National News
Pakistan was responsible for exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Valley
The 1971 India-Pakistan war was a watershed moment in the ties between the two nations. On June 27, 1972, on the eve of his departure for then Simla for talks with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Pakistan President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in a broadcast on Radio Pakistan said: “The war we have lost was not of our making. I had warned against it but my warning fell on deaf ears of a power drunk Junta. They recklessly plunged our people into the war and involved us in an intolerable surrender which lost us half our country.”
It took seven years and a coup d’etat for the Pakistani army to reassert itself; and with its recapture of power began a policy of trying to avenge 1971, not by war, but by chipping away at India with a proxy war.
In 1983, the National Conference in Jammu & Kashmir won a second landslide in state elections. But their leader and Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, fell out with Indira Gandhi, who used her constitutional levers to dismiss his government the following year.
When Abdullah subsequently patched up with Indira Gandhi, many of his supporters disapproved of the reconciliation. Thus, when fresh elections took place in Jammu & Kashmir in 1987, a significant segment of the National Conference’s traditional voters turned against them.
The outcome, though, did not reflect this. In others words, it is widely believed the results were rigged. The parties that suffered went on to constitute the separatist All Party Hurriyat Conference.
In February 1989, Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan. People in India-controlled Kashmir were pummelled with the propaganda that if Pakistan could have defeated the Soviet Union, Indian soldiers would be no match for their Pakistani counterparts in the event of an invasion by the Pakistan army.
Thus, even pro-India Kashmiris became nervous and felt it was better to be on the right side of such a war than the wrong one. It is in this fertile atmosphere of alienation and fear that an uprising occurred in August 1989 in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
During the 1988 to 1992 presidency of George Bush Senior, the US administration placed Pakistan on a watch list of countries potentially sponsoring terrorism, without definitively designating it as a state sponsor of terrorism.
I asked a senior American diplomat posted in Islamabad what persuaded Bush to issue such a caution. He replied, the President had “credible evidence” to do so.
I probed the diplomatist further. He revealed US satellites had picked up movement of Pakistani army trucks delivering weapons close to the Line of Control with India in Kashmir. The weapons had been supplied by western countries to Pakistan for distribution to the Afghan Mujahideen. Instead, they were diverted to Kashmir.
That was the genesis of a proxy war, which included intimidating Kashmiri Pandits and effectively triggering their exodus from the Valley.
During negotiations at the Simla summit, Bhutto floated the idea of the Line of Control in Kashmir being converted into a “Line of Peace”.
General Pervez Musharraf’s formula in 2006 was broadly along similar lines. But then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government ultimately found it difficult to trust a man who was instrumental for the Kargil intrusion in 1999.
It has been the belief in the power structure in Pakistan that militancy in India-controlled Kashmir is justified. However, as the European Union has laid down, where there’s an opportunity to enter office through the ballot box – as there was up to 2019 – violence is unjustified.
The Election Commission of India has largely ensured fair elections in Jammu & Kashmir since the 1990s. In India’s northeastern states, separatist parties have fought elections and formed governments.
The Scottish National Party has achieved the same in Britain. Sinn Fein, which believes in Northern Ireland breaking away from Britain and merging with the Republic of Ireland, has been a constituent in the ruling coalition in Northern Ireland.
The legitimacy of fissiparous forces in Jammu & Kashmir can only be established by them, proving that they indeed enjoy majority support.
In the one and only opinion survey carried out on both sides of the Line of Control in Kashmir — by King’s College London and Chatham House in 2010 — 44 per cent of people in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir wanted independence as opposed to 43 per cent in India-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. Two per cent of people in India-controlled Jammu & Kashmir wanted to join Pakistan, compared to 1 per cent of people in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
Such figures may have changed. But India and Pakistan are obliged to sort out their disputes under the Simla Agreement, which states, “The two countries are resolved to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations.”
This Agreement is registered as a Treaty with the United Nations under Article 102 of the UN Charter. Therefore, it is binding on both nations.
Aadhaar-based face authentication has set new benchmark, doubling from 100 crore to 200 crore transactions in just 6 months, the government said on Monday.
Aadhaar Face Authentication lets Aadhaar holders verify their identity instantly, securely, and contactless anytime, anywhere, no documents needed.
On August 10, 2025, UIDAI celebrated a landmark 200 crore transactions of Face Authentication, showcasing India’s rapid move towards seamless, secure, and paperless authentication, according to IT Ministry.
The pace of adoption has been exponential. 50 crore transactions were recorded by mid-2024. The number doubled to 100 crore transactions in January 2025 in just about five months. In less than six months, this figure has again doubled, reaching the 200 crore milestone, the ministry informed.
