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Pak PM shouldn’t interfere in India’s internal matters: RSS leader

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Indresh Kumar, a senior RSS leader and the chief patron of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, has urged the ‘ulemas’ of the country to not only provide religious education in the madrasas, but also encourage skill development, computer education and knowledge of other subjects there.

He also advocated the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and assured that persecuted minorities from countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan would be granted citizenship in India.

Simultaneously, he advised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to stop interferring in India’s internal matters.

The senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader slammed Imran Khan for condemning the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya and asked whether the temple is a major problem for the Muslims of the world.

Kumar said the madrasas should limit their reach to imparting education only. A few people try to malign the name of Islam as a whole by promoting illegal activities in the madrasas, he said.

Therfore, strict action is needed against such people so that the terrorists are not able to defame Islam, Muslims and the country.

Stressing on imparting education to children, the RSS leader said that the parents must provide best education to their children.

The parents must inspire their children with stories of patriotism and martyrs right from their childhood, so that the next generation moves forward by respecting the past generations, becoming aware of the country’s history, he said.

Responding to the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government’s comments against the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, the Sangh leader said, “Is the Ram temple the main problem for the Muslims of the world? Why are you (Imran Khan) so interested in interferring in the internal affairs of India? Wherever Hindus live in the world, they live according to the laws of that country.”

He said Imran Khan should understand that when the Covid-19 pandemic spread, India saved many people in Maldives and Bangladesh, besides helping many other countries irrespective of their religious leaning.

He said that those working with nefarious intentions like Imran Khan need to understand that India undertook these steps in a humane manner, and did not take any money for it.

He also emphasised that the constutional ban on triple talaq has not only saved the lives of many Muslim women, but people have also understood the true spirit of Islam. Archaic practices like the triple talaq are not considered permissible in Islam, he said.

Therefore, the campaign to bring a law on triple talaq by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch was to provide justice to the Muslim women and safeguard the rights of children, which the people from the community have accepted with open arms, he said.

The Sangh leader said that women are capable of achieving success in every field provided they get the right opportunities.

The RSS leader also advocated the implementation of CAA and NRC, saying that Assam and various other states of the country share the borders with other nations, which want to foment infiltration into India and create an atmosphere of violence and terror, which must be controlled.

In Assam and many other states of India, the persecuted minorities from other countries will be granted citizenship.

Kumar said that in 1947, there were about 30 per cent Hindu population in Bangladesh which has now come down to just 9 per cent.

The minorities in Bangladesh are being killed with a rise in atrocities against women. In such a situation, being a tolerant country, such persecuted minorities must be granted citizenship in India, he said.

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241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

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New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.

Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”

The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.

The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.

Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.

Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.

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Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

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Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.

The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.

The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.

Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.

About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.

Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.

Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”

He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.

The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.

Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.

Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.

With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.

Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.

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Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

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Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.

The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.

On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.

The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.

The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.

The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.

There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.

Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.

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