Month: November 2024

In New Statement, Sheikh Hasina Condemns Killing of Lawyer, Arrest of Hindu Activist

Hasina also referred to the interim government as “unconstitutional” and “power grabbers”.

New Delhi: Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India, issued a statement on Thursday (November 28) condemning the killing of a lawyer and called for the immediate release of a detained Hindu activist.

Bangladeshi police arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari on Monday evening on sedition charges, accusing him of inciting a rally that disrespected the national flag. After a court in Chattogram denied him bail on Tuesday, a crowd gathered outside, raising slogans and blocking the movement of a police vehicle.

Clashes erupted between Chinmoy’s supporters and police, during which Saiful Islam, a lawyer and assistant public prosecutor, was fatally attacked with sharp objects.

Thirty-three people have been arrested so far in connection with the murder.

Before news of the lawyer’s death emerged, India issued a statement on Tuesday expressing concern over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna, a former International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) member and a spokesperson for the Bangladesh United Sanatani Awakening Alliance, which has held rallies in Chattogram and Rangpur advocating for the rights of minority Hindus.

On Thursday, the Awami League’s account on X posted a statement from Hasina in Bengali, which began with a strong condemnation of Islam’s death.

“The lawyer was carrying out his professional duties, and those who beat him to death in this manner are nothing short of terrorists. Regardless of who they are, they must face punishment,” her statement said.

Hasina has been living in India since August 5 after she escaped the surging crowd of protestors that had been on the streets since July.

Referring to the interim government as “unconstitutional”, the statement asserted that if the “terrorists” were not held accountable, chief adviser Muhammad Yunus would have to face consequences for violating human rights.

“I urge the people of this nation to unite and stand firmly against such terrorism and extremism. Ensuring the safety and security of the lives and property of ordinary citizens is of utmost importance,” it stated.

The statement continued: “The current power grabbers have consistently demonstrated incompetence in every aspect. They have failed to control the prices of essential commodities and to provide safety to people’s lives. I strongly condemn these direct and indirect acts of oppression against the general public.”

Hasina briefly dwelled on the arrest of Chinmoy Das, saying, “A prominent leader of the Sanatan community has been unjustly arrested and must be released immediately”.

She then expanded on the broader issue of attacks on minorities in the country, stating, “A temple in Chattogram has been burned down. Previously, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries and the homes of the Ahmadiyya community have been attacked, vandalised, looted and set on fire. The religious freedom and security of life and property for people of all communities must be ensured.”

The statement concluded by addressing the assaults on party leaders. “After murdering countless Awami League leaders, activists, students and law enforcement personnel, the regime continues to harass people through arrests, lawsuits and intimidation. I strongly condemn and protest these anarchist activities.”

Earlier on Thursday, Bangladesh’s High Court refused to pass a suo motu order on banning ISKCON’s activities in response to a petition filed by a lawyer a day earlier.

The leaders of the students’ anti-discrimination movement had also demanded a ban on ISKCON’s activities in Bangladesh.

However, media reports stated that the main political party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, had opposed imposing any ban on the Hindu religious organisation.

ISKCON Bangladesh held a media briefing on Thursday to distance themselves from Chinmoy Krishna, stating that he had been expelled by the organisation for breaching discipline in July.

An ISKCON member told the media that he had initially been removed following complaints involving children.

Later on Thursday night, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser for environment, forest and climate change, clarified that the government had not discussed banning ISKCON in Bangladesh.

Responding to a query at a press briefing, she stated, “No discussion was held in the government to ban ISKCON [in Bangladesh]. Many may raise demands. People may take programmes to press home their demands. We are not mixing the offenses of organisations with the offenses of individuals.”

According to Prothom Alo, she also referred to media reports indicating ISKCON’s claim that it had no connection with Chinmoy Krishna.

Meanwhile in India, the Ministry of External Affairs said in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha that “several incidents of desecration and damages to Hindu temples and deities in Bangladesh have been reported in the past few months”.

“The government of India has expressed its concerns about such incidents, including the attack on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and the theft at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024. The government has also called upon the government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship,” it said in a written reply on Thursday.

The MEA added that ensuring the protection of life and liberty for all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, was primarily the responsibility of the Bangladesh government.

One State or Two States? A Deep Dive into Omar Barghouti’s Vision for the Middle East

Barghouti argues that Zionism, by privileging Jewish identity over others within the state, inherently perpetuates systemic discrimination and exclusion.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict stands as one of modern history’s most enduring crises. Rooted in the upheaval of 1948, perpetuated by cycles of violence and dispossession, and compounded by global inaction, this conflict has eluded resolution. The two-state solution, long championed as the pathway to peace, has now faded into obsolescence. A growing chorus of voices, including prominent Palestinian intellectual Omar Barghouti, is advocating for a radical reimagining: a one-state solution.  

