Good Morning: May 22, 2025
Significant developments today include the
CPI
(Maoist) leadership crisis post-Basavaraju's death, a thwarted ISI-backed espionage plot in India, and
Tottenham
's historic Europa League victory, ending a 17-year trophy drought.
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News18
35 minutes ago
- News18
'Terror Has No Place In Our Countries': Shashi Tharoor Says 'Concerned' Over Colorado Attack
Last Updated: Shashi Tharoor condemned the terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, expressing concern but relief that no lives were lost. He stated that "terror has no place" in our countries. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to world capitals to put forth India's stance against terrorism, on Monday condemned the Colorado incident, which the local police termed as a 'targeted terror attack". In an X post, Tharoor mentioned that he and the other members of the other Indian delegations were concerned about the attack in Boulder, but were relieved that there was no loss of lives. Tharoor said that the MPs share the Secretary of State Marco Rubio's view that 'terror has no place' in our countries. 'Members of the Indian MPs' delegation learned with concern about the terror attack in Boulder, Colorado today. We are relieved there was no loss of life," Thraoor's X post read. 'We all share Secy of State Marco Rubio's view that 'terror has no place" in our countries," he added. Members of the Indian MPs' delegation learned with concern about the terror attack in Boulder, Colorado today. We are relieved there was no loss of all share Secy of State @SecRubio 's view that 'terror has no place" in our countries. #boulderattack @IndianDiplomacy … — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 2, 2025 The delegation led by Tharoor arrived at Brasilia on Sunday. The Indian delegations are visiting world capitals, meeting several leaders and addressing briefings, as part of India's ongoing efforts to foster international cooperation in the global fight against terrorism, particularly in the wake of 'Operation Sindoor' against Pakistan-backed terror attack in Kashmir's iconic Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. The delegations are conveying India's strong national consensus and resolute stance in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, reaffirming the country's policy of zero tolerance towards cross-border terrorism. THE COLORADO ATTACK Eight people were injured on Sunday (local time) when a 45-year-old man yelled 'Free Palestine" and threw incendiary devices into a crowd in Boulder, where a demonstration to remember the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza was taking place. Four women and four men between 52 and 88 years old were transported to hospitals. The suspect in the attack was named as Mohamed Soliman, who was hospitalised shortly after the incident. Other than the local police, FBI Director Kash Patel described the incident as a 'targeted terror attack," and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said it appeared to be 'a hate crime given the group that was targeted." ALSO READ | What Is A Molotov Cocktail, Used By Suspect To Attack Pro-Israel Protestors In Colorado? First Published: June 02, 2025, 13:21 IST
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Operation Black Forest—how Modi-Shah's push for a Naxalism-free India is gaining ground
A significant achievement has been the elimination of a top Maoist leader, Basavaraju or Nambala Keshava Rao, in Chattisgarh's Abujhmad on 21 May. This operation, code-named Operation Black Forest, was aimed at dismantling Naxal and Maoist networks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are determined to eradicate Left Wing Extremism in the country and this was reflected in the latter's words: 'Our target is to end it completely by March 31, 2026.' While India celebrated the success of Operation Sindoor, another effective operation was underway in the heartland of India. The war against Left Wing Extremism has been quietly and steadily taking place in the country's interiors where a Red corridor existed from 'Pashupati to Tirupati', undermining the progress made under the democratic reforms as envisioned by the founding fathers of the Indian Constitution. What is Naxalism? Naxalism is a far-Left political ideology inspired by a blend of Lenin's ideologies, Karl Marx's theories, and Mao Zedong's form of Communism. It derives its name from Naxalbari, a hamlet in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, where a group led by the trio of Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal, and Jangal Santhal, rose up and created an armed conflict in 1967. The uprising was speedily quashed by the state government. But it sparked off a nationwide movement, all the way from the borders of Nepal to the temple towns of southern India. The Naxalites used violence in the name of ideological or philosophical ideals. They called it an uprising against injustice and class struggle, or an armed revolution, where ideologies were imported from the Communist Bloc to destroy democratic values in India. The movement is also influenced by Mao's People's War, based on guerrilla warfare and rural uprising, hence giving rise to the moniker 'Maoists'. The Maoists consider the country and the Indian Constitution as their enemy and constantly engage in guerrilla-style warfare against the