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Monsoon Session: Ruckus by INDIA bloc over Bihar SIR ahead of Op Sindoor debate, Lok Sabha adjourned till noon

Monsoon Session: Ruckus by INDIA bloc over Bihar SIR ahead of Op Sindoor debate, Lok Sabha adjourned till noon

Mint28-07-2025
Parliament Monsoon Session: Members from Opposition parties continued to protest in Lok Sabha over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar as Lok Sabha resumed on Monday agead of a debate on Operation Sindoor.
Lok Sabha List of Business for Monday states, "Special Discussion on India's strong, successful and decisive 'Operation Sindoor' in response to terrorist attack in Pahalgam".
Twenty-six civilians were killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, after which India retaliated through precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
(This is a developing story. Check back for updates)
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Rajnath Singh lays foundation stone of Rs 1,800 crore-BEML rail coach unit in MP's Raisen
Rajnath Singh lays foundation stone of Rs 1,800 crore-BEML rail coach unit in MP's Raisen

Hans India

timea minute ago

  • Hans India

Rajnath Singh lays foundation stone of Rs 1,800 crore-BEML rail coach unit in MP's Raisen

Obedullaganj: In a landmark move to bolster indigenous rail infrastructure and manufacturing, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the 'Bramha' BEML Rail Hub for Manufacturing in Umaria village of Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh. The state-of-the-art facility, to be developed by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) with an investment of Rs 1,800 crore, is poised to become a cornerstone of India's self-reliant rail production ecosystem. Speaking at the ceremony, the Defence Minister hailed the initiative as a symbol of India's growing industrial prowess and praised Madhya Pradesh's emergence as a promising hub for defence and infrastructure manufacturing. 'The state has political will, stable leadership, and abundant resources. With 48,000 hectares earmarked for new investments, MP is on its way to becoming a 'Modern State',' he said. The new unit -- named after Lord Brahma, the creator of the known Universe in Hindu mythology -- will manufacture coaches for Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, metro trains, and future high-speed rail systems, including bullet trains. It will also produce other railway components, with export-ready broad and standard gauge coaches. The plant will initially produce 200 coaches annually, scaling up to 1,100 units over time. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, also present at the event, noted that BEML has already delivered over 2,100 metro coaches and is actively developing high-speed train prototypes in collaboration with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF). 'The Umaria unit will generate at least 5,000 jobs and play a pivotal role by offloading jobs to MSMEs in meeting Indian Railways' target,' he said. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav described the project as a proud moment for the state and a direct reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' vision. 'For the first time, Madhya Pradesh will manufacture and supply train and metro coaches across the country and the world,' he said. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke about Operation Sindoor on the occasion. Spanning 148 acres in Goharganj tehsil near Obedullaganj, the facility will incorporate cutting-edge technologies, including robotic welding, lean manufacturing, and solar-powered energy systems. It will require 2,000 MVA of power, to be met through renewable sources. BEML Chairman Shantanu Roy confirmed that the first coach is expected to roll out within 18 months. The plant's strategic location is expected to catalyse regional development, with ancillary industries in Raisen and Bhopal districts supplying bogies, interiors, air-conditioning systems, and other components. A dedicated rail coach technology institute is also under consideration to support skill development and technical training. BEML's expansion into Raisen marks a strategic convergence of defence-grade engineering and civilian infrastructure needs. The unit will complement its existing hubs in Bengaluru, Palakkad, and Kolar Gold Fields, and significantly enhance India's rail export capabilities.