It is imperative to understand why the two-state framework has failed, to critically examine Zionism as a structural impediment, and to explore the transformative potential of a unified state founded on justice and equality.

The decline of the two-state dream  

The two-state solution once embodied the international community’s aspirations for peace. Yet its foundation was flawed. Israel’s relentless settlement expansion has fragmented Palestinian territories, rendering geographic continuity impossible. Politically, divisions between Hamas and Fatah have weakened Palestinian representation, while Israel’s economic stranglehold fosters dependency.  

Global actors have compounded the issue. The United States and European Union, ostensibly committed to a two-state solution, have failed to exert meaningful pressure on Israel. Instead, their acquiescence has emboldened policies of annexation and apartheid, deepening Palestinian disenfranchisement. The Oslo Accords, hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough, prioritised stability over justice, perpetuating structural inequalities that have hardened over time.  

Also read: Four Reasons to Be Concerned About the Israel-Hezbollah Deal

Omar Barghouti’s vision of one state  

Omar Barghouti, a leading voice for Palestinian liberation, envisions a single, democratic state encompassing historic Palestine. This model guarantees equal rights and representation for all inhabitants, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Barghouti’s framework seeks to rectify injustices stemming from the Nakba, including the right of return for Palestinian refugees, while dismantling Zionism’s exclusionary underpinnings.  critiques of Zionism as a structural impediment.

Barghouti argues that Zionism, by privileging Jewish identity over others within the state, inherently perpetuates systemic discrimination and exclusion, making it incompatible with universal democratic principles. His proposal challenges the status quo, urging a reimagining of statehood and identity to pave the way for a future grounded in equity, inclusion and shared humanity.

Central to this vision is the idea that equality, not separation, is the pathway to peace. Barghouti and others contend that Zionism, as a nationalist ideology privileging Jewish identity, has institutionalised discrimination. A one-state solution, by decolonising this framework, offers a chance for reconciliation rooted in justice.  

Edward Said, an early proponent of the one-state solution, captured its ethical essence: “The question is not whether Palestinians and Israelis can live together, but whether they can build a society that transcends the logic of domination.”  

Barriers to one-state reality  

The transition to a one-state solution faces significant resistance. Many Israelis view it as a demographic threat to the Jewish character of the state, while Palestinians remain sceptical of Israeli intentions. Decades of mutual distrust, fuelled by violence and dispossession, have entrenched psychological and political barriers.  

Moreover, the asymmetry of power complicates matters. Israel’s military, economic, and diplomatic superiority necessitates international intervention to dismantle apartheid policies and ensure equitable coexistence. Without external pressure, the existing status quo of domination and exclusion will persist.  

Comparing models: One state vs. two  

The one-state solution represents a shift from partition to integration. Unlike the two-state model — which perpetuates the binary of nation-states — Barghouti’s vision emphasises equal citizenship. This approach draws inspiration from post-apartheid South Africa, where justice was prioritised over territorial division.  

Critics argue that a unified state would erase Jewish self-determination and fuel sectarian tensions. Yet advocates counter that a secular democracy, grounded in universal rights, would provide equal protections for all. The challenge lies in overcoming entrenched narratives of fear and mistrust.  

Federalism: An alternative framework  

India’s historical stance on Palestine offers a unique perspective. In 1947, India opposed the partition plan, favouring a federated state that safeguarded Arab and Jewish rights. This approach, reminiscent of India’s own federal structure, underscores the potential for coexistence within a shared political framework.  

A binational model, blending autonomy with integration, could balance collective identities while preserving individual rights. However, such a structure risks devolving into a battleground for competing nationalisms if not underpinned by robust institutional safeguards.  

Towards a shared future

As the viability of a two-state solution fades into history, the discourse on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must evolve. Reimagining a just future through a one-state lens demands bold political imagination and unflinching engagement with three potential models for coexistence. Each offers unique pathways for achieving equity and reconciliation while reflecting the deep challenges of reengineering a landscape marked by entrenched divisions.  

As debates intensify, three potential frameworks emerge, each offering distinct pathways to justice and reconciliation:  

Reimagining coexistence: Three models for a just future  

As the two-state solution recedes into obsolescence, a pressing need emerges to rethink the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through innovative frameworks. Three models of coexistence — rooted in equity, shared governance, and reconciliation — offer pathways to reimagine the future while addressing the entrenched divides of the present.  

