New Delhi, April 11: Tahawwur Rana had aspired for Pakistan’s highest award for gallantry in battle ‘Nishan-e-Haider’ for the nine Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who carried out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and were gunned down by Indian security forces.

The US Department of Justice, in a statement, has released a bit of intercepted conversation between Tahawwur Rana and Headley after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The statement says, “After the attacks were complete, Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians ‘deserved it’. In an intercepted conversation with Headley, Rana allegedly commended the nine LeT terrorists who had been killed committing the attacks, saying that ‘[t]hey should be given Nishan-e-Haider’- Pakistan’s ‘highest award for gallantry in battle’, which is reserved for fallen soldiers.”

The statement said that Rana is to stand trial in India on “10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai”.

Rana is described as a convicted terrorist, a Canadian citizen and a native of Pakistan by the US.

The US on Wednesday extradited Rana to India, which it said was a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks.

In a detailed statement, the US has said that Rana, 64, is charged in India with numerous offences, including conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery, related to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks committed by LeT, a designated foreign terrorist organisation.

Describing the terror attacks, the US statement reads: Between November 26 and 29, 2008, ten LeT terrorists carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in Mumbai. They infiltrated the city by sea and then broke into teams, dispersing to multiple locations. Attackers at a train station fired guns and threw grenades into crowds. Attackers at two restaurants shot indiscriminately at patrons. Attackers at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel gunned people down and detonated explosives. Attackers also shot and killed people at a Jewish community center.

When the terror finally subsided, 166 victims, including six Americans, were dead, along with all but one of the LeT terrorists. Hundreds more were injured, and Mumbai sustained more than $1.5 billion in property damage.

The US said the attacks “were among the most horrific and catastrophic in India’s history”.

Ahead of the extradition, India had handed over detailed investigation reports, documents and evidence to prove Rana’s involvement in the 2008 terror attack.

The US statement says that “India alleges that Rana facilitated a fraudulent cover so that his childhood friend David Coleman Headley (Headley), a U.S. citizen born Daood Gilani, could freely travel to Mumbai for the purpose of conducting surveillance of potential attack sites for LeT. As India alleges, Headley had received training from LeT members in Pakistan and was in direct communication with LeT about plans to attack Mumbai.”

Among other things, Rana allegedly agreed to open a Mumbai branch of his immigration business and appoint Headley as the manager of the office, despite Headley’s having no immigration experience. On two separate occasions, Rana allegedly helped Headley prepare and submit visa applications to Indian authorities that contained information Rana knew to be false, the statement mentions.

Rana also allegedly supplied, through his unsuspecting business partner, documentation in support of Headley’s attempt to secure formal approval from Indian authorities to open a branch office of Rana’s business. “Over the course of more than two years, Headley allegedly repeatedly met with Rana in Chicago and described his surveillance activities on behalf of LeT, LeT’s responses to Headley’s activities, and LeT’s potential plans for attacking Mumbai”, the statement further adds.

US Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce has said that on April 9, the United States extradited Rana, 64, to India “to face justice for his role in planning the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.”

She said, “The United States has long supported India’s efforts to ensure those responsible for these attacks are brought to justice, and as President Trump has said, the United States and India will continue to work together to combat the global scourge of terrorism.”

New Delhi, April 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Friday, during which he will distribute Geographical Indication (GI) certificates for 21 newly registered products of Uttar Pradesh.

Of the 21 recipients, nine are artisans and producers from Varanasi, underscoring the city’s role as a vibrant hub of traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage.

Padma Shri awardee and GI expert Rajni Kant, who has been instrumental in advancing GI registrations across India, shared his views ahead of the event.

“I am playing a small role in the progress of GI in Banaras and the whole of India,” he said.

“Since the GI Act came into force in 2003, this is the first time in the country that GI certificates will be distributed for 21 products in one event, and that too by the Prime Minister,” Kant said.

He highlighted that with these new inclusions, the total number of GI-tagged products from Uttar Pradesh will reach 77, placing it among the top states in India in terms of GI recognition.

“It’s a proud moment, Kashi alone has 32 GI-tagged products, supporting around 20 lakh people and generating an annual business of about Rs 25,500 crore,” he said.

Emphasising the national impact of the GI movement, he said: “The journey that started in Kashi has now reached Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.”

Apart from the GI event, PM Modi’s Varanasi visit includes inaugurating a transit hostel at Police Lines, new police barracks in Ramnagar, four rural roads, and beautification works along Shastri Ghat and Samne Ghat.

Additional urban development projects under the Railways and Varanasi Development Authority will also be launched.

A major portion of the Rs 3,880 crore development push will focus on upgrading the city’s power infrastructure, including the construction of 15 new substations, the installation of transformers, and laying 1,500 km of new power lines.

Mumbai, April 10: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam on Thursday sharply criticised the Congress’ recent resolution focused on OBC votes, accusing it of fueling caste-based divisions for political gains.

“In its Ahmedabad convention, the Congress failed to oppose divisive forces operating under the guise of caste and religion. Instead, it passed a resolution aimed solely at consolidating OBC votes. This represents a dramatic and dangerous departure from its earlier nationalistic approach and exposes its hidden agenda of social division through caste politics,” the former MP said.

Recalling the Congress’ past stances, Nirupam told reporters that previous conventions saw the party adopt resolutions on Gram Swarajya, economic liberalisation, and bank nationalisation — initiatives aimed at national development.

“The Congress once took a firm stand against the politics of caste, language, and religion. But now, it is mirroring the tactics of regional parties by embracing caste-based vote-bank politics. This ideological U-turn is both disappointing and alarming,” he said.

He further alleged that the Congress is steadily drifting away from its national identity.

“The party is increasingly behaving like a regional outfit, prioritising short-term electoral gains over national unity,” Nirupam remarked.

Taking aim at Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray, Nirupam questioned his stance on the Congress’ caste resolution.

“For 25 years, Sena-UBT ruled the BMC, yet Aaditya never inspected drain cleaning works. Now, out of power, he is suddenly conducting inspections. It raises serious questions—are these visits just a new way to pressurise contractors for commissions?”

Highlighting the current administration’s achievements, Nirupam praised former Chief Minister and current Deputy CM Eknath Shinde for transforming Mumbai’s infrastructure.

“Under CM Shinde’s leadership, Mumbai’s roads have been concretised and are now virtually pothole-free. This is what real development looks like — not empty optics,” he said.