state. After Charu Majumdar's death in 1972, the Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist, which he founded, weakened and splintered up, only to get a new lifeline in the 1990s and early 2000s. While the Communist parties remained within the parameters of the Constitution, the CPI (Maoist) operated as a fringe outfit, indulging in law and order violations with a militant mindset to fight the state. Their activities extended in primarily rural, mineral-rich, and underdeveloped belts of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The central goal has been to capture power through armed insurrection and violence. The CPI (Maoist) emerged in 2004 with the merger of splinter groups, namely the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) People's War and the Maoist Communist Centre of India. While China, the country where this ideology originated, does not allow such extremist philosophies to operate on its soil, in India, these organisations have been placed on terrorist list and are banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Also read: The very people that Naxals claimed to fight for have rejected them Why was it important to curtail Maoism? According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Maoist insurgency has become a serious internal security challenge and an 'impediment to the nation-building process'. The Maoists had set up a parallel government in remote and less–inhabited areas, leading to a governmental vacuum and a concerning security situation that threatened the integrity and sovereignty of India. They do not recognise private investment and infrastructure development, and are against government welfare schemes. They ran parallel governments, engaged in unlawful activities like arms trafficking and extortion, and obstructed the functioning of schools and hospitals to ensure their sphere of influence prospered. The principles of Maoism erode the very tenets of democracy, as they are against free and fair elections and the democratic process. Maoists claim to protect the interests of the tribals and the landless, but in reality, they deny access to development and welfare for these neglected people. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, the Maoist insurgency has claimed nearly 12,000 lives since 2000. Not only are the poor civilians caught in the crossfire between the insurgents and the police forces, but valuable resources and funds that could be used for infrastructural development are diverted for anti-insurgency operations. There ought to be no misunderstanding: Maoists are a threat to national security, as they vociferously reject the Indian Constitution and aim to overthrow democratically elected governments through violence and anarchy, with the ultimate aim to control resources and create a parallel economy of terror and disruption. Economic consequences of the 'Red' movement The 'Red corridor' has been reduced to a handful of 'Red' hotspots, as per the MHA. The economic consequences of Left Wing Extremism have been far-reaching and monumental, mainly due to loss and damage to infrastructure, power lines, bridges, railway tracks; and the costs of deployment of security forces, loss to industry and mining operations. Further, according to a 2009 Hindustan Times report, a parallel economy worth Rs 1,500 crore had been operating in Naxal-affected regions, where these LWE groups would extort money from contractors and industrial houses to line the pockets of their commanders. Often, companies are compelled to pay huge sums to ensure their operations are not disrupted. Moreoever, naxalism impacts foreign investments as well. Also read: Success against Maoist leader Basavaraju was unthinkable a few years ago—here's what changed BJP government's action plan In 2006, a Left Wing Extremism Division was created under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor and control this scourge of society. A concerted game plan was initiated to counter this homegrown terror. The Union Home Minister would meet with the chief ministers of LWE-affected states every year and make personal visits to review the situation on the ground. The Cabinet Secretary is also expected to hold regular review meetings with the Chief Secretaries, the DGs and the DGPs. A concerted plan to end the Naxal movement is in place, and it is clear that PM Modi and Amit Shah mean business. 'The day is not far when Maoist violence will be completely eradicated from the country,' PM Modi said last week while announcing infrastructure projects worth over Rs 48,520 crore in Bihar's Karakat. Schemes to strengthen the security forces against LWE have been initiated such as the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), and Fortified Police Station scheme under which 626 such police stations have been constructed. The Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-I) for LWE-affected areas scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways for improving road connectivity in 34 LWE affected districts of eight states—Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. This scheme envisaged construction of 5,361 km road lengths in LWE-affected states, of which 5,204 km roads have been completed, according to the home ministry. Another scheme, Road Connectivity Project for LWE-affected areas (RCPLWE), worth Rs 11,725 crore, has been approved for the construction of 12,228 km of roads and 