One-Person, One-Vote: Equality as foundation  

The “One-Person, One-Vote” model champions universal democratic values, envisioning a single, unified state where all citizens — irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or nationality — enjoy equal rights. This approach seeks to dismantle the structures of inequality and prioritise civic equality over ethno-nationalism, promising to redress the systemic injustices of the past.  

Yet, this vision faces profound resistance. For many Israelis, it threatens the Jewish identity of the state; for Palestinians, it raises fears of cultural erasure. Historical parallels reveal that while such egalitarian systems are ethically compelling, they demand societal trust and political maturity that remain elusive in the region.  

Binational or federal state: Balancing identities  

A binational or federal model offers a compromise, preserving the distinct national aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians within a shared political framework. By granting autonomy to each community while institutionalising coexistence, this approach acknowledges collective identities alongside individual rights.  

However, the model is fraught with fragility. Palestinians must grapple with diminished sovereignty, while Israelis must forgo exclusive control. The delicate balance of autonomy and unity risks devolving into nationalist strife, as seen in other divided societies. Nevertheless, this approach offers a pragmatic pathway to coexistence, mitigating the binary of winner and loser inherent in past negotiations.  

Shared sovereignty model: A collaborative vision  

The most ambitious proposal, shared sovereignty model, imagines Israelis and Palestinians jointly managing critical resources and shared spaces, such as Jerusalem. By blending cooperation with sovereignty, this model aims to redefine statehood itself, fostering interdependence rather than division.  

Also read: ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Former Defence Minister Gallant

The potential for reconciliation is immense — shared governance could transform contested sites into symbols of unity. Yet, the model’s success hinges on unprecedented trust, robust institutions, and external guarantees to mediate disputes. The asymmetry of power between the two parties adds complexity, demanding nuanced and sustained efforts to ensure fairness.  

A comprehensive approach for the future

These models — each with its merits and challenges — underscore the need for creative thinking in resolving one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. The current de facto one-state reality, characterised by domination and exclusion, is unsustainable and morally indefensible.  

International actors and mediators must pivot from the now-defunct two-state framework and engage with these alternatives as a starting point for dialogue. Rather than imposing solutions, the focus must be on fostering inclusive, grassroots-led discussions that prioritise justice, equity, and coexistence.  

The one-state solution is no silver bullet. It requires political courage, the dismantling of zero-sum ideologies, and the will to address historic grievances head-on. But as history demonstrates, transformative change is often born from crises. By embracing bold ideas and fostering collaboration, the Israeli and Palestinian peoples might yet chart a course toward a future that is both just and sustainable.  

Debashis Chakrabarti is a political commentator and Commonwealth Fellow in the UK. A former professor and dean at Assam University, he has taught across the UK, the Middle East and Africa.

Discrepancy in India-China Trade Data Raises Red Flags over Under-Invoicing and Misclassification

According to World Bank data, India’s imports from China stood at $99.59 billion, 18.2% lower than China’s reported exports of $117.68 billion.

New Delhi: India’s trade data with China for 2023 reveals a significant discrepancy, sparking concerns over potential anomalies such as under-invoicing and misclassification, Mint reported.

According to World Bank data, India’s imports from China stood at $99.59 billion, 18.2% lower than China’s reported exports of $117.68 billion in FY23. The data gaps are not a new phenomenon and were noted for FY22 as well and the data gap has only risen in FY23. This discrepancy has widened from 15.5% in the previous year, with India’s imports valued at $102.63 billion, significantly lower than China’s reported exports of $118.50 billion in FY22.

China remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $118.4 billion in 2023-24. However, the significant gap in trade data raises concerns over revenue losses and inaccurate trade accounting.

Experts attribute the discrepancy to various factors, including under-invoicing, misclassification, and inconsistent reporting practices, the report mentioned.

Another important characteristic of the trade data discrepancy is that while India reported lower imports  and China’s data noted higher exports for shipping goods, aircraft, textiles and clothing, iron ore, steel, base metals, medical devices, leather, paper, and glass while opposite trend was noted for imports of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, diamond, gold, and other valuable products, telecom, electronics, electrical products, and machinery and computers — India’s reported imports exceeding China’s export data, the report added. 

“While discrepancies in trade data can arise due to methodological differences, the magnitude of these gaps — particularly in textiles and clothing, iron and steel, electronics, and remaining categories — requires deeper investigation,” Ajay Srivastava, former trade service official and the founder of economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) told Mint.

Hemant Soren Sworn in as 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand, INDIA Bloc in Attendance

Soren, set to begin his fourth term as Jharkhand chief minister, led the INDIA alliance to victory in 56 seats of the 81-member assembly last week.

