India News
“Metallic substance” detected in Kulbhushan’s wife shoes: Pakistan
Pakistan says Jadhav’s wife was provided with replacement shoes – contrary to India’s Ministry of External Affairs claim
Despite India’s accusation of Pakistan not returning shoes of Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife, Pakistan Foreign Office on Wednesday claimed to have detected a “metallic substance” in her shoes which were replaced by Pakistani authorities in Islamabad. They have sent the shoes for forensic test.
Following massive criticism from the Indian foreign ministry over alleged harassment of Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife and mother, during their visit to Islamabad, Pakistan security officials have alleged that spy’s wife’s shoes were retained because of the presence of some “metallic substance”.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said, “There was something in the shoe. It is being investigated. We gave her a pair of replacement shoes. All her jewellery etc was returned after the meeting.”
However, the Pakistan Foreign Office claim is contrary to what the Ministry of External Affairs claimed yesterday. “She acknowledged that she has got back all her stuff, except the shoe,” said Mohammad Faisal.
A day after Kulbhushan Yadav’s family members met the former Indian Navy official in Islamabad, India on Tuesday called the exercise “lacking in any credibility”. Stating that the “overall atmosphere of the meeting was intimidating”. India said that the ex-navy officer’s mother and wife were forced to change clothes and were also not allowed to interact in their mother-tongue- Marathi.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Tuesday stated that Pakistan has violated the “letter and spirit of our understanding”.
Kumar further added that the Pakistani officials have disregarded the cultural and religious sensibilities of the family members as the authorities “under the pretext of security precautions… they were asked to remove their mangal-sutra, bangles and bindi“.
However, stating that Pakistan don’t wish to indulge in a “meaningless word of words”, the FO spokesperson said, “If Indian concerns were serious, the guests or the Indian DHC [deputy high commissioner] should have raised them during the visit, with the media, which was readily available, but at a safe distance, as requested by India.”
Kulbhushan Jadhav – who was accused by Pakistan for allegedly spying on behalf of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) – is in Pakistan’s custody and is facing death row with charges of terrorism and spying. While Pakistan continues to maintain its position in the charges leveled against the former Indian Navy officer, India on the other hand denied all charges and had moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to secure his release.
More than a year after his arrest, Pakistani authorities finally permitted Jadhav’s family members to meet him on Monday. However, Jadhav’s mother and wife could only interact with him over a telephonic conversation – with a glass panel separating the visitors from the accused.
And while Jadhav was not allowed to speak privately with his family, many term the meeting as a mere PR exercise from Pakistan. India’s Deputy High Commissioner was also present during the meeting – though he was not allowed to interact with Jadhav.
Pakistan claimed of honoring the “commitment’ and shared photos of the 45-minute long meeting on Twitter. The Pakistan’s move to grant permission to Jadhav’s family members to visit Pakistan came ahead of the forthcoming hearing of India’s appeal against Jadhavv’s death sentence at the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
India News
Earthquake of 6.2 magnitude on Richter scale shakes up Delhi-NCR, North India
Reports said the tremors were felt acutely by people residing in high rises and many fled by staircase to the groundfloor and were awaiting more aftershocks.
Strong tremors lasting almost a minute rocked parts of Delhi-National Capital Region, and several northern states after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake at its epicentre hit Nepal.
Reports said the tremors were felt acutely by people residing in high-rises and many fled by staircase to the groundfloor and were awaiting more aftershocks. Similar sights were visible in the region’s office districts. The tremors were also felt in parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand just after 2.45 pm. According to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority website, “Delhi is located in zone IV which has fairly high seismicity where the general occurrence of earthquakes is of 5-6 magnitude, a few of magnitude 6-7 and occasionally of 7-8 magnitude. Delhi thus lies among the high-risk areas.” The site adds that Delhi and the union territory region has already seen five earthquakes of the 5.5 to 6.7 scale since 1720.
There has been no report of damage to life and property as of now and reports are awaited on the situation in Nepal. Seismologists said the epicentre was 5 km underground in Bhatekhola in Nepal. The Himalayan country has already faced a massive quake on April 25, 2015 of 7.8 magnitude. Some 9,000 people died and injured more than 20,000.