705 bridges sanctioned in LWE-affected states under the Ministry of Rural Development, out of which 9,506 km roads and 479 bridge works have been completed. Three telecom projects—Mobile Connectivity Project Phase-I & Phase-II, Provision of 4G mobile services in the villages of aspirational districts, and Saturation of 4G mobile services—are being implemented in LWE-affected areas to improve telecom connectivity. In total, 10,511 mobile towers are planned in LWE-affected areas under these projects, of which 7,777 mobile towers have been installed so far. This will help monitor and control Naxal terrorism in the affected areas. The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), launched in 2018, has also been a game-changer in uplifting underdeveloped districts through data-driven and inclusive governance. The double engine of PM Modi and Amit Shah envisage a holistic integration of former Naxalites into a civil society based on the tenets of inclusion and equality as envisaged by the founding fathers of the Constitution of India, creating a space for positive dialogue and rehabilitation of former rebels. Outreach programmes for the tribal youth are being conducted and a budget of Rs 52.5 crore has been released for this purpose. It involves influencing the youth through jingles, pamphlet distribution, and documentaries to help them eschew the path of conflict and embrace life under the umbrella of the Constitution. The aim is to mainstream the people by encouraging them to leave the path of violence and choose peace and prosperity to help build an inclusive society. Meenakashi Lekhi is a BJP leader, lawyer and social activist. Her X handle is @M_Lekhi. Views are personal. (Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Israel Accuses Hamas Of Firing At Aid Centre In Gaza That Killed Over 30
Gaza: The Israeli military has denied its involvement in the attack near an aid delivery centre in Southern Gaza's Rafah, where at least 31 people were killed and over 170 were wounded on Sunday after gunmen opened fire at large crowds on their way to receive food. Releasing purported drone footage of the attack, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) accused Hamas gunmen of firing shots, saying the armed group is doing "everything in its power" to stop Palestinians from getting food in Gaza. "Drone footage shows gunmen in Gaza shooting at civilians going to collect aid. Hamas is doing everything in its power to prevent the successful distribution of food in Gaza," the IDF said in a post on X, adding purported footage of the attack. The footage shows armed, masked men firing at civilians trying to collect aid. NDTV could not independently verify the video, and it was not clear who the gunmen were and who was being targeted. Οι Γαζαίοι πεινάνε τώρα, αλλά όταν περιέφεραν τα τομάρια των νεκρών Ισραηλινών μέσα στη Γάζα ούρλιαζαν σαν ουρακοτάγκοι & κερνούσαν τον κόσμο μπακλαβά. Τώρα τρώνε σφαίρες από Χαμάς αν αρπάξουν κανα ψωμί. @Urfurslaag: Έφτιαξα νέο αντισημιτικό πίνακα ✊ — Δον Κιχώτης 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 🇪🇺 (@tengo_69) June 1, 2025 Israel's military denied its forces fired at civilians near or within the site in the southern city of Rafah. However, an Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Associated Press that troops did fire warning shots at several suspects advancing toward them overnight. Meanwhile, quoting witnesses, Associated Press reported that it was the Israeli forces who fired toward the crowds just before dawn around a kilometre from an aid site run by an Israel and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). GHS, in a statement, also claimed that it delivered aid "without incident," and released a separate video on Sunday, which it claimed was at the site that appeared to show people collecting aid. The foundation has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent media have no access. Mass Casualties The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement that its field hospital in Rafah received 179 casualties, including women and children. It said that 21 of them were declared dead upon arrival, the majority with gunshot or shrapnel wounds. It was unclear if any of the dead were Hamas operatives. "All patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site," the ICRC said, calling it the highest number of "weapon-wounded" people in a single incident since the hospital was set up over a year ago. Mohammed Abu Teaima, a Gaza resident, told AP that he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and a woman as they headed toward the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in his chest, and his brother-in-law was among the wounded. 'They opened heavy fire directly toward us,' he said. Ibrahim Abu Saoud, another witness, said the military fired from about 300 meters (yards) away. He said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who died at the scene. The head of the World Food Program, Cindy McCain, told ABC News that staffers on the ground were reporting people killed and called it a "tragedy." "Aid distribution has become a death trap," the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, said in a statement. The United Nations has struggled to bring in aid after Israel slightly eased its nearly three-month blockade of the territory last month. The bloc said Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians.