New Delhi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Hemant Soren took oath as Jharkhand’s 14th chief minister in Ranchi on Thursday (November 28).

Soren led the INDIA alliance to victory in 56 seats of the 81-member Jharkhand assembly last week, retaining his government and defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA for the second consecutive time in the state.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by a host of prominent political leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Jharkhand governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Soren, who is set to begin his fourth term as the chief minister of Jharkhand.

Also read: ‘Abua Sarkar History Being Scripted,’ Says Hemant Soren as JMM Retains Jharkhand, Trounces BJP’s ‘Infiltration’ Bogey

In view of the swearing-in-ceremony, schools in Ranchi were shut, the Hindustan Times reported.

Sever opposition leaders like NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Arvind Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Mehbooba Mufti and Tejashwi Yadav were also in attendance.

Soren announced after his swearing-in that his government had taken five decisions, one of which was fulfilling the INDIA bloc’s pre-poll promise to increase the amount of support to eligible women under the Maiyya Samman scheme from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500 per month.

The other decisions were to ‘expedite’ recruitment by the state’s Public Service and Staff Selection Commissions, to move to recover the “state’s dues of Rs 1.36 lakh crore from the Union government”, tap various sources to increase the state’s revenue and that a team comprising all parties and officials would “gather information on the condition of the tribals and natives of Jharkhand who have been living in Assam for years”.

Soren was jailed earlier this year in connection with an alleged money laundering case and was only able to secure a bail in June, with three months left to go for the Jharkhand polls.

Revisiting 1990’s Rath Yatra Through Fiction

L.K. Advani’s Rath Yatra of 1990 was a watershed event that marked an irreversible ideological shift in contemporary Indian politics.

L.K. Advani’s Rath Yatra of 1990 was a watershed event that marked an irreversible ideological shift in contemporary Indian politics. Advani’s narrative of saving the birthplace of Ram and the accompanying seductions of a consolidated Hindu identity has been the subject of numerous academic and journalistic publications. The yatra swiftly consolidated an electorate fractured into caste and class identities by offering them a unified Hindu identity that must protect the endangered Ram against the Muslim outsiders.

Strangely, for such a significant event, not many literary fiction books talk about it. Rakesh Kayasth’s Hindi novel, Rambhakt Rangbaz, is an exception, as it constructs the story around this seminal event. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book has come out in english translation, 1990, Aramganj by Varsha Tiwary, published by Westland in 2024. However, one wonders why the original title was not retained.

‘1990, Aramganj’, Rakesh Kayasth, Westland Books, 2024.

The novel captures what we call “a gateway moment” now. The Berlin Wall has fallen, and the USSR has disintegrated. The joys of liberalisation and Baywatch are around the corner. Families watch Ramayana every Sunday, and young men organise surreptitious blue film video cassette shows. Everyone loses sleep over an inter-caste elopement cum marriage and dreams of cushy government jobs which will fetch fat dowries. Most worry that lower castes must not be allowed to grow too big with B.P. Mandal’s dreams.

The story, set in September-October 1990 – when the frenzy about the rath’s arrival is growing – is about a hugely popular character, Ashiq Miyan, a Muslim tailor in a Hindu neighbourhood. Ashiq, also called Rambhakt Rangbaz, is a genuine product of a plural culture and sees his being a Muslim no bar to his devotion to Ram or his dancing to Bollywood numbers during Durga puja and Saraswati puja immersion processions. Ashiq Miyan’s story of struggling against hate and othering provides an anthropological microcosm of the heartland society in all its feudal, misogynistic and casteist glory. Love is a dirty word here; a woman walking in to buy sanitary pads for herself is enough to thrill the layabouts standing on the chowk, and a curfew is a good time to have drinking parties.

The small-town neighbourhood makes the perfect backdrop for a humourous anthropological enquiry into the mindset of the small-town male and the venal small-town politicians and to expose the flimsy semi-modernity of India’s educated middle classes. The simmering post-Mandal Commission caste animosities in the neighbourhood give way to reconciliation measures in the cause of “Hindu unity” before the rath’s arrival. To the astonishment of the local watchers and analysts, Koli, Kumhars, and Ahir-Nonias are suddenly invited to do duties in the Ram rath reception committee. In a neighbourhood where everything from marriage to employment to housing depends on caste, where people take offence to the very presence of a low-caste Valmikinagar settlement, this intense wooing of the “lesser castes” leads to intense speculation among the local “intellectuals.” In this new atmosphere, Muslims are labelled as outsiders. Ashiq suddenly finds that the very friends he has grown up with are raising new types of questions for him. Tensions also escalate in the Muslim settlement Rayyat Toli, where he lives with his family.

