Naveen Patnaik slams NCERT for omitting Paika Rebellion from textbook
In response to the criticism, NCERT issued a clarification, explaining that the textbook in question, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, is the first part of a two-volume series for Class 8 Social Science. The second volume, which will cover significant regional resistance movements such as Odisha's Paika Rebellion and Punjab's Kuka Movement, is in its final stages and is expected to be published by September or October 2025.In a press release dated July 16, 2025, NCERT stated that the new textbooks have been developed in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. The updated content is intended to provide students with an interdisciplinary and student-friendly understanding of India's historical, economic, political, and geographical evolution from the 13th century to the mid-19th century.NCERT emphasised that the new textbooks are designed to reduce content overload and promote critical thinking. They also noted that all the information in the book is sourced from credible primary and secondary academic material. A special box titled History's Darker Period has been included on page 20 to offer deeper historical context and help learners reflect more critically on the events covered.- EndsMust Watch
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NDTV
25 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Whenever I Speak Of Nehru...": PM Modi, Amit Shah's Twin Jabs At Congress
New Delhi: The Congress - and its former Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru - was tag-teamed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday evening at the end of a vociferous two-day Lok Sabha debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. After Mr Shah ripped into the Congress (and Mr Nehru) - blaming them for Pakistan's illegal occupation of Kashmir and the ceding of territory in Aksai Chin to China - the Prime Minister fired jabs of his own, accusing them of also giving away territory in Punjab and Tamil Nadu. The reference was to Kartarpur and Kachchatheevu Island, which were given over to Pakistan (in 1947, as part of the British boundary-drawing) and Sri Lanka (by Indira Gandhi in 1974). "The people who have been asking us why we don't take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir... I want to ask, 'whose government let the enemy capture PoK'? The answer is clear..." the Prime Minister said. "They also said Aksai Chin was barren and gave it away." Aksai Chin in eastern Ladakh was illegally occupied by China during the 1962 war. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has repeatedly accused the Congress government of the time of having surrendered over 30,000 sq km of Indian territory to China. The accusation usually comes around when the Congress attacks the Modi administration of having surrendered around 4,000 sq km in Ladakh after the violent clashes of May-June 2020. "Congress has always compromised national security. But whenever I speak of Nehru, the Congress and its ecosystem get jittery," the PM responded, adding, "' Lamhon ne khata ki, sadiyon ne saza paayi ' (a mistake was committed in that moment, and the punishment lasted years')." "To date, India is suffering the punishment of decisions taken since independence." Mr Modi also took aim at the Congress for a 'lack of support' after Pahalgam and during Operation Sindoor. He accused, as Amit Shah did, the party of having given Pak a 'clean chit'. The world supported India after Pahalgam and Op Sindoor but the Congress did not, he said. Rahul Gandhi's Deterrance Jibe The Nehru jabs followed sharp questions by Rahul Gandhi about the Op Sindoor timeline and the government's handling of the armed forces. In a combative speech the Congress leader wanted to know what stopped the BJP from extending military action to recapture PoK. Amit Shah's Nehru Jabs Hours earlier Mr Shah set the tone for the Prime Minister's speech, accusing Jawaharlal Nehru of having dismissively surrendered Aksai Chin because "not even a blade of grass grows there". "They (the Congress) asked us why we agreed to a ceasefire (in Op Sindoor) when we were in such a good position? I want to ask them... in 1948 our soldiers had the upper hand but Nehru stopped the war and the PoK problem was created. Pakistan is Congress' mistake... The blame lies with Nehru."
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Why is the Trump administration destroying nearly $10 million worth of contraceptives?
