BJP Alleges US Govt., George Soros, Rahul Gandhi Are Attempting to Destabilise India
NB, Dec24 Vishal Arora NB, Dec24 Vishal Arora

BJP Alleges US Govt., George Soros, Rahul Gandhi Are Attempting to Destabilise India

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that the U.S. government, billionaire investor George Soros and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi are conspiring to destabilise India. The party alleged that the investigative media platform Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) plays a central role in this purported effort, while not questioning the factual basis of the investigative reports.

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Manipur Autopsy Reports: 10 Kuki-Zos Killed in CRPF Firing

Manipur Autopsy Reports: 10 Kuki-Zos Killed in CRPF Firing

A thorough analysis of the autopsy reports for the 10 Kuki-Zo “village volunteers” killed in Manipur during an alleged gunbattle with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) suggests that the young men were shot from behind or from multiple directions and at close range. Some of them also sustained injuries that cannot solely be attributed to gunfire.

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Lawyer Dushyant Dave Accuses India’s Judiciary of Enabling Divisive Religious Politics
NB, Dec24 Vishal Arora NB, Dec24 Vishal Arora

Lawyer Dushyant Dave Accuses India’s Judiciary of Enabling Divisive Religious Politics

Advocate Dushyant Dave has sharply criticised the judiciary for enabling divisive politics by permitting surveys of mosques over claims that they constructed on the remains of temples from the Mughal era. In a media interview, the lawyer directly accused India’s former Chief Justice, D.Y. Chandrachud, of undermining the Constitution and contributing to rising communal tensions.

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How Government’s Reduced Shares in Public Banks Will Affect Us
NB, Dec24 Vishal Arora NB, Dec24 Vishal Arora

How Government’s Reduced Shares in Public Banks Will Affect Us

One of the key proposals in the latest banking reform bill, which was debated in the Lok Sabha on Dec. 3, is to cut the government’s stake in public banks from 51% down to 26%. Some opposition members are calling it a move toward privatisation. There are at least four major concerns for citizens regarding Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, that the government needs to address.

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Autopsy Reports Indicate CRPF Misconduct in Manipur
Perspective, Vishal Arora, Dec24 Vishal Arora Perspective, Vishal Arora, Dec24 Vishal Arora

Autopsy Reports Indicate CRPF Misconduct in Manipur

Ten young men from the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur's Jiribam district recently lost their lives in what's been reported as a gunfight with personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The CRPF claims these individuals, labelled as “militants,” had attacked a local police station and a nearby CRPF camp. However, subsequent post-mortem reports, seen by Newsreel Asia, cast doubt on the legality and ethics of the actions taken by the paramilitary force.

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A Judicial Commission to Investigate Communal Violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh
NB, nov24 Vishal Arora NB, nov24 Vishal Arora

A Judicial Commission to Investigate Communal Violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh

A judicial commission has been established to investigate the communal violence that erupted in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, after a second survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid resulted in four deaths and widespread unrest. The incident, which involved clashes between locals and authorities over claims that the mosque was constructed on the remains of a temple from the Mughal era, quickly escalated to a point where over 2,500 individuals were booked.

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How Indian Gov’t Should Respond to Adani’s US Indictment
NB, nov24 Vishal Arora NB, nov24 Vishal Arora

How Indian Gov’t Should Respond to Adani’s US Indictment

The Indian government is under mounting pressure to respond decisively to the indictment of Gautam Adani in the United States for alleged bribery and fraud. The charges against the Adani Group, which include accusations of substantial bribes to secure solar power contracts, demand government action to protect India’s global business reputation and domestic corporate culture.

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Delhi’s Air Pollution: Government Inaction Amid a Dire Health Emergency
NB, nov24 Vishal Arora NB, nov24 Vishal Arora

Delhi’s Air Pollution: Government Inaction Amid a Dire Health Emergency

Nov. 27 marked the “cleanest” day of the month in Delhi, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reporting a 24-hour average AQI of 303 for the city. According to researchers, breathing air with an AQI over 300 is roughly equivalent to smoking about 25 cigarettes a day. This implies that each winter, the millions of residents in and around Delhi effectively “smoke” at least 1,600 cigarettes, as the capital is shrouded in a suffocating blanket of smog for around 65 days between October and January.

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Should There Be No Male Tailors, Barbers, or Gym Trainers for Women?
NB, nov24 Vishal Arora NB, nov24 Vishal Arora

Should There Be No Male Tailors, Barbers, or Gym Trainers for Women?

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) State Women’s Commission has proposed a series of measures aimed at protecting women from harassment, including unwanted advances and inappropriate physical contact. These measures include prohibiting men from taking measurements of women in tailor shops, cutting their hair or training them in gyms. What impact would this proposal have on the residents if it were enacted? I went out to collect their reactions.

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Ladakh’s Case for the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule
NB, nov24 Vishal Arora NB, nov24 Vishal Arora

Ladakh’s Case for the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule

On Oct. 21, Ladakhi climate activist Sonam Wangchuk concluded his 16-day hunger strike after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs agreed to resume discussions on the four key demands made by local leaders. The most crucial demand of the people of Ladakh is for greater autonomy through statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Speaking to Newsreel Asia, a leading Ladakhi activist elaborates on the rationale behind these demands.

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Behind Alarmist Portrayals of Rising Islamism in Bangladesh
Perspective, Vishal Arora, FC, oct24, Commentary Vishal Arora Perspective, Vishal Arora, FC, oct24, Commentary Vishal Arora

Behind Alarmist Portrayals of Rising Islamism in Bangladesh

If you tune into mainstream media, especially in India, you might find yourself asking, “What the heck is going on in Bangladesh?” With that same question in mind, we left Delhi for Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. However, our six-day journey through Dhaka and Dinajpur left us feeling more hopeful than fearful about Bangladesh’s future.

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Why Bar Association is Complaining About Supreme Court’s ‘Unilateral’ Decisions
NB, oct24 Vishal Arora NB, oct24 Vishal Arora

Why Bar Association is Complaining About Supreme Court’s ‘Unilateral’ Decisions

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has raised objections to what it calls a “unilateral” decision by India's Chief Justice to alter the iconic “Lady Justice” statue without consulting the body of lawyers. According to the bar, the top court's decision to install a new version of the statue—in a saree, with scales in the right hand, a book symbolising the Constitution in the other, and without the blindfold—is just one of several decisions made without prior consultation.

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So What If Lady Justice Statue Has No Blindfold
NB, oct24 Vishal Arora NB, oct24 Vishal Arora

So What If Lady Justice Statue Has No Blindfold

The unveiling of the new Lady Justice statue in India’s Supreme Court—a figure without a blindfold and holding the Constitution instead of a sword—is being celebrated by some as a step towards shedding colonial symbols and embracing a new era of justice. However, this superficial gesture fails to address the deep-rooted issues plaguing the country’s judicial system.

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