Even though the story is tragic, the author uses a light touch. This earthy sense of humour is retained in translation. The authenticity of dialogue and his hold over small-town politics gives power to this book. For me, the most enjoyable parts of the book are the instant analyses of ongoing political developments by self-styled local professors holding forth in paan kiosks and tea shops. For those of us who came of age before smartphones and live-streaming television channels, the mohalla nukkad shop was indeed the place to get the latest bytes.

“Throwing light on this, professor sahib presented a deep analysis: Kamleshwa, a Rajput, is a follower of that Bhumihar, Jatashankar Sharma. And half the time his mind works like that of a wily Kayasth. Even though he belongs to the Brahmin-Bania party, he has maintained his hold over the low castes… surely he is playing some big game.”

Another such character is Om, a maverick ex-professor who smokes pot and loves to call out the double standards of the self-righteously pontificating mohalla walas. “People know that it is impossible to win an argument with Om ji. If the person is from the Hindu party, Om ji becomes ultra leftist. If the person is the progressive type, Om ji turns into a true Hindu believer, a Sanatani.”

As communal tensions escalate before the rath yatra, a curfew is imposed in the neigbourhood. A curfew is a forced holiday and a time to have fun for the upper castes, but for the Muslim settlements, which are subject to intense patrolling, it means loss of daily earnings. To complicate things further, a notice is served to the residents of the Muslim settlements saying that they are living on encroached land and, hence, their houses will be demolished. This feels terribly contemporary, but in those days, it was possible for the judiciary to rein in the partisan actions of local government. Hence, Ashiq Miyan can turn the adversity around and emerge as the rangbaz he is. In this celebratory spirit, he is asked by his Valmikinagar friends to do the star-performing break-dance number in the Kali puja immersion procession.

I won’t spoil the story here, but suffice it to say that Ashiq’s story is a metaphor for the story of every Indian Muslim who had hoped that integration would protect them. Literature that fleshes out contemporary political history and captures the emotional and social churn of the Indian heartland is essential reading because academic enquiries erase the actual people from the narrative. Reading this book uncannily reveals that the three-plus decade-old slogans and metaphors are playing a decisive role in politics even today.

Santosh Kumar Rai is a professor of modern Indian history at the Department of History, Delhi University.

Ladakh: Hill Council Budgets Slashed Ahead of Statehood Talks With Union Government

Leader of opposition in the Leh council, Tsering Namgyal called it an ‘atrocious move aimed at disempowering elected representatives’.

Srinagar: Ahead of talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government regarding demands of statehood and other constitutional safeguards, the elected representatives of the Ladakh are up in arms over massive cuts in funding of the two Autonomous Hill Councils.

These councils are the highest elected bodies of the Union Terrioty which is being run directly by New Delhi through its lieutenant governor and bureaucrats since its dismemberment from Jammu & Kashmir. The bifurcation also resulted in Ladakhis losing exclusive rights over jobs and land in the erstwhile state.

Funding cut enrages elected representatives

In a letter accessed by The Wire, the administration of Ladakh has communicated to the councils that their capital expenditure budget (development funds) has been reduced by Rs 110 crore each.

As per the communique, the capital expenditure of each council has been reduced to Rs 234 from Rs 344 crore after the Union government revised the UT’s total capital expenditure from Rs 3,076 crore to 2,100 crore.

Expressing helplessness over its inability to keep the funding intact for the current financial year or enhance it for the next one, the Ladakh’s Planning Development and Monitoring Department has written to both the hill councils that it had proposed to increase their capital expenditure to Rs 360 crore for the next financial year but couldn’t do so due to the revised allocations conveyed by the UT’s finance department based on the Union home ministry’s communique.

The reduction in funding has enraged the elected representatives, who argue that it could severely hit development projects in the region.

“This would affect work being executed in our constituencies. They have reduced the budget of the councils despite it being mere 5-6 % of the UT’s total budget,” Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, Dr. Muhammad Jaffar Akhone told The Wire.

The CEC, who has written to Union home minister Amit Shah and LG Ladakh, BD Mishra over the matter, said the council also passed a resolution on the matter on Wednesday( November 27) asking the Union government to reconsider its decision.

The text of the resolution was not released when this report was filed.

Leader of opposition in the Leh council, Tsering Namgyal called it an “atrocious” move aimed at “disempowering” elected representatives.

“They have imposed a heavy cut on funding of the councils despite our ability to spend 90-95% of the budget allocated to us,” he said, adding that this is grave injustice to the people of Ladakh and its representatives.

He said that the Union government’s promises about empowering of hill councils and liberal funding have proved to be “jumlas.”

