India stands strong and united, says Bitta lauding nation's security response after Pahalgam attack
Former national president of Youth Congress, Mr. Bitta hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anti-terrorist policies while interacting with mediapersons in Thrissur. He was here for Ayurveda treatment at the Sitaram Beach Retreat, Nattika.
He said, 'Pakistan was forced into silence after India's strong counteractions. Claims that India fired at Pakistani aircraft are baseless. This is a clear victory for Mr. Modi and a result of a united national stance.'
Mr. Bitta, who has survived over 14 assassination attempts during the peak of terrorism in the 1990s, has long stood as a symbol of resilience against extremism. Reflecting on his past, he said, 'I have turned down several positions. My life itself is a bonus. I don't seek power or positions anymore.'
'No Khalistan'
Mr. Bitta, who heads the AIATF, an organisation actively supporting war widows and victims of terrorism, reiterated his strong opposition to separatist movements. He said, 'Khalistan will never be created. It was never made and will never be. If it is to be built, it will be only over our corpses. India is one and will always remain united.'
He pointed out that the Khalistan movement, which claimed over 36,000 lives in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s, was successfully subdued by combined efforts of the Centre and the State. Today, he said, the movement is weak within India, though ISI-backed terrorists continue to operate from foreign soil, particularly Canada.
Credits ayurveda
Mr. Bitta credited ayurveda for his physical revival, noting remarkable improvements after receiving traditional treatment for injuries sustained in past bomb attacks. 'I suffered severe leg injuries. For decades, walking was painful. After receiving treatment at Sitaram, I can now walk without a stick. I am now a devotee of ayurveda and its healing power,' he said.
This was Mr. Bitta's third visit to the Nattika retreat, and he expressed his desire to return again in the future. 'Ayurveda has given me my health back. The world must recognise its potential,' he added.
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While it is natural for political differences to arise, prioritising genuine discussions on real challenges is crucial for the progress of our country. This shift towards constructive dialogue and actionable solutions is not just a necessity but also a responsibility we owe to our nation. Let us ensure that Parliament becomes a platform for meaningful change. Mohammad Asad, Mumbai Rising chess star Young talent Divya Deshmukh etched her name into chess history by defeating Grandmaster Humpy Koneru. Ms. Deshmukh's victory is more than a personal triumph. It reflects India's deep talent pool and growing stature in women's chess. It also underscores how sustained focus on nurturing female talent is beginning to pay dividends. Her journey, from an underdog to India's newest Grandmaster, will inspire a generation. R. Sivakumar, Chennai The integrity of Ayurveda I write this letter as Guru, Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth, Ministry of AYUSH, New Delhi and Director, Sunethri Ayurvedashram, Thrissur, Kerala. The Editorial page article, 'The Medical Boundaries for AYUSH Practitioners' (July 29, 2025), raises pertinent concerns about the limits of practice and legitimacy in traditional systems such as Ayurveda. While the article rightly warns against cross-practice and unregulated medical claims, what emerges between the lines is an unsettling conflation of Ayurveda with religious nationalism and an implicit dismissal of its independent theoretical foundations. This perspective risks obscuring the integrity of Ayurveda as a distinct, time-tested knowledge system and reducing it to a political or pseudo-scientific artifact. Ayurveda is a comprehensive and autonomous system of medicine that operates on a distinctive epistemology rooted in centuries of observation, reasoning, and experiential knowledge. Far from being a proto-scientific or incomplete version of modern biomedicine, Ayurveda encompasses its own diagnostic frameworks, therapeutic logics, and philosophical foundations. Its inclusion of physical, metaphysical, and philosophical dimensions constitutes its depth and originality, rather than any epistemic deficit. The current discourse surrounding the boundaries of AYUSH practice, particularly the increasing attempts to integrate Ayurveda with modern medicine or to conflate the roles of traditional and allopathic practitioners, poses significant concerns. Cross-practice, particularly the unauthorised prescription of modern pharmaceuticals or the performance of biomedical procedures by practitioners trained in Ayurveda, not only violates legal boundaries but also undermines the credibility and internal coherence of both systems. Respecting the integrity of medical systems entails acknowledging their differences, not forcing synthetic alliances that erode clarity, safety, and methodological strength. Equally concerning is the political appropriation of Ayurveda as a tool for cultural or religious identity assertion. Attempts to tether Ayurveda to ideological constructs such as Hindutva distort its historical evolution and universal relevance. Ayurveda is neither a religious doctrine nor an emblem of any particular political vision; it is a knowledge tradition that has evolved through inclusive inquiry, critical debate, and clinical application across diverse cultural contexts. What Ayurveda requires today is not artificial elevation through political symbolism, nor validation through superficial integration with biomedical frameworks. Instead, it demands rigorous scholarship, authentic practice, and research grounded in its own paradigms. 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