New Delhi, Nov 27: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said India’s diplomacy, economic strength and armed forces collectively present a nation committed to peace while remaining fully prepared to defend its borders and citizens.

Praising the armed forces for their “professionalism and patriotism”, she said the recent success of Operation Sindoor represents a pivotal moment in India’s counter-terrorism and deterrence strategy.

Addressing the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, the President said, “The Indian armed forces have exemplified professionalism and patriotism in guarding the sovereignty of India. During every security challenge, be it conventional, counter-insurgency or humanitarian, our forces have displayed remarkable adaptivity.”

“The recent success of ‘Operation Sindoor’ marks a defining moment in our counter-terrorism and deterrence strategy. The world took note of not only India’s military capability but of its moral clarity to act firmly yet responsibly in the pursuit of peace,” she added.

The President said that she was pleased that, beyond their operational role, the defence forces continue to serve as a “major pillar of national development”, contributing significantly to infrastructure, education and other initiatives in border regions.

Emphasising fast-changing geopolitical dynamics, President Murmu said, “The international system is being rewritten by contesting power centres, technological disruptions and shifting alliances. New domains of competition, cyberspace information and cognitive warfare are blurring the lines between peace and conflicts.”

Highlighting India’s approach to global affairs, she said, “Guided by our civilised ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, we have shown that strategic autonomy can co-exist with global responsibility. Our diplomacy, economy and armed forces together project an India that seeks peace but is prepared to protect its border and its citizens with strength and conviction.”

The President expressed confidence that the dialogue’s outcome would offer valuable insights for policymakers as they shape the nation’s future course. She concluded by saying she was certain the armed forces would continue to strive for excellence and advance with determination towards achieving the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’.

Mumbai, Nov 27: The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Thursday strongly criticised Union Minister Jitendra Singh for expressing gratitude that “IIT Bombay’s name was not changed to IIT Mumbai,” calling the comment a sign of ‘mental slavery’ and demanding a police case be registered against him for showing disrespect to the city.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, through a hard-hitting editorial in its party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, claimed the statement was yet another attempt by the Centre to sever Mumbai’s connection with Maharashtra, citing the recent attempt to place Chandigarh under central control as a precedent.

“All self-respecting political parties in Maharashtra need to take this matter seriously,” the editorial asserted.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena slammed the ruling ‘MahaYuti’ partners — the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party — for failing to condemn the Union Minister’s preference for ‘Bombay,’ suggesting they had become subservient to Delhi. It urged the Opposition and self-respecting citizens to not only condemn the remark but also launch a “Jodo Maro” (beat him with shoes) protest against the Minister.

“This is the Maharashtra of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray. Therefore, the self-respect is filled in the hearts and minds of the Marathi people who will not tolerate any insult to Mumbai,” the editorial said.

The editorial further said that the Delhi-based BJP leadership has designs on Mumbai, alleging a systematic “looting” has occurred over the last ten years.

Claiming it as a plot, the editorial further said, “Mumbai should not remain Mumbai and must either be drawn into Gujarat’s fold or made dependent on Delhi. Institutions with a Marathi imprint have been pushed towards Gujarat’s influence, and by handing strategic parcels of land to favoured groups, the rights of Marathi people over the city are being steadily weakened.”

It further alleged that the leadership that tried to bring Chandigarh under the Centre’s direct control was now pursuing a similar path for Mumbai.

“The Centre tried to take Chandigarh out of Punjab’s hands and issued a ‘fatwa’ that it would hereafter run the city. This provoked the people of Punjab, and they agitated. Like Mumbai, Chandigarh is a centre of major economic activity. The Centre hatched a plan to ensure that it (especially Gujarat) would have control over those economic turnovers. It is now becoming clear that they may try the same move with Mumbai too,” the editorial alleged.

Stepping up its attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, the Uddhav Thackeray camp alleged that a deliberate effort was underway to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and place it under a Gujarat-based administrator, allowing continued misuse of the city’s resources.

The editorial said Mumbai draws its name from the grace of Mumba Ai or Mumbadevi, and noted that repeated attempts had been made to distort this legacy. It recalled that the Portuguese had renamed the city Bom Bahia, which later morphed into Bombay, and argued that this remained the root of present-day disputes.

According to the Shiv Sena-UBT, Jitendra Singh’s preference for the name Bombay reflected a mindset shaped by colonial influence. It remarked that although the Prime Minister had spoken of freeing the country from the mentality of slavery during the Ayodhya Ram Mandir’s flag-hoisting ceremony, his own minister continued to celebrate a colonial-era name.

“What punishment will he get?” it asked.

Mumbai: A 24-year-old call-centre employee was brutally killed late on Wednesday, November 26, in the jurisdiction of Malad Police Station. According to Mumbai Police, the youth was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon and stabbed multiple times, leading to his death on the spot.

The accused has been detained and is currently being interrogated as cops work to uncover the motive behind the fatal assault. Police officials said that the incident appears to be a targeted attack, but all angles are being examined.

Meanwhile, in another horrifying murder that took place on the night of November 20 in Ghatkopar West, a 65-year-old retired railway loco pilot, Surendra Dhondiram Pachadkar, was killed in a seemingly sudden act of violence on a busy public road in the CGS Colony area, commonly known as Old Furniture Gully.

Pachadkar, a resident of Vikhroli West, lived with his wife and stepson at Anandgad, Triveni Society. A diabetic and known for maintaining a disciplined lifestyle, he followed a strict routine, taking evening walks between 7 pm and 9 pm from Vikhroli to Ghatkopar and back.

On the night of the incident, at around 9:30 pm, Pachadkar was returning from his walk and passing through the Old Furniture Market when he reportedly brushed against 19-year-old Aman Verma. What began as a trivial accidental contact quickly escalated into an argument, and then into violence.

Police said that in a sudden burst of rage, Verma grabbed an iron rod lying nearby and struck Pachadkar on the head. The impact of the blow was so severe that Pachadkar collapsed on the spot. The accused fled immediately after the assault.

A passerby noticed the victim lying unconscious and used Pachadkar’s mobile phone to alert his family. His stepson, Ashok Sathe and wife, Shubhangi, rushed him to Zenova Hospital, but doctors declared him dead during treatment. Ghatkopar Police conducted a panchnama soon after and registered a case of murder. The accused, Aman Verma, was tracked down and detained.