“One on hand, the Government of India is talking about strengthening these councils but on the other, they (Union Government and Ladakh administration) are resorting to such moves to cripple us financially,” he said.

The capital expenditure budget of the hill councils has been reduced ahead of talks between the leadership of Ladakh and the Union government on December 3 in New Delhi.

The leaders from Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) – the two groups spearheading agitation for Statehood,  VIth Schedule, two parliamentary seats and a dedicated Public Service Commission for the UT – would hold talks with representatives of Union government led by Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai.

Amid growing concerns over reduction in funding, LG Mishra met Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and requested for status quo in funding for the region’s overall development in the current fiscal year.

“He also informed her of the repercussions of the cut which could impact the ongoing development projects, especially the ongoing project works of both the hill councils of Leh and Kargil, and hamper the overall development of the region,” an official spokesman said.

Union government’s promises

In the past five years, since Ladakh was carved out of J&K, the Union government has repeatedly promised development in Ladakh.

On August 9, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the development of the people of Ladakh is the special responsibility of the Union government.

In her budget speech of 2023-24 on February 01, 2023, Sitharaman had said that there has been sustained focus on development of Ladakh, J&K and the Northeast.

In January this year, Union minister of state Jitendra Singh said that the Union government has accorded very high priority to the development of Ladakh and welfare of the local population including Buddhists and tribals.

China Suspends Top Military Official Miao Amid Graft Probes

Miao Hua, a senior official in China’s top national defense body, is being investigated as China continues to probe its armed forces.

China on Thursday announced it had removed military official Miao Hua from office over suspected “violations of discipline.”

It comes as Beijing engages in a major crackdown on corruption in its armed forces.

What do we know about Miao’s suspension?

Authorities had “decided to suspend Miao Hua from duty pending investigation,” Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Defence Ministry, said at a press briefing.

He said that Miao had been accused of “serious violations of discipline” — phrasing often used by Chinese officials to allude to corruption allegations.

The spokesperson did not provide further details on the investigations.

Miao was a senior member of the country’s highest national defence authority, known as the Central Military Commission (CMC).

Military subject to multiple probes, suspensions

At least nine generals of China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and a handful of defence industry executives have been removed from the CMC since last year as part of Beijing’s anti-corruption drive.

The force that oversees China’s arsenal of strategic missiles has come under particularly intense scrutiny, with its top official, Sun Jinming, being expelled from the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over corruption allegations in July.

Chinese President Xi Jinping launched several anti-corruption campaigns shortly after assuming office in 2013. Critics have accused him of using the probes to consolidate his power within the CCP.

Investigation into minister a ‘fabrication’ – spokesperson

During the press briefing on Thursday, Wu also dismissed earlier reports that Defence Minister Dong Jun was being investigated for corruption.

“The reports in question are pure fabrications,” Wu said.

“The rumour-mongers are ill-intentioned. China expresses its strong dissatisfaction with such slanderous behaviour,” he said.

The statement comes after the UK’s Financial Times newspaper published a report citing US officials as saying that Dong was under investigation by a Chinese anti-corruption probe.

Dong was appointed defence minister in December after his predecessor, Li Shangfu, was removed over allegations including suspected bribery after he had spent just seven months in office.

The previous defence minister, Wei Fenghe, was also suspended over alleged corruption.

This article was originally published on DW.

Parliament Adjourned Amid Opposition Protests Over Adani Bribery Allegations

Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar said that the disruptions in parliament are ‘not a remedy but a malady’ while in the Lok Sabha, union minister Kiren Rijiju accused Congress and the opposition of creating a ruckus.

The Lok Sabha functioned for a total of 13 minutes and the Rajya Sabha for 16 minutes before both houses were adjourned for the day on Thursday, November 28, as opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the bribery charges against the Adani Group, while the treasury benches accused them of creating a ruckus in the house.

In Lok Sabha, the only business that was conducted included Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan taking oath after being elected in the bypolls from Wayanad and Nanded, respectively, followed by an extension granted to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, till the end of the budget session in 2025.

Moments after Chavan took oath, opposition members rose in protest raising slogans as Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla announced the commencement of the question hour. The house was then adjourned till noon after just seven minutes of functioning. When the house resumed proceedings, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal sought an extension for the JPC examining the Waqf bill. As the extension was granted, opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the bribery charges against the Adani Group.

“All members of the opposition including the members of the Business Advisory Council met the Lok Sabha speaker and decided the time to be allotted to upcoming bills in the house and this was accepted. The other issues that are to be discussed, there are rules already existing for their discussion. Everyone has agreed to them. By breaking rules agreed upon, the Congress party and its associates are creating a ruckus. I condemn this,” said union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju.