When US promised not to let Pakistan down: ‘If there is another attack, we will react violently'
When US promised not to let Pakistan down: ‘If there is another attack, we will react violently'

Indian Express

timea minute ago

  • Indian Express

When US promised not to let Pakistan down: ‘If there is another attack, we will react violently'

Post Operation Sindoor, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir was hosted by the United States and, if news reports are correct, he is again headed to America for a second visit in three months. The US has always maintained friendly relations with Pakistan, even during conflicts with India, and this was amply demonstrated before and after the 1971 war. There were active attempts by the US at the highest level of President Richard Nixon and his advisor on national security affairs, Henry Kissinger, to channel military aid to Pakistan through Jordan and Iran. In this week's column, we look at how, post the 1971 war, the US reassured Pakistan that it would stand by it if India initiated any military action against what was then West Pakistan, and also considered a Pakistani offer of military bases on Pakistani soil for the US. The memorandum of a conversation in the US State Department Archives for March 29, 1972, records a meeting where Nixon, Kissinger, and Aziz Ahmed, secretary-general of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, and many others participated. Kissinger referred to how 'we went through tragic days together in December (1971)' and said that Pakistan enjoyed the US' goodwill. He further said it was important for Pakistan to get through the next six months, and felt that it was inconceivable that there would be an Indian attack before the forthcoming summit meeting in Moscow, or even for some time after that. 'Dr. Kissinger continued that the President makes the policy, and 'we won't let Pakistan down. If there is another attack, we will react violently'. He noted that we have told the Indian Ambassador that we cannot cut off military aid to Pakistan unless India is prepared to forego Soviet military aid. We have said that we will not restore the $87 million of aid that had been suspended,' the memorandum records Kissinger as saying. He went on to say that the US did not believe that one country should have the right to impose its will on its neighbours. 'The President has very warm feelings for Pakistan,' he added. Aziz Ahmed expressed concerns that India had moved three Army divisions to the West Pakistani border. 'General Manekshaw has gone to Moscow, presumably to seek equipment to replace India's war losses. India is going ahead—with whatever plans it has-either exerting pressure on Pakistan for the negotiations or for a more serious attack. There has been some thought that the Indians would seize Azad Kashmir. The Chinese, however, felt that an attack on Azad Kashmir would be unlikely until after President Nixon's visit to Moscow,' he said. On March 17, 1971, US Secretary of State William P Rogers wrote a memorandum to President Nixon titled 'President Bhutto's Proposals for Closer Military Collaboration'. This memo discussed specific proposals, which involved: The memo further quotes the Pakistani Defence Secretary Ghias Uddin Ahmed as suggesting that Pakistani military facilities could be made available to the US if that country wished. 'He said this would include facilities on land or at ports. With regard to the latter, he mentioned locations along the Arabian Sea coast, including (from west to east) Jiwani, Gwadar, Sonmiani Bay, Karachi, and the area south and east of Karachi. He thought the US might be interested in developing a port such as at Gwadar, which would be important for the economic development of that region of Pakistan,' the memo notes. The reason for this approach, Ghias said, was that Pakistan now faced an entirely new situation after the recent war, when it had suffered defeat by India with Soviet collaboration. The Pakistani Government was increasingly concerned about the intentions of both the Soviets and the Indians. 'Pakistan needed to bolster up its defenses in order to provide some credible deterrent. Ghias acknowledged that Pakistan was now only a small fraction compared to India in size and strength. He went on [to say] that Pakistan could not contemplate attacking India, but it needed some assurance about its defense. In this regard, he thought Pakistan would be looking to closer defense collaboration with Iran and Turkey, and seeking to improve its relations with Afghanistan,' the memo says. Ghias also referred to close Soviet collaboration with Indians both at the port of Visakhapatnam and on the Andaman Islands, which he interpreted as providing important naval facilities for the USSR. A month earlier, on February 3, 1972, President Nixon had a meeting with the US Ambassador to India, Kenneth Keating, and Henry Kissinger. Referring to India and Pakistan, President Nixon said, 'Neither country should be a country. They are too poor, too bloodthirsty'. Ambassador Keating responded, 'Yes, there should be a regional solution, like the EEC (European Economic Community)'. President Nixon was of the opinion that India shouldn't waste its resources fighting Pakistan and that China was India's bigger problem. 'Let me give you my view. I'll tell you what I'll do. I am afraid they'll leak it, so of course we can't announce it. Let me tell you where we went wrong. I was too soft on Mrs. Gandhi. When she was here. I led her on. If we were going to restrain them at all, we should have been tougher. I am not mad at Mrs. Gandhi. She has not had a better friend in this office than me. I have taken the line that India should have to compete with the PRC. I have always defended India,' he said. Nixon went on to say that India has a friend in the White House. 'They should know this. We are going to China for reasons of our own. We took action on India because our law requires it. In reality, we are India's best friend. Right, Henry?,' he said. Henry Kissinger gave a guarded reply, reflecting his pro-Pakistan stance. 'That is true. But we must move at a measured pace,' he said.

