New low even for Pakistan: India hits out at Islamabad for targetting religious places
New Delhi: As Pakistani troops continued resorting to heavy mortar shelling on the Indian side along the Line of Control (LoC), India on Friday slammed the rogue nation for specifically targetting religious places labelling it as a "new low even for Pakistan".
"We have seen the Pakistani side targetting and shelling places of worship with a particular design, including gurdwaras, churches and temples. This is a new low even for Pakistan," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said during a special media briefing on Operation Sindoor in New Delhi.
Misri not only highlighted Pakistani Army's attack on a Gurdwara in Poonch - which resulted in the death of some local members of the Sikh community, including the Ragi of the Gurdwara - but also the shelling on Christian schools, exposing Pakistan's false claims of not targetting any religious places.
"We do have some information about this extremely regrettable and condemnable incident. During heavy shelling across the Line of Control in the early morning of 7th May, a shell fired from Pakistan landed just behind the Christ School run by the Carmelites of the Mary Immaculate Congregation in Poonch. Tragically, the shell fired from Pakistan hit the home of two students of the Christ School. Both students unfortunately lost their lives, and their parents were severely injured," he said.
"Another Pakistani shell struck a Christian Convent of Nuns belonging to the Congregation of Mother of Carmel, damaging water tanks and destroying solar panel infrastructure. Several priests, nuns, school staff and local residents took refuge in an underground hall beneath the school during the shelling by Pakistan. The school was fortunately closed at that time otherwise more losses would have occurred," the Foreign Secretary detailed.
The Indian Army on Thursday strongly condemned the killing of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, vowing that such attacks will be met with resolute and punitive action.
Pakistan's "provocative and escalatory actions" continued on Thursday night as it targetted Indian cities and civilian infrastructure in addition to the military targets.
"The official and blatantly farcical denial of these attacks carried out by Pakistan, made by the Pakistani state machinery, is yet another example of their duplicity and the new depths they are sinking to in their quest for disinformation," Misri mentioned on Friday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
34 minutes ago
- Hans India
Piyush Goyal rolls out red carpet for Swiss firms to invest in India
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has invited Swiss companies to expand their footprint in India and take advantage of the country's dynamic and rapidly growing market. The minister held a meeting in Bern with the leadership from several premier Swiss companies across diverse sectors and urged them to see India as a strategic hub for manufacturing, talent, and innovation. The discussions focussed on enhancing synergies between Indian and Swiss enterprises, with a special emphasis on innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable manufacturing, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. Goyal assured the business leaders of India's unwavering commitment to fostering a conducive business environment through transparent regulatory processes, a robust Intellectual Property regime, and pro-investment policy frameworks. Following these strategic discussions, the Minister chaired two focussed roundtables with sectoral leaders from the Swiss industry —covering biotech and pharma, healthcare, and precision engineering, Defence, and Emerging Technologies. These sessions, hosted with the support of the Indian Embassy in Switzerland, highlighted India's scale, affordability, and rising innovation ecosystem. The Minister called on Swiss businesses to leverage the dedicated EFTA Desk at Invest India for handholding and facilitation support. He reiterated India's willingness to work towards regulatory harmonisation and mutual recognition agreements, highlighting India's proactive stance on building reciprocal bridges to encourage Swiss and Indian investments. In addition to industry interactions, the Minister also met with members of the Switzerland Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). He lauded the chapter for their contributions and for upholding the high standards and global reputation of the ICAI, while strengthening the India–Switzerland professional and business ecosystem. Swiss industry leaders across a diverse range of sectors — including biotechnology, precision manufacturing, healthcare, automation, Defence, cybersecurity, and advanced materials — expressed strong confidence in India's trajectory as a global economic powerhouse and an innovation-led growth destination, the statement said. Companies commended India's unique strengths: A vast and dynamic market, growing middle class, world-class engineering and scientific talent, and a policy environment that actively promotes ease of doing business, IP protection, and technology partnerships. For many, India is not only a promising market but also an ideal base for manufacturing, R&D, and co-creation of globally competitive solutions. Several firms indicated active interest in forming joint ventures, scaling operations, and localising production to serve both Indian and international markets. From cutting-edge cancer therapies and cell sciences to industrial automation, fibre optics, space technologies, and digital security, Swiss companies underscored their alignment with India's developmental priorities and sectoral growth plans. The sentiment was one of strategic alignment and long-term commitment. Many participants described India as a natural partner and conveyed readiness to invest in its next phase of growth, not only to tap into domestic demand but to position India as a hub in their global value chains, the statement added.