“This is not right. There are many new members of parliament, and old members as well. They should be given the opportunity to raise issues from their constituencies. But the Congress and its associate opposition parties, by creating a ruckus like this, are taking away the rights of other members. Secondly, the Waqf amendment bill was before a JPC and the opposition members requested more time. We agreed to that also. Today, the JPC’s extension was granted as well. Yet, the Congress is creating a ruckus. This is wrong, I condemn it,” added Rijiju.

The house was then adjourned for the day after functioning for about four minutes after it reconvened at noon.

‘Disruption not a remedy but a malady’

In the Rajya Sabha, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to allow adjournment notices given by opposition members demanding suspension of business to allow for a discussion on the charges against the Adani Group.

On November 20, the US Securities and Exchange Commission announced that they had charged businessman Gautam Adani with alleged bribery of public officials in India and securities fraud. Simultaneously, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced a criminal indictment in relation to the same offences.

When proceedings started at 11 am, the upper house functioned for only 12 minutes before it was adjourned amid calls for admitting adjournment notices brought in by opposition members. When the house reconvened at noon, opposition members raised slogans demanding a JPC look into the charges against Adani.

“It is with deep concern, I must say, that we missed this historic opportunity where there should have been productive dialogue (and) constructive engagement, echoing the collective aspirations of our people. We fell short of the expectations. Honourable members, this chamber is more than just a house of debate,” Dhankhar said.

“Our national spirit had to echo from here. Parliamentary disruption is not a remedy but a malady; it weakens our foundation. It slides parliament into irrelevance. When we engage in this kind of conduct, we deviate from constitutional ordainment and show our back to our duty,” he stated further.

After merely four minutes of functioning post noon, the house was adjourned for the day.

Also read: Parliament Adjourned as Opp Demands Discussion on Adani Bribery Scheme, US Indictment

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that both the houses had to be adjourned due to the government’s refusal to allow the opposition to raise allegations against the Adani Group.

“Today too both Houses of Parliament got adjourned because of the Government’s continuing refusal to allow the Opposition to raise the issue of the Modani scam which is destroying free and fair competition in many sectors of the economy and destroying corporate India’s credibility and reputation globally,” he posted on X after both houses were adjourned.

On Wednesday too, both houses were adjourned within minutes of the start of proceedings, with the Lok Sabha only functioning for about 14 minutes.

Rajasthan Court Issues Notices Over Petition Claiming Shiva Temple Beneath Ajmer Dargah

The petition, filed by Vishnu Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena seeks a survey of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the biggest Sufi shrine in India.

Jaipur: A civil court in Ajmer on Wednesday (November 27), issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah committee, Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), after a petition was filed, claiming that the Dargah was originally a Shiva temple.  

The petition, filed by Vishnu Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena, seeks a survey of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah — the most famous Sufi shrine in India and an international pilgrimage spot for devotees from different countries.

The petition for the survey of the Ajmer Dargah was admitted by the court days after three Muslim men were killed as a mob opposing the survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh clashed with the police. 

The people associated with the Ajmer Dargah have slammed the move, terming it as against the interest of the country and communal harmony. 

‘Dargah built after demolishing Shiva temple’

“Before 11th century AD, a temple of Lord Shiva existed in the place where the Ajmer Dargah stands today. There was also a Jain temple near it. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty had come to India accompanying Muhammad Ghori as his adviser. At the time Ajmer was named as Ajay Meru. Ajmer is also the birthplace of Prithviraj Chauhan. It is clear that the Dargah was built after demolishing the Shiva temple,” petitioner Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena, told The Wire. 

Also read: Sambhal Violence: Police Deny Charges of Shooting Four Muslims Dead; 25 Muslims Arrested, SP MP Booked

In the petition filed by Gupta, it has been said that a Shiva Linga lies beneath the underground passage to the cellar within the Dargah complex and that the Hindu devotees are not being allowed to have darshan of the deity beneath the underground passage to the cellar.

“The original Mahadev Temple at the site of Ajmer Dargah was partly demolished and utilising the remaining structure and the materials and spoils used for construction and a Dargah was raised whereas the deities continued in visible and invisible form within the premises,” says the petition. 

The petition mentions that the petitioner came to know this fact from the 1911 book titled Ajmer Historical and Descriptive, written by Har Bilas Sarda, where it is mentioned that underneath the courtyard between the Buland Darwaza and the inner courtyard are cellars of an old Hindu building of which many rooms remain intact.

