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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
This Week in Explainers: Why did monsoon arrive in May in India?
India has reported an early onset of monsoon this year. Kerala and Mumbai were lashed by heavy rainfall that brought life to a standstill. But what is behind these monsoon rains in May? All this and more in our weekly wrap read more Monsoon has arrived in India. Heavy rains lashed Kerala and Maharashtra, which have witnessed the early arrival of monsoon. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and his party are at loggerheads. His recent remarks abroad have further put a spotlight on the divide between him and the Grand Old Party, sparking speculations about whether he will finally call it quits. Language has become an emotive topic in India. Actor Kamal Haasan is facing flak for saying that Kannada 'was born out of Tamil'. His comments have also generated interest in the language's origin. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's all this and more in our weekly roundup from India. 1. Many parts of India have reported an early arrival of the southwest monsoon. Heavy showers hit Maharashtra, Kerala and other parts of the country this week. Incessant rains brought Mumbai to a standstill, affecting flight operations and leading to waterlogging at railway tracks and multiple low-lying areas. This is the earliest onset of monsoon in Mumbai in 35 years, with the city recording its wettest May. The monsoon rains also covered Lakshadweep, the south Arabian Sea, parts of the west-central and east-central Arabian Sea, and Karnataka. The southwest monsoon has also advanced to Goa and areas in the west-central and northern Bay of Bengal. It also reached parts of Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland. But what is behind the early onset of monsoon this time? We explain here . 2. A 'rift' between Shashi Tharoor and the Congress is out in the open. The Thiruvananthapuram MP has irked his party with his recent remarks abroad. Tharoor is heading one of the seven multi-party delegations that is keeping India's stand on terrorism on the global stage. Shashi Tharoor's rift with the Congress has come out in public. File Photo/PTI Tharoor's recent comments that India crossed the Line of Control (LoC) for the first time in September 2016 under the BJP-led Centre have angered the Grand Old Party, which has countered his statements. But the friction between the former diplomat and the Congress is not new. Will the party's public reprisal of Tharoor finally push him to leave? Read our report to find out. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 3. India is carrying out trials of the indigenous Kaveri jet engine in Russia. Developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the engine could be used to power the long-range Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). The Kaveri engine was initially developed to power the Tejas fighter aircraft. Image Courtesy: DRDO The Kaveri engine is a low-bypass, twin-spool turbofan engine with 80 kilonewtons (kN) thrust. It was originally developed for the fighter aircraft Tejas. Here's why the engine is a big boost for India's defence. 4. A huge drama has engulfed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's family ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. His son Tej Pratap's alleged relationship has come to light, prompting the former Bihar chief minister to take action against his son. It all began when a post from Tej Pratap's social media account was uploaded claiming that he had been in a relationship with Anushka Yadav for 12 years. Soon after, Lalu Prasad expelled him from the RJD for six years for 'irresponsible behaviour'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD निजी जीवन में नैतिक मूल्यों की अवहेलना करना हमारे सामाजिक न्याय के लिए सामूहिक संघर्ष को कमज़ोर करता है। ज्येष्ठ पुत्र की गतिविधि, लोक आचरण तथा गैर जिम्मेदाराना व्यवहार हमारे पारिवारिक मूल्यों और संस्कारों के अनुरूप नहीं है। अतएव उपरोक्त परिस्थितियों के चलते उसे पार्टी और परिवार… — Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) May 25, 2025 Tej Pratap's estranged wife, Aishwarya Rai , also reacted to the development, calling it 'drama'. Tej Pratap has responded to the controversy. But who is Anushka Yadav, his alleged partner? Read our story to find out. 5. Actor and politician Kamal Haasan sparked a major row after claiming that Kannada 'was born out of Tamil' during a public event in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His comments drew criticism from pro-Kannada groups and politicians in Karnataka. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Kamal Haasan's remarks on Kannada's origin have sparked a major row. File Photo/PTI Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra dubbed the actor's remarks as 'uncultured' and 'insulting' to Kannada and its 6.5 crore speakers. He also called for an apology from Haasan. Some pro-Kannada groups resorted to violence, tearing down posters of his upcoming movie Thug Life in Bengaluru and threatening a statewide ban on the film. But what exactly did Haasan say and is his claim true? We take a look here . 6. Did Akbar not marry Jodha Bai? Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade has claimed that the Mughal ruler was not married to the Rajput princess but a daughter of a maid of King Bharmal. 