants responsible for the killing of six women and children. Peaceful rallies were also staged across the state, with hundreds taking to the streets with empty coffins in Churachandpur district, demanding justice for those killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Jiribam, and members of various civil society organisations bringing out a procession in Imphal West district to protest the reimposition of AFSPA in parts of the state.
India and the United States have agreed to deepen their strategic partnership in several key areas, with President Donald Trump announcing plans to provide India with F-35 fighter jets and billions of dollars in military supplies. The two leaders also discussed energy cooperation, critical technologies, connectivity, and countering terrorism. They agreed to work together on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, and Trump noted India's reforms to welcome US nuclear technologies. Prime Minister Modi said the two countries can shape a better world through their cooperation. Both leaders also addressed the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with Modi stressing India's commitment to peace.
China appears determined to upgrade Pakistan's military capabilities, sufficient to ensure local parity with India, alerts former foreign secretary Ambassador Shyam Saran.
What is the CDS telling the Raksha Mantri that has got Rajnath Singh pensive?
Sources said Tewari, who has publicly lauded the Agnipath scheme and termed it as a much-needed reform in the armed forces, has taken a stand contrary to that taken by his party.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday
Policy decisions, particularly those which have wide-ranging implications on the nation's health and security, should be decided by bodies best suited to do so, the Delhi high court said on Monday while refusing to interfere with the Agnipath scheme.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that India will soon create a comprehensive anti-drone unit to secure its borders. He highlighted the increasing threat posed by drones, especially along the India-Pakistan border, and emphasized a 'whole of government' approach to tackle this issue. Shah also spoke about the ongoing Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) and the Modi government's Vibrant Village Programme, which aims to develop and integrate the population of northern borders.
'There is uncertainty regarding job opportunities for our children after they serve for just four years under the Agnipath scheme.'
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United on Friday made a fresh plea to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for an immediate review of the Agnipath scheme, and assure protesting youngsters that their future will not be adversely affected by the new recruitment policy in the armed forces.
Mammootty is towering as the unflinching enigma that prevents Bramayugam from being a middling genre exercise, observes Arjun Menon.
'Pakistan can beat any team on any given day'
John Abraham is impressive in Attack. Sadly, the story is not, notes Namrata Thakker.
