Brahmos wreaked havoc in Pakistan, didn't let enemy sleep: PM Modi on Operation Sindoor
Addressing a public meeting after dedicating and inaugurating developmental schemes worth several hundred crores in Kanpur, Modi also asserted that 'Operation Sindoor is not over yet'.
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Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Col Qureshi, Wg Cdr Vyomika to be facesof BJP's campaign on 11 yrs of Modi govt
Lucknow: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who led India's press briefings on Operation Sindoor , will be the faces of an ambitious women-centric campaign scheduled to be rolled out by the BJP on the completion of 11 years of the Narendra Modi-led govt on June 9. The BJP has asked its minority wing to mobilise its cadres to organise "chaupals" highlighting Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh as "role models" for women, particularly from minority communities. BJP's Minority Morcha national president Jamal Siddiqui told TOI thay the campaign would be carried out around minority institutions, mosques, dargahs, gurudwaras and churches situated in all organisational divisions across the country. The first chaupal is proposed to be organised in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh — the epicentre of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019. "The idea is to mobilise women and make them feel empowered," Siddiqui said, stressing that the campaign will aim to encourage women to join the NCC and Agniveer Scheme. "Military training can come in handy in every possible way for women in everyday lives or dealing with domestic violence," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Political experts said that the selection of Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh as the face of a women-centric campaign by the BJP marks a strategic move that seeks to blend military valour, national pride and gender empowerment into a powerful political narrative. An analyst said that women-centric policies and empowerment become a key pillar in showcasing governance successes. In fact, in the recent elections, women emerged as critical swing voters, especially in politically crucial states like Uttar Pradesh. Colonel Qureshi, who addressed the media a day after India's 'Operation Sindoor' to target nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, is a highly decorated officer in the Indian Army's Corps of Signals. Born in Gujarat, she made history as the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multinational military drill 'Exercise Force 18' held in Pune and involving 18 ASEAN Plus nations. She was also the only female contingent commander in the event. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who co-led the media briefing on Operation Sindoor, is a distinguished helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force and a first-generation military officer. Sources said the BJP's campaign will also be designed to consolidate women's support by highlighting schemes like Ujjwala Yojana, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, and the women's reservation bill. Siddiqui said the campaign will be further widened to reach out to the minority communities and apprise them of the key welfare measures initiated by the Modi govt. Key schemes proposed to be highlighted in the process include PM Awas Yojana, PM Jan Dhan Scheme, PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which benefited all sections, including Muslims. He added that the party would also distribute copies of the Constitution among the minority community, making them aware of their rights, besides preventing them from getting swayed by "malicious narratives" peddled by the opposition parties. Experts highlight that the campaign attains much significance in light of sustained criticism faced by the BJP over the perceived alienation of minorities, primarily Muslims. Sources said the saffron outfit desperately seeks to reframe its relationship with minorities through development-centric messaging rather than ideologically. Lucknow: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who led India's press briefings on Operation Sindoor, will be the faces of an ambitious women-centric campaign scheduled to be rolled out by the BJP on the completion of 11 years of the Narendra Modi-led govt on June 9. The BJP has asked its minority wing to mobilise its cadres to organise "chaupals" highlighting Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh as "role models" for women, particularly from minority communities. BJP's Minority Morcha national president Jamal Siddiqui told TOI thay the campaign would be carried out around minority institutions, mosques, dargahs, gurudwaras and churches situated in all organisational divisions across the country. The first chaupal is proposed to be organised in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh — the epicentre of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019. "The idea is to mobilise women and make them feel empowered," Siddiqui said, stressing that the campaign will aim to encourage women to join the NCC and Agniveer Scheme. "Military training can come in handy in every possible way for women in everyday lives or dealing with domestic violence," he said. Political experts said that the selection of Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh as the face of a women-centric campaign by the BJP marks a strategic move that seeks to blend military valour, national pride and gender empowerment into a powerful political narrative. An analyst said that women-centric policies and empowerment become a key pillar in showcasing governance successes. In fact, in the recent elections, women emerged as critical swing voters, especially in politically crucial states like Uttar Pradesh. Colonel Qureshi, who addressed the media a day after India's 'Operation Sindoor' to target nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, is a highly decorated officer in the Indian Army's Corps of Signals. Born in Gujarat, she made history as the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multinational military drill 'Exercise Force 18' held in Pune and involving 18 ASEAN Plus nations. She was also the only female contingent commander in the event. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who co-led the media briefing on Operation Sindoor, is a distinguished helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force and a first-generation military officer. Sources said the BJP's campaign will also be designed to consolidate women's support by highlighting schemes like Ujjwala Yojana, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, and the women's reservation bill. Siddiqui said the campaign will be further widened to reach out to the minority communities and apprise them of the key welfare measures initiated by the Modi govt. Key schemes proposed to be highlighted in the process include PM Awas Yojana, PM Jan Dhan Scheme, PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which benefited all sections, including Muslims. He added that the party would also distribute copies of the Constitution among the minority community, making them aware of their rights, besides preventing them from getting swayed by "malicious narratives" peddled by the opposition parties. Experts highlight that the campaign attains much significance in light of sustained criticism faced by the BJP over the perceived alienation of minorities, primarily Muslims. Sources said the saffron outfit desperately seeks to reframe its relationship with minorities through development-centric messaging rather than ideologically.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