'The British changed the history of our heroes. They did not write it properly and their version of history was initially accepted. Later, some Indians wrote history, but it was still influenced by the British,' he said. A modified version of Persian painting named 'Glory of Faith' having inscription 'Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar with Mariam-uz-Zamani begum' dated to be of Akbar's era. Wikimedia Commons Movies and TV shows have romanticised the marriage of Akbar and Jodha Bai. Historians say that the Rajput princess' name was not Jodha but Harkha Bai. She was the third wife of Akbar, who lived as a queen inside the Agra Fort. However, there are contrasting accounts about Akbar's Rajput wife and their love story. We delve into the history here . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 7. Seven years after an English professor killed the relatives of his colleague in Odisha, he has been sentenced to a life term. Justice has finally been delivered in the 'wedding bomb' case. Punjilal Meher, 56, sent a parcel bomb, disguised as a wedding gift, to Soumya Sekhar Sahu, a 26-year-old software engineer, and his 22-year-old wife, Reema, on February 23, 2018. The parcel exploded as soon as Soumya opened it, killing him and his 85-year-old great-aunt Jemamani Sahu. But why did Meher murder them? And how did the police crack the case? Read our story to find out. 8. India and Pakistan tensions have led to some sweet shops in Rajasthan's Jaipur changing the names of their popular sweets — dropping the word 'Pak' to replace it with 'Shree'. If you ask for Mysore Pak and Moti Shree in Jaipur, you might find Mysore Shree and Moti Pak instead. This comes after several men vandalised Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad and raised 'anti-Pakistan' slogans. However, the name change of the sweets has not been received well in several quarters. So, does Mysore Pak have any connection to the neighbouring nation? We explain here . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is all we have for you this week. If you like how we explain news, you can bookmark this page .
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
The battle for air superiority
As the dust settles over the India-Pakistan conflict—triggered by India's missile strikes on nine terrorist hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province in response to the Islamabad-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April—it is time for a reckoning of how the two adversaries fared. Uniquely, over four intense, dramatic days (May 7-10), the theatre of war was the skies on either side of the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border. Airpower was the key factor, manifested not in the dogfights of yore, but their modern equivalent, comprising precise strikes, electronic warfare and smart coordination between aircraft, ground radars and airborne early warning and control system (AEW&CS)/ Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. Drones and missiles were used aplenty by Pakistan, and India's multi-layered air defence (AD) system rose to the occasion like never before. According to the Indian Army, its air defence units neutralised nearly 800-900 Pakistani drones during Operation Sindoor.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Shashi Tharoor part of Congress family, but…': Randeep Surjewala tries to defuse tensions over surgical strikes
As tensions between Congress and its leader Shashi Tharoor escalated on Thursday, the party's general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala tried to pacify frayed tempers, saying there is no acrimony among its leaders. Randeep Surjewala, however, erred in claiming that surgical strikes against Pakistan were held for the first time in 2016. Addressing the media, Surjewala said Shashi Tharoor's recent remarks about surgical strikes, made as the leader of an all-party delegation to expose Pakistan, were factually incorrect and that the Congress had only corrected the record by pointing out that the surgical strikes and also at other dens of terrorists 'were regularly executed' during Congress-led UPA government to give a befetting reply to terrorists. "Shashi Tharoor is a senior Congress leader and very much part of the Congress family. However, what he said about the surgical strike was factually incorrect," Surjewala told reporters. He said surgical strikes had been carried out by the armed forces, and when the Congress-led UPA government was in power. 'Congress party only corrected (him) by pointing out that surgical strikes against Pakistan and other dens of terrorists was a regular feature even during the UPA term – to give a befitting reply to terrorists by our armed forces and the Congress governments. Those instances have been detailed in the past by the communications department (when Surjewala headed the department). Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh as himself spoken about them; Tharoor himself in his book spoken about them, and Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera have only put the record straight. It is not a matter of acrimony and doubt,' Surjewala said. Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to partner countries to highlight India's zero tolerance to terror and Operation Sindoor, said in Panama that India has changed its approach in recent years, and terrorists have also realised they will have to pay a price. Referring to 2016's surgical strike and 2019's Balakot airstrike in his address, the Congress MP from Kerala said, 'What has changed in recent years is that the terrorists have also realised they will have a price to pay; on that, let there be no doubt. When, for the first time, India breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launch pad - the Uri strike. That was already something we had not done before. Even during the Kargil War, we had not crossed the Line of Control; in Uri, we did, and then came the attack in Pulwama in January 2019.' "This time, we have not only gone beyond the Line of