“Muslims never got proprietary right over the property in question. None of the Muslim has so far dedicated the land to the God for the simple reason that the property belongs to deity. The deity will not lose its rights only for the reason that during foreign rule the temple was damaged/demolished as the right of the deity over the property is never lost and the right of worshippers to perform pooja of the deity and Asthan is protected under Hindu law,” adds the petition. 

The petition seeks to conduct a detailed scientific investigation by using GPR survey, excavation, dating method and other modern techniques of the present structure to find out as to whether the same has been constructed over a pre-existing structure of Hindu temple. 

“In our petition, we have asked permission to pray inside the Dargah where a Shiva temple existed. The court of civil judge Ajmer West Manmohan Chandel admitted the petition and directed the issuance of notices to the Dargah committee, Ministry of Minority Affairs and the ASI,” said Ramswaroop Bishnoi, counsel of Gupta. 

Bishnoi added that he hasn’t received an order of the copy yet. The court order has not yet been uploaded online. 

‘Dargah symbol of communal harmony, will remain so’

People associated with the management of the Ajmer Dargah have criticised the move and said that they are deciding on the further course of action.

“The Dargah is a symbol of communal harmony, diversity and pluralism. It promotes unity and diversity. Along with this, it is also a very big Islamic pilgrimage for people right from Afghanistan to Indonesia. It has crores of followers. This is not a joke where we will keep tolerating this. The next hearing date is on December 20,” said Syed Sarwar Chishty, secretary of the Anjuman Syed Zadgan, the representative body of hereditary khadims (caretakers) of the Dargah.

Also read: Sambhal and the Pattern of Official Narratives Without Truth

Earlier this month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan had renamed Hotel Khadim in Ajmer — operated by the state tourism department — as Hotel “Ajay Meru” following the instructions from assembly speaker Vasudev Devnani, who is an MLA from the district.

“Everywhere they see Shiv Lings and Mandirs. They are doing this with centuries old mosques. These things are not in the interest of the country. We are seeing what is to be done. This was and is the Dargah of the Garib Nawaz and will remain so,” said Chishty.

“After Babri Masjid we swallowed a bitter pill and thought it will not happen again. But this is not stopping. Sometimes Kashi, sometimes Mathura… On June 22, Mohan Bhagwatji had said that one shouldn’t search for Shiv Lings in every mosque. This fault is of retired Chief Justice of India [D.Y.] Chandrachud. When Places of Worship Act 1991 says that apart from Babri Masjid the status quo will remain the same as 1947 for all religious places, what is the need for this?” added Chishty.

Jharkhand Elections: BJP-Linked Facebook Pages Flouted ECI’s Silence Period Rule, Yet Again

Similar violations were also reported during the Karnataka assembly elections, where a BJP proxy page ran political ads on the election day itself.

The recently concluded Jharkhand assembly elections have once again highlighted the inability of social media platforms to effectively enforce electoral regulations. Despite the guidelines set forth by the Election Commission of India (ECI), violations continue to occur, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. This highlights the challenge of ensuring adherence to rules by candidates, political parties, and platforms like Meta, which owns Facebook.

According to Section 126(1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act 1951, a mandatory ‘silence period’ begins 48 hours before the conclusion of polling. This period prohibits any form of campaigning, including advertisements, to allow voters to make decisions without undue influence. The ECI has consistently emphasized the importance of this provision and issued guidelines to political parties and social media platforms to ensure compliance with the Model Code of Conduct.

The Jharkhand assembly elections were conducted in two phases on November 13 and November 20, 2024. Ahead of the elections, on November 9, the ECI issued specific instructions regarding media coverage during the silence period, explicitly banning election-related content on platforms like television and social media during this crucial time frame.

ECI press note.

Despite these directives, several Facebook pages directly linked to BJP candidates and proxy pages were found running election advertisements during the silence period.

On November 19, 2024, just a day before the final phase of polling, Alt News flagged seven such pages to Meta for violating the rules. These included campaign pages for individual BJP leaders, proxy groups, and a news portal.

The following pages were identified for breaching the ECI guidelines:

  1. The RajDharma
  2. Madhupur Maange Ganga Narayan Singh
  3. Jarmundi Maange Devendra Kunwar
  4. Jama Ka Bharosa Suresh Murmu
  5. Shikaripara Maange Paritosh Soren
  6. Ek Akela Sab Par Bhari
  7. Jharkhand Chaupal – झारखंड चौपाल

Meta was alerted about these violations, but as of now, no official response has been received. This report will be updated if and when Meta issues a clarification.

Following the alert by Alt News, several political advertisements on proxy pages like Jharkhand Chaupal and Ek Akela Sab Par Bhari were locally removed. These pages were among the largest spenders on ads during the Jharkhand elections.