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Chanting Vande Mataram: If not mother, will you salute Afzal Guru: Vice President Naidu

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8 years ago

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Venkaiah

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Addressing an event after launching a book on Hindu extremist and VHP leader, late Ashok Singhal, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu rakes up Vande Mataram row again

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu believes that the late Ashok Singhal, former working president of RSS-affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and a rabid Muslim-baiter, was one of the “finest proponents of Hinduism” but wonders whether those who object to chanting Vande Mataram would rather salute Afzal Guru, the suspected terrorist who was hanged in February 2013 for allegedly plotting the Parliament attack in December 2001.

Addressing an event in New Delhi on Thursday evening after he released a book on the late Ashok Singhal, Naidu responded to questions on the continued opposition that chanting of Vande Mataram – a song dedicated to the motherland, literally meaning salute to the mother – faces from sections within the Muslim community.

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The Muslim voices who oppose the singing of Vande Mataram claim that as per the Quran, the community can only salute Allah and no one else.

However, Naidu seemed to take an extreme view on the subject, one that seemed closer to the arguments propagated by the BJP – the political outfit that Naidu was affiliated with before assuming the office of Vice President of India – and its parent organisation, the RSS.

“Vande Mataram ke baare mein vivaad hota hai, ‘Maa tujhe salaam’. Maa ko salaam nahi karenge toh kisko karenge? Afzal Guru ko karenge kya? (Vande Mataram is an ode to the motherland, what is the problem with it? if you don’t salute your mother, who would you salute, Afzal Guru),” Naidu asked.

A former fruit merchant from Sopore, north Kashmir, Afzal Guru was convicted for conspiring with and sheltering the terrorists who attacked the Parliament on December 13, 2001. Five terrorists had driven through a gate of Parliament House and opened fire, killing nine people on that fateful day. While all five terrorists were gunned down during the attack, Afzal Guru was arrested two days laterby the Delhi Police’s special cell.

Guru was sentenced to death by a trial court on December 18, 2002 along with Delhi University professor SAR Gilani and Shaukat Hussain. Gilani was, however, let off by the Delhi High Court in October 2003 while the sentence of Guru and Hussain was upheld. Later, the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of Guru in August 2005 but commuted Hussain’s sentence to 10 years imprisonment. Hussain was released from Tihar in December 2010.

While Guru was scheduled to be hanged in October 2006, his wife Tabassum filed a mercy petition with the then President APJ Abdul Kalam. The BJP had stridently accused the Congress-led UPA government of deliberately delaying a decision on Guru’s mercy petition and accused the Congress party of “appeasing its minority vote-back”. Guru’s plea for clemency had finally been rejected by then President Pranab Mukherjee on February 3. 2013. On February 9, early in the morning, Guru was hanged within the premises of the Tihar Jail, where he had been lodged since his conviction. There had been no prior information from Tihar authorities or the government about carrying out Guru’s death penalty on that day and the hanging had evoked sharp criticism from social and human rights activists and people in Jammu & Kashmir over the secrecy that was maintained in hanging Guru and then burying him within the Tihar Jail premises near Jail Number 3.

The Vice President spoke at length about Hinduism, Hindutva and, in comments that once again were reminiscent of his days as a BJP leader, the chanting of Bharat Mata ki Jai – another issue that some Muslims have reservations over.

“Bharat Mata ki jai, is not about some goddess in a photo. It is about all 125 crore people living in this country irrespective of their caste, colour, creed and religion. They all are Indians,” Naidu said.

Referring to Hinduism, Naidu cited the Supreme Court’s 1995 verdict, which said Hinduism is not a narrow concept but a broader cultural connotation of India. “Hinduism is our culture our tradition which has been passed on from various generations. There could be different ways of worship, but there is only one way of life that in Hinduism,” the Vice President said.

Perhaps because he was at the event to unveil a book on Ashok Singhal or because of his association with the late VHP chief during his stint in the BJP, Naidu heaped high praise on the Hindutva leader.

While Singhal was known for his extremist right-wing Hindutva views – the high point of his public life was the riotous mobs he led in his quest for demolishing the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and getting a Ram Mandir built at the spot – these aspects of his life predictably found no mention in Naidu’s address.

Instead, the Vice President termed Singhal as one of the “finest proponents of Hinduism” who “sacrificed” 75 years of his life for the benefit of future generations. Naidu added that Singhal was “an exemplary individual who selflessly dedicated himself as a (RSS) pracharak and served the society”.

Speaking at the same event, RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said Singhal worked hard to realise the dream of building a Ram Temple in Ayodhya. “Now he might have gone but we should not forget his goal,” Joshi added.

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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4 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

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PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

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Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

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Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

Published

9 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

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Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

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IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

Published

9 hours ago

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

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Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

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Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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