“Reaching 200 crore Aadhaar Face Authentication transactions in such a short time underlines the trust and confidence that both residents and service providers have in Aadhaar’s secure, inclusive, and innovative authentication ecosystem,” said Bhuvnesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), UIDAI.
The journey from 100 crore to 200 crore transactions in under six months is a testament to its scalability and the country’s digital readiness.”
He further added, “From villages to metros, UIDAI is joining forces with governments, banks, and service providers to make Aadhaar Face Authentication a grand success and by giving every Indian the power to prove their identity instantly, securely, and anywhere.”
The swift rise from 100 crore to 200 crore Aadhaar Face Authentication transactions in just six months reflects the core vision of Digital India, transforming the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
By enabling instant, secure and paperless identity verification across every corner of the nation, UIDAI is strengthening the backbone of digital governance.
“This milestone is not just about numbers, it is a testament to how inclusive technology, when scaled efficiently, can bridge divides, empower citizens and accelerate India’s journey towards a truly connected and confident digital future,” said the ministry.
Mumbai: A woman tourist from Maharashtra has remained untraceable since landslide and flash floods hit Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, state Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan said on Saturday.
The minister’s office in a statement said that 171 out of the 172 tourists from Maharashtra, who were stranded in the Dharali area, could be contacted, and they were all confirmed safe.
The Statement
“Only one person, Kritika Jain, is still missing, but the authorities are trying to locate her. Efforts are underway to establish contact with the tourist, and the Uttarakhand State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) has been instructed to conduct a search for her,” the statement said.
Of the 171 tourists from Maharashtra, 160 are safe at various locations – 31 are in Matli, six in Jolly Grant, and 123 in Uttarkashi – and have continued their journey as planned. The remaining 11 tourists are safe in Harsil and will be airlifted to safety, it stated.
Mahajan is overseeing the rescue operation on-site in Uttarkashi to ensure the safety of tourists.
The Maharashtra State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) is in constant touch with its Uttarakhand counterpart, the district control room, the district emergency operations centre in Uttarkashi, and the National Emergency Response Centre in New Delhi.
According to the statement, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is monitoring the situation.
As per information shared by Uttarakhand authorities, the airlift of tourists stranded in Harsil was scheduled for Saturday morning. Army, NDRF, SDRF and local rescue teams are operational in Dharali.
The landslide and floods have damaged roads and disrupted communication networks. Efforts are underway to restore connectivity and basic infrastructure.
A satellite phone has been deployed by IGP Rajeev Swaroop, and the Army has been alerted for immediate response.
The Maharashtra SEOC is coordinating rescue arrangements, updating information, and assisting the concerned families, the statement added.
National News
‘Hurt By US President Donald Trump’s Tariff Attack, PM Modi Now Posing As Farmers’ Defender,’ Says Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attempting to portray himself as a champion of Indian farmers, after being “hurt and subdued” by recent criticism from US President Donald Trump.
Ramesh recalled the 2020-21 farmers’ protests against the three farm laws, alleging that the Prime Minister mocked the agitators by calling them “protest enthusiasts” in Parliament. He claimed that over 700 farmers lost their lives during the protests, yet the Prime Minister expressed no regret or sympathy.
“Five years ago, there was a time when the Prime Minister, in Parliament, mocked the protesting farmers by calling them ‘protest enthusiasts.’ More than 700 farmers lost their lives during the protests against three black, anti-farmer laws, but not a single word of pain, regret, or sympathy came from the Prime Minister’s mouth for them. Farmer organizations are still demanding a legal guarantee for MSP, calculated by adding 50% profit to the total cost of production (C2), along with concrete debt relief. The Prime Minister remains completely silent on these demands, even though these same issues were raised by India’s former Vice President,” he posted on X.
“In November 2019, the Prime Minister was fully prepared to include India in the RCEP trade agreement, which could have caused significant harm to Indian farmers and dairy producers. However, due to persistent pressure from the Congress Party and farmer organisations, Prime Minister Modi had to back down at the last moment,” he added.
He further took a jibe, saying, “Now, hurt and subdued by Trump’s attacks, PM Modi is trying to present himself as the greatest champion of Indian farmers, but no one is under any illusion about this.”
On Thursday, in a message against the tariffs imposed by the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that farmers remain India’s top priority and that the country would never compromise their interests.
“For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers. I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it, and I am ready for it. India is ready for it,” PM Modi said while addressing the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference.
His remarks come amid the Trump administration doubling the tariff imposition to 50 per cent on goods from India. During trade negotiations, the United States was pushing for greater access to India’s agricultural market, especially for corn, soybeans, and cotton.
However, India has so far resisted the opening of the agricultural sector and dairy products due to concerns about domestic livelihoods and potential impacts on farmers.
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