The US has landed in soup following its decision to destroy women's contraceptives worth nearly $10 million. The decision has been condemned by doctors and aid groups alike, with some calling it a wasteful attack on women's rights read more Research has estimated that the USAID cuts will lead to the deaths of 14 million people by 2030. File image/AP The US administration's decision to destroy nearly $10 million worth of women's contraception products has sparked furious condemnation from doctors and aid groups, who have slammed the move as a wasteful attack on women's rights. The contraceptives are being stored in Belgium and are reportedly planned to be incinerated in France. Both European countries are under pressure to prevent the destruction. What has the US announced? On July 18, British newspaper The Guardian cited two US Congress sources as saying that President Donald Trump's administration planned to destroy $9.7 million worth of contraceptives, which are mostly long-acting, such as IUDs and birth control implants. The contraceptives — intended for some of the world's poorest countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa — are stored in a warehouse in the Belgian city of Geel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They are to be incinerated at the end of July, according to The Guardian report. A US State Department spokesperson told AFP this week that 'a preliminary decision was made to destroy certain' birth control products from 'terminated Biden-era USAID contracts'. Trump's administration dismantled USAID, the country's foreign aid arm, after returning to the White House in January, replacing President Joe Biden. The State Department spokesperson said the destruction will cost $167,000 and 'no HIV medications or condoms are being destroyed.' Why? The spokesperson pointed AFP to a policy that prohibits providing aid to non-governmental organisations that perform or promote abortions. The Mexico City Policy, which critics call the 'global gag rule', was first introduced by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and has been reinstated under every Republican president since. The Trump administration has also slashed foreign aid, with the Senate this month approving a package that cut around $8 billion in international funding, much of it intended for USAID. Research has estimated that the USAID cuts will lead to the deaths of 14 million people by 2030. Doctors Without Borders called it a 'callous waste'. Pixabay Earlier this month, the US also incinerated nearly 500 metric tons of high-nutrition biscuits, which were meant to keep malnourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan alive. Trump has also repeatedly moved to restrict abortion access in the United States, taking credit for the Supreme Court overturning the nationwide right to abortion in 2022. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US State Department also suggested to the Guardian that the contraceptives were nearing the end of their shelf life. However, media reports have since said that the products expire between April 2027 and September 2031. What are the alternatives? Belgium's foreign ministry told AFP that it has 'initiated diplomatic efforts with the United States embassy in Brussels' about the contraceptives. The government 'is exploring all possible avenues to prevent the destruction of these products, including temporary relocation solutions,' it added. The international organisation MSI Reproductive Choices said it had offered to 'purchase, repackage, and manage logistics at our expense, ensuring the products reach those in need'. However, this offer was repeatedly rejected, it said in a statement. The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) made a similar offer at 'no cost to the US government' that was also turned down. What are people saying? New Hampshire's Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen pointed to the Trump administration's stated goal of reducing government waste, saying the contraceptives plan 'is the epitome of waste, fraud and abuse'. Shaheen and Democratic Senator Brian Schatz have introduced a bill aiming to prevent further US aid from being wasted. The IPPF said the contraceptives plan is 'an intentional act of reproductive coercion'. Doctors Without Borders called it a 'callous waste'. MSI advocacy director Sarah Shaw said it was 'an ideological assault on reproductive rights, and one that is already harming women'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The head of the French Family Planning group, Sarah Durocher, observed that last year, France became the first country to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution. 'France has a moral responsibility to act,' she said. French Green leader Marine Tondelier signed an open letter calling on President Emmanuel Macron to stop the contraceptives from being destroyed. 'Our country cannot be complicit, even indirectly, in retrograde policies,' the letter read. Contacted by AFP, the office of the French presidency declined to comment.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Dead fences and crumbling walls, Kerala's prisons vulnerable to more breaches
The escape of rape and murder convict Govindachamy from the Kannur Central Prison has exposed deep-rooted lapses in Kerala's prison security system, where outdated infrastructure and administrative inertia have long gone unaddressed. The electric fencing at the prison, meant to deter such breakouts, has not been functioning for nearly three years. This is not an isolated lapse. Except for the Viyyur Central Prison and the adjacent High Security Prison, all central prisons in the State suffer from similar vulnerabilities. Sources point to chronic underfunding and poor interdepartmental coordination as key reasons delaying much-needed security upgrades of prison facilities. While electric fencing has been installed around the central prisons, except the Thavanur Central Prison and the High Security Prison, several years ago, the absence of live power supply has rendered these systems ineffective. At the Poojappura Central Prison, the fencing has been inoperative for nearly two years. The issue stems from expired annual maintenance contracts (AMC) and persistent delays by implementing agencies, including the Public Works department, in preparing repair estimates. Even the High Security Prison stares at a similar situation, with its AMC having lapsed. Compounding the problem, the lack of periodic maintenance has also hampered the surveillance infrastructure within prisons, as many CCTV cameras lack technical support. Further exposing prisons to more potential jailbreaks, boundary walls in certain facilities are crumbling, forcing prison superintendents fund makeshift repairs using their own funds. These challenges are particularly acute in ageing institutions built during the British era. The situation has been exacerbated by Kerala's ongoing fiscal crisis. The government had allocated ₹20 crore in the last State Budget for prison upgrades, despite proposals for nearly ₹100 crore being submitted. Half of the allocated amount was later slashed due to budgetary constraints, further straining prison resources. The Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services has now pinned its hopes on the decisions taken at a recent meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that resolved to make electric fences fully operational in all major prisons. The prison authorities have also expedited the ongoing security audit of its correctional facilities. At present, the periodic assessment is complete in 39 prisons, with steps under way to conduct the exercise in the remaining 18. Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services Balram Kumar Upadhyay told The Hindu that a number of steps are being planned to enhance security measures. 'Electric fencing will be the top priority for all central prisons. In addition, we will soon install 340 more CCTV cameras across jails to strengthen the existing network of nearly 1,500 cameras,' he says. To improve night-time security, high-mast lighting has already been installed on five major prison complexes. 'We are looking into every aspect (of security vulnerabilities) after the incident. Security measures are being reassessed. We hope to implement the upgraded measures within a couple of months,' he says. Sources indicate that the Home department is also exploring new technologies, including motion-sensing surveillance systems. The possibility of partnering with start-ups to pilot motion sensors is also being explored to detect unauthorised movement and potential breaches.