Control and the international border. We have struck at the Punjabi heartland of Pakistan by hitting terror bases, training centres, and terror headquarters in nine places," Tharoor added. Shashi Tharoor's statement led to some Congress leaders articulating their disagreement. Several Congress leaders, including media and publicity department head Pawan Khera and party leader Udit Raj, criticised Tharoor for not mentioning surgical strikes against Pakistan during the UPA government in his presentations abroad. Udit Raj said he should be made a 'super spokesperson of the BJP'. The Congress's digs continued on Thursday, with Udit Raj saying what the Kerala MP had said was a "lie and a conspiracy to destroy the Congress". "The delegations which have been sent are trying to destroy the name of the Congress... Shashi Tharoor says that before PM Modi's leadership, we never crossed LoC or any international border with Pakistan. It is a big lie and a big conspiracy to destroy the history of the Congress which needs to be replied to," Raj told PTI. "He should focus on his duty rather than criticising the Congress party… Congress took required measures in the past but never publicised it or used it as a medium of collecting votes in their favour," he said. Raj's remarks were reposted on X by Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh. Pawan Khera also shared a screenshot from Tharoor's book in which he criticised the Modi government for allegedly exploiting the 2016 surgical strikes politically. "I agree with that Dr Shashi Tharoor who wrote about surgical strikes in his book in 2018 - 'The Paradoxical Prime Minister'," Khera said. "The shameless exploitation of the 2016 'surgical strikes' along the Line of Control with Pakistan, and of a military raid in hot pursuit of rebels in Myanmar, as a party election tool--something the Congress had never done despite having authorized several such strikes earlier--marked a particularly disgraceful dilution of the principle that national security issues require both discretion and non-partisanship," Tharoor writes in the book. An apparently infuriated Tharoor also put out a lengthy post on X. "After a long and successful day in Panama, I have to wind up at midnight here with departure for Bogota, Colombia in six hours, so I don't really have time for this ''but anyway: For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past - 1. I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars." "My remarks were preceded by a reference to the several attacks that have taken place in recent years alone, during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB," Tharoor said, while responding to the criticism.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
What led to Congress's Shashi Tharoor vs Udit Raj war of words? ‘This was unprecedented'
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's statement on India's cross-border strikes in Panama has triggered sharp criticism from within his own party. Tharoor on Thursday issued a clarification, saying his statement was twisted by 'zealots'. In a post on 'X', Shashi Tharoor wrote, 'For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past, I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars.' He added, 'My remarks were preceded by a reference to the several attacks that have taken place in recent years alone, during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB (International Border).' The Congress MP stirred an intra-party conflict with his recent remarks about India's cross-border military operations against terror bases in Pakistan while addressing leaders and diplomats in Panama. Tharoor said, 'When, for the first time, India breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launch pad – the Uri strike in September 2015 – that was already something we had not done before.' He emphasised that this was unprecedented, stating, 'Even during the Kargil War, we had not crossed the Line of Control.' The Congress party criticised him for the statement, with party member Udit Raj sarcastically suggesting that he should be appointed as the "super spokesperson of the BJP." Udit Raj fueled the controversy, accusing Shashi Tharoor of harming the party's image by downplaying Congress's role and praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'fake surgical strikes.' "My dear Shashi Tharoor, Alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as super spokesperson of BJP, even declaring (you) as foreign minister before landing in India. How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by saying that before PM Modi, India never crossed LoC and International border." "In 1965 Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, which completely surprised the Pakistanis in the Lahore sector. In 1971, India tore Pakistan in two pieces and during UPA government several surgical strikes were unleashed but drum beating was not done to encash (it) politically," he said. "How could you be so dishonest to the party which gave you so much," asked Raj. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh later reposted Raj's criticism on 'X'. When asked if Tharoor should be suspended from Congress, Raj said the decision lies with the party's working committee and leaders like Rahul Gandhi. 'If he makes incorrect statements and tries to erase Congress's history, then I am standing with Congress,' Raj added. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is currently leading a multi-party parliamentary delegation on an official visit to five countries, including the United States and Panama. However, Tharoor was not among the names formally recommended by the Congress party to the government for inclusion in the outreach delegations.