According to the National German Research Centre for Geo sciences has said that magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Nepal region. According to National Siesmological Centre an earthquake measuring 5.3 magnitude hit western parts of Nepal. No loss of property or life has been reported.
The earthquake was recorded with epicenter at Talkot area of Bajhang district, 700 km west of Kathmandu. Two earthquakes of magnitude 4.6 and 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted Nepal. The two tremors were felt within half an hour time. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya came out of Nirman Bhawan with others, as strong tremors hit different parts of North India.
India News
Watch: Nitin Gadkari takes a test drive on hydrogen bus in Prague
In the video Gadkari is seen seated on the bus while officials surround him standing. One of the officials asked about the distance the bus can cover in a single charge. Gadkari said the visit is part of India’s commitment to eco friendly and sustainable transportation solutions.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is currently on an official visit to the Czech Republic. He took a test drive in a hydrogen bus. Nitin Gadkari took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared a video of the bus ride. In the video Gadkari can be seen surrounded by a group of officials.
In the video Gadkari is seen seated on the bus while officials surround him standing. One of the officials asked about the distance the bus can cover in a single charge. Gadkari said the visit is part of India’s commitment to eco friendly and sustainable transportation solutions. The video is captioned Hydrogen buses are a beacon of hope in India’s fight against environment degradation and carbon emissions. The buses will pave a greener and cleaner future.
The union minister posted a series of photographs on X, which showed the Gadkari’s test drive. Hydrogen fuel celled powered buses use air and hydrogen to generate electricity. It is a more environment friendly and sustainable mode of public transportation.
Gadkari arrived in the Czech Republic on October 1. He received a warm welcome at the Prague airport. He also participated on the ministerial session on road safety at the 27th World Road Congress in Prague. The Minister reaffirmed India’s dedication to achieving road safety targets which are outlined in the Stockholm Declarartion.
Nitin Gadkari has clearly advocated asserting that advancements and transition to green fuel. This will reduce the cost of electric vehicles when compared to petrol run vehicles within a span of two years. Variety of comments started coming on X (formerly twitter). One social media user said all school and state run buses would be run on hydrogen in the coming days. One X User was asked about the mass production of hydrogen cars. One user said the video was highly inspiring.
India News
Watch: Rajasthan independent MLA Om Prakash Hudla polishes people’s shoes
Hudla did a similar act in the year 2018. He won the election from Dausa constituency. Talking to the media Hudla said he took the initiative to polish the shoes of workers and voters. He said he wanted to make them realize MLAs are their employees and not vice versa.
As the election fever grips Rajasthan independent MLA Om Prakash Hudla became a cobbler in Dausa. He polished people’s shoes. In a video going viral on social media, Hudla is seen wearing a garland and polishing the elderly man’s shoes. He later helps the man to put the shoes on.
Many people have surrounded the MLA. One man even threw rose petals on him. Hudla did a similar act in the year 2018. He won the election from Dausa constituency. Talking to the media Hudla said he took the initiative to polish the shoes of workers and voters. He said he wanted to make them realize MLAs are their employees and not vice versa.
He said he has done it before. He was doing it again and he would continue to do it in the future. Hudla also hosted a tricolor outside a hospital on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. Rajasthan will have assembly elections later this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh in preparation for the upcoming state elections. PM Modi slammed Ashok Gehlot led congress government in the state and said the Rajasthan state had been destroyed in the past five years.
PM Modi said every leader of Congress, Tyrant, rioter, goon and corrupt person has considered himself the government of Rajasthan. PM Modi added Congress had left no stone unturned in looting the state. He added The Congress has successfully deceived the people of Rajasthan.
But the Congress had failed to run the government in the state. He said Ashok Gehlot was trying to save his chief minister’s chair and almost half of the Congress party was trying to unseat him. Pilot and Gehlot have been up against each other over the past few years as Pilot was trying his level best to replace Gehlot in the Chief Minister’s position.