She died in my arms: Poonch mourns lives lost in Pak shelling
She died in my arms: Poonch mourns lives lost in Pak shelling POONCH: Shells screamed through the early morning darkness of May 7, tearing through homes and lives in Poonch district, close to the LoC in J&K. At Sukha Kattha, a cluster of small homes on a mountainside, Javid Iqbal's five-year-old daughter Mariyam lay in his lap, her stomach ripped open by shrapnel. 'She died in my arms,' he said on May 30, showing her photo, voice choked. His eight-year-old daughter Iram Naaz was wounded too. In another part of the district, at Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom, a 52-year-old seminary that doubles as a boarding school, Qari Mohammad Iqbal had just started his day. A shell exploded near an under-construction building beside his room, sending metal splinters flying. Four students were wounded. Qari Iqbal, a 46-year-old Quran teacher, was declared dead on arrival at the district hospital. As bombs rained on Poonch for three days, 14 civilians lost their lives, including students, religious teachers, shopkeepers, homemakers, and former soldiers. Over 65 were wounded — many with life-altering scars. Panic spread faster than the blasts. Families fled, streets emptied, The district fell silent under fear. 'Not even in 1965 did we witness this kind of bombardment,' said Zulfikhar Ali, a shopkeeper in Poonch town's main market. 'Everyone who could afford to leave, left.' From May 6 night to May 10, five shells landed outside BJP functionary Pradeep Sharma's home. 'It began at 1.45 am and didn't stop for days,' Sharma said. 'Doctors worked tirelessly, but if we had ventilators, we might have saved six to eight more. We need a trauma hospital here, a govt medical college.' Sharma said 80% of Poonch fled by May 10. He demanded bunkers for every household and government jobs, not just for families of the dead but also for those wounded in the shelling. 'Thirty-five of them have lifelong wounds,' he said. 'They're living with trauma too.' Amid loss and grief, another wound cut deep — one of defamation. Hours after Qari Iqbal's death, Delhi-based news channels flashed his photo on screen, calling him a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist killed in Operation Sindoor. At Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom on May 30, his brother Farooq Ahmad sat quietly, his face sunken. 'We were already mourning, and then we got WhatsApp forwards. Friends asked, 'Why are news channels calling your brother a terrorist?' He had a beard and a Muslim name. That was enough for them to brand him something he wasn't. Even in death, he was humiliated.' Authorities moved quickly. Poonch police and district officials called the reports 'baseless and misleading'. Legal action was threatened against any outlet or person spreading false claims. Both CM Omar Abdullah and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visited the Jamia and were briefed about the slander. Nazira Kousar, a mother from Poonch, rushed through falling shells to the hospital on May 7. Her 14-year-old son had been wounded at the seminary. 'Nothing could stop me,' she said. 'He survived, but now hides under a blanket, afraid to go outside. My husband has liver disease. We can't afford treatment.' She came back on May 30, hoping someone would listen. On May 31, Union home minister Amit Shah handed job appointment letters to the next of kin. Dalbir Singh, who lost his brother Ranjit Singh, a grocery shop owner, received one. 'He never married. He was calm and lovable,' Dalbir said. 'I feel the sky has fallen on us. I just want this to end.' At least five members of the local Sikh community died, including former Army officer Amarjeet Singh, homemaker Ruby Kaur, and neighbour Amreek Singh. A gurdwara wall was damaged in the shelling. As Poonch recovers from three days of unrelenting fire, scars remain — carved in stone and memory.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Mehbooba Mufti calls for end to ‘spectre of war'; says ‘NC wants more war and bodies'
File photo: J&K's former CM and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti (Picture credit: PTI) SRINAGAR: With tension still running high between India and Pakistan, even as Operation Sindoor remains on pause, J&K's former CM and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti , Saturday said the spectre of war must end so that people can plan their lives and revive the economy. She accused the NC leadership of war-mongering, and said it wanted 'more war and more dead bodies'. 'Jammu and Kashmir should be a bridge of understanding, friendship and cooperation, not a theatre for war,' Mehbooba said, addressing her party workers. She said her party was committed to peace and dialogue, and warned against the war rhetoric. It was the people of J&K who bore the brunt of war and violence, the PDP chief said, comparing the region to 'grass trampled under the feet of two fighting elephants'. 'PDP will continue to raise its voice for peace and channel the sentiments of the people,' she said. Mehbooba said the statements of the NC leadership, including party patriarch Farooq Abdullah's call for intensified military action against Pakistan, reflected a dangerous mindset. Criticising Abdullah for reportedly supporting assaults 'more brutal than the Balakot strike', she said: 'These leaders want more war and more dead bodies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Nachhaltig wohnen: Luxuscontainerhäuser günstiger denn je Visionary Echo Tìm Ngay Undo It is only PDP that has consistently advocated for an end to hostilities and has spoken for the people's right to live a life of dignity.' The PDP President also expressed concern over the ongoing crackdown in the region. 'Our youths are being jailed, and the Public Safety Act is being misused. If such draconian measures were truly effective, incidents like Pahalgam would not have occurred. If the goal is to fight militancy, don't wage war against the poor people of JK, many of whom are languishing in jails outside the state. Their families cannot even afford to visit them.' Mehbooba said NC was constantly attempting to appease BJP at the cost of people's interests and their own mandate. Referring to Kiran Rijiju, she said: 'The minister who introduced the Waqf Bill was later welcomed and garlanded in Kashmir by the NC leadership. NC, despite having 50 MLAs, didn't even allow a resolution to be passed in the J&K Assembly against the Waqf amendment.'