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Shashi Tharoor hails Modi govt abroad for Pak strikes, Congress reminds him of UPA-era cross-border Ops
As Congress leader Shashi Tharoor takes India case post Operation Tharoor in foreign countries, his remarks have seemingly riled the Congress for showing support for the Narendra Modi government over recent military actions across the border in Pakistan and Pakistan-ccupied-Kashmir (PoK) Many Congress leaders have reminded Tharoor about surgical strikes under the UPA government with Udit Raj even dubbing him 'super spokesperson' of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Tharoor, who is leading a multi-party delegation in a global outreach programme, said in Panama that India has changed its approach in recent years. Speaking to Indian diaspora in Panama earlier this week, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said what has changed in recent years is that the terrorists have also realised they will have a price to pay. "For the first time, India breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launch pad… (after) the Uri strike in September 2016. That was something we had not done before. Even during the Kargil War, we had not crossed the LoC,' Tharoor said. This remark perhaps did not go well with the Congress party which has always countered this 'first' claim by the Narendra Modi government. The party has maintaed that Indian security forces conducted surgical strikes under the UPA government as well, but without the party or the government publicising it. Congress Media and Publicity Department chairman Pawan Khera responded by tagging Tharoor in several posts regarding UPA-time cross border strikes. Khera shared a 2016 PTI report in which the party had latched on S Jaishankar, then Foreign Secretary, over his remarks that the Army had carried out "target specific, limited-calibre, counter- terrorist operations" across LoC in the past too. The party had said that Jaishanjar's remarks "exposed" the BJP and Modi government's "lie" on the recent surgical strikes. 'Professionally done, target-specific, limited-calibre counter-terrorist operations have been carried out across the LoC in the past too, but this is for the first time that the government has made it public," Jaishankar said this to the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs in October 2016, Khera wrote on X with 'CC' to Tharoor. In an earlier post, Khera posted a picture of 'officers of 4 Sikh Regiment posing outside a captured Pakistani police station in Burki, Lahore District'. Tagging Tharoor in this post too, Khera said, 'this image is from the Battle of Burki (also known as the Battle of Lahore, 1965), a significant engagement during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965…' In another post – tagging Tharoor again – Thera shared the remarks by former prime minister Manmohan Singh in an interview to The Hindustan Times, saying 'multiple surgical strikes took place during our tenure too. For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces than to be used for vote garnering exercises'. These posts on X were reposted by Congress communications head Jairam Ramesh. The Congress-vs-Tharoor row comes days after the party expressed displeasure at the government picking the name of Tharoor, among others, for its seven multi-party delegations for its global outreach post-Operation Sindoor. Even before he was picked to lead one of the delegations, Tharoor's public pronouncements in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor had also drawn the ire of the Congress. A CWC member Tharoor and an MP from Kerala, Tharoor has of late y been taking a separate line from the party, mostly on foreign policy issues. Before Khera, another Congress leader Udit Raj reacted to Tharoor'sremarks and even called him the 'super spokesperson" of the BJP. 'Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is the super spokesperson of the BJP, and what the BJP leaders are not saying, speaking in favour of PM Modi and the government, Shashi Tharoor is doing... Does he (Shashi Tharoor) even know what the earlier governments used to do? ... They (the Central government) are taking credit for the Indian Armed Forces. Shashi Tharoor has become the spokesperson for the publicity stunts of the BJP,' saidUdit Raj, who is a former BJP MP. Raj also posted his comments on X.