Mallikarjun Kharge to host INDIA bloc leaders for dinner on Monday amid ‘voter fraud' allegations, SIR row
Mallikarjun Kharge to host INDIA bloc leaders for dinner on Monday amid ‘voter fraud' allegations, SIR row

Hindustan Times

timea minute ago

  • Hindustan Times

Mallikarjun Kharge to host INDIA bloc leaders for dinner on Monday amid ‘voter fraud' allegations, SIR row

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will host a dinner for INDIA bloc MPs on Monday, amid tensions over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of "voter fraud" in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Top INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, TMC's Derek O'Brien and DMK MP Kanimozhi along with other leaders staging a protest at the Parliament against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.(PTI file) The move follows a recent show of unity when top INDIA bloc leaders dined at Rahul Gandhi's residence, pledging to oppose the electoral rolls' revision in Bihar and what they called the BJP-Election Commission's 'vote chori model'. On August 11, INDIA bloc MPs plan to march from Parliament to the Election Commission. Since the start of the Monsoon Session, both Houses of Parliament have witnessed protests over the SIR. Earlier, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday praised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's presentation on 'vote theft,' calling it well-researched and well-documented, and said it was now up to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to act on it. Speaking at a press conference in Nagpur, Pawar acknowledged that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi should have been more vigilant before the Maharashtra elections. 'We should have looked into it earlier and been careful,' he said. Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP, EC of 'vote chori' On Friday, INDIA bloc leaders met at Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi's residence, for a dinner to discuss their strategy on the SIR in Bihar. During the meeting, Gandhi delivered a presentation on 'vote chori being done,' alleging that the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission, was 'rigging' the elections. Opposition parties have been demanding a debate on the SIR exercise since the monsoon session of Parliament, claiming it will lead to widespread disenfranchisement. Gandhi detailed what he called the BJP's 'vote chori model' and explained the entire 'game' of how the party and the Election Commission were allegedly manipulating polls. In a post on X, the Congress said: 'A united front against electoral manipulation! We are committed to protecting democracy and will save it from being destroyed at all costs.' Earlier the same day, Gandhi held a press conference where he presented evidence, describing the alleged malpractice as a 'huge criminal fraud' carried out through 'collusion' between the BJP and the Election Commission. Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, 'The way opposition parties have been united in Parliament in national interest and have cornered the government, the same unity was visible in the meeting as well.' The Election Commission of India (ECI) later responded, saying: 'Rahul Gandhi should either give a Declaration as per rules or apologise to the country for his false allegations.' Gogoi said that leaders from around 24 parties attended, including Sharad Pawar, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Tejashwi Yadav, and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah. He described the gathering as having 'an atmosphere of dialogue, friendship and harmony.' He added, 'The manner in which we questioned the Govt in Parliament in public interest and national interest, in a united manner, we asked them important questions – we experienced the same atmosphere… He addressed a press conference on the issues of fake voters, bogus voting. He spoke on the same with evidence. Leaders of various political parties had questions about it. Dialogue was held over the same. Pieces of evidence that Rahul Gandhi presented before everyone today (August 8) were presented to the leaders too.' (With ANI, PTI inputs)

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