The Wire
34 minutes ago
- The Wire
India's Data Blackout: No Data Means No Accountability
Photo: Mark Owen Wilkinson Hughes/Unsplash Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute Now In any democracy, it is critical for the government to collect data in a timely and accurate manner. No data means no accountability. In response to several questions raised by MPs in parliament, the government has claimed that it does not have data. This includes data on the number of deaths due to lack of oxygen during COVID-19, paper leaks in competitive examinations like NEET, data on the losses caused due to natural calamities and the reasons for farmer suicides. Census The decennial Census, which was conducted in India without a break for 150 years, has not been held since 2011. The Census due in 2021 was delayed citing the COVID-19 pandemic, even as large political rallies and religious congregations were allowed to take place. The Indian government has finally announced that the next population Census will be conducted in 2027. The Census is not just an academic exercise; it has serious implications for policymaking. Not conducting the census directly impacts the lives of millions of people, especially those living at the margins. For instance, as per the National Food Security Act, the number of people to be given ration cards is determined on the basis of the latest census. Estimates suggest that more than 10 crore people have been left out of the ambit of the food security net due to the 2021 Census not being conducted. The absence of updated census figures also fuels misinformation and disinformation in society. It is impossible to verify the authenticity of claims made for political gains about the disproportionate increase in population of religious minorities, improvement in sex ratio etc. Covid deaths Even in cases where data has been collected, there have been very serious concerns about its accuracy. A huge controversy engulfed the data on the number of deaths in the country during COVID. While the government reported only five lakh COVID deaths, independent estimates, including from the World Health Organieation (WHO), placed the figure at over 40 lakh. The government recently released the data for the 2021 Civil Registration System after a lag of nearly four years. The data shows that the excess deaths in 2021 alone were around 21 lakh – suggesting that a figure of around 40 lakh COVID related deaths due to the pandemic is entirely plausible. Missing data The NSO's Consumer Expenditure Survey of 2017-18 was junked. The leaked findings of the survey showed that consumer spending fell for the first time in four decades and consumption declined, indicating an increase in poverty. A report by IndiaSpend showed that at the end of 2024, 16 critical datasets were delayed and nine ministries had not released their annual reports. Among the delayed datasets were the 'Crime in India' report, which provides crucial information on crime statistics including figures on cybercrimes, crimes against women and children, and the 'All India Survey on Higher Education'. Both were last published in 2022. Shooting the messenger? Recently, the Union government dissolved the Standing Committee on Statistics headed by Dr Pronab Sen, former Chief Statistician of India. As per reports, members of the committee had repeatedly raised concerns in the meetings over the delay in conducting the Census. The findings of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) showed an increase in the number of women with anaemia and the persistence of open defecation in the country, contrary to claims of the government. In 2023, the director of the institute responsible for preparing the NFHS was removed. The politics of data The Modi government appears to be extremely wary of data. Availability of objective data empowers people to question the government's functioning and query the propaganda and claims made by those in power. Data enables critical citizens' engagement and ensures accountability of those who govern. A government interested primarily in perception management is seldom inclined to put in place an effective data regime. Watch ' India's Data Blackout- From Census to Covid Deaths | Jaanne Bhi Do Yaaro ', where Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst joins Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri discuss what's happening to crucial data in the country. Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri are social activists working on issues of transparency and accountability. Sindhu Koshy is a public-spirited communications professional based in Trivandrum. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
The Hindu
38 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Supriya Sule sidesteps question on buzz over NCP factions reuniting
The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) [NCP(SP)] working president Supriya Sule on Tuesday (June 10, 2025) avoided a direct response on the speculation about the rival NCP factions coming together, saying she was busy with other responsibilities and had no time to discuss the party affairs. Asked if she is remembering "dada" — her cousin and rival NCP head Ajit Pawar — on the Nationalist Congress Party's 26th Foundation Day on Tuesday (June 10, 2025), the Lok Sabha member told reporters that she has six brothers and she remembers them every day. To a query on whether she will call Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to wish him on the party's Foundation Day, Ms. Sule said, "I speak to all my brothers on different occasions." The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar, split in July 2023 after nephew Mr. Ajit Pawar joined the then Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government. The party name and its clock symbol was given to the Ajit Pawar faction, while the one headed by the former Union Agriculture Minister was christened NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). There has been speculation that the two factions could be looking at burying the hatchet and reuniting. To a query on a section of the NCP(SP) having the same feeling and Mr. Sharad Pawar saying all decisions regarding the party will be taken by her, Ms. Sule said, 'I have had no time to discuss the party affairs with party leaders or meet my family for the last 15 days. Everyone has the right to express their views and opinions in a democracy,' she added. "NCP is an organisation founded by Sharad Pawar and is functional for 26 years. Everyone, whether they are with us or not, has contributed to the growth of the party. There was team work. I am remembering R. R. Patil, who is no more," she said. Ms. Sule recently led a multi-party delegation and travelled to some of the foreign countries to convey India's stand following Operation Sindoor. The Parliamentarian said she will be leaving in the afternoon for New Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet members of multi-party delegations which travelled abroad.
