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Smiling Without Answering: Rajnath confident of return of normalcy to Valley

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9 years ago

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Smiling Without Answering: Rajnath confident of return of normalcy to Valley

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Home Minister took all questions without answering most of them

Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr

The majority of questions at Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s press briefing on Saturday to mark three years of the Narendra Modi government centered on the deteriorating situation in the Kashmir Valley. The questioners wanted to know whether the government would take a tough stand against Pakistan, whether there would be talks with hardliners and whether the solution is to be found in military or political terms.

In a rare instance with a member of this government, Singh took all the questions on board, deflected most of them, and expressed in bland terms that the situation is “improving” in the Valley and it would become stable soon enough. He did not snub any of the questioners for pressing on with the K questions because it seemed that all the questioners were sufficiently anti-separatist and anti-Pakistan in their tone of questioning.

One of the reporters of a channel told the minister about the sting operation carried out by the channel showing Hurriyat leaders accepting money from Pakistan sources, and persisted in knowing whether government would take stern action against them now that proof of wrong-doing has been established. Singh did not walk into the trap but he seemed pleased by the line of questioning.

The journalists wanted Singh’s response to the fact that the protests in the Valley were not any more Pakistan-centric as much as they were Islam-centric. Singh amiably evaded an answer. He refused to answer whether the Army chief’s support for Major Leetul Gogoi for using a Kashmiri civilian as a shield was right, and what his view was in the matter, and he was told that his cabinet colleague M. Venkaiah Naidu supported the army action. All that Singh said was that Naidu was right.

Singh adopted a politically correct stance and said that youth of Kashmir were the future of the country as well as Kashmir, and it is not right that they should be using their hands for pelting stones. He squarely blamed Pakistan for misleading and inciting the students. He said a Pakistan which could not manage to hold Balochistan, Federal Authority of Tribal Areas (FATA), Sindh and Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa, and which had earlier failed to keep its eastern part (now Bangladesh). He also said that the government was willing to speak to any group in the Valley which was willing to talk, and that no one was excluded.

He admitted the Kashmir problem cannot be solved in a jiffy because it has been there since 1947, and he said that the solution will have to be an integrated, and not a piecemeal, one.

The Home Minister was quite at home with the media, and he did not hesitate even to banter, recognizing many of them by name. Members of the Modi government, following the prime minister’s stay-away-from-the-media policy, have been quite wary of media interaction. But Singh let his guard down as it were, and interacted rather freely with the reporters.

His other areas of focus were the Left-wing extremism affected areas, which he glibly referred to as LW and the North-East. When there was a pointed question about the recent Sukma ambush where policemen were killed, he passed over the question. When asked about the settlement of Rohingya Muslims in Jammu, there was a visible fumble when he said it was for the state government to handle.

When asked for his reaction on the NIA raids in Kashmir, Singh refused to comment, saying he didn’t want to comment on it because it was an autonomous agency.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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PM Modi marks Operation Sindoor anniversary, calls it India’s firm stand against terrorism

PM Modi said Operation Sindoor showcased India’s firm response against terrorism while paying tribute to the armed forces on the operation’s first anniversary.

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3 hours ago

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May 7, 2026

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s firm response against terrorism and highlighted the country’s commitment to national security.

Marking one year of the operation, the Prime Minister praised the courage, precision and professionalism of the Indian armed forces. He said the military action was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that had claimed the lives of 26 civilians in 2025.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, as a calibrated tri-services operation targeting terror infrastructure linked to cross-border terrorism. Reports said the operation showcased coordinated action by the armed forces and was seen as a major counter-terror response by India.

On the anniversary of the operation, PM Modi also changed the display pictures across his social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The image carried the text “Operation Sindoor” along with the Indian tricolour design.

The Indian Air Force also shared visuals and messages recalling the operation and highlighting India’s military response. A video released by the force described the operation as a strong message against terrorism and referred to the precision strikes carried out during the mission.

Operation Sindoor was launched following the Pahalgam terror attack, after which India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to official statements and reports published at the time.

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Vijay meets Tamil Nadu Governor again as TVK pushes to prove majority

TVK chief Vijay held another meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the party intensified efforts to secure majority support after emerging as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections.

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3 hours ago

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May 7, 2026

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Actor vijay

Actor-turned-politician Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again on Thursday as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), continued efforts to prove it has enough support to form the next government in the state.

TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly after winning 108 seats, but it remains short of the majority mark of 118.

The Congress has extended support to TVK, adding five MLAs to Vijay’s side. However, the alliance still needs additional backing from other parties or independents to comfortably cross the halfway mark.

According to reports, the Governor has not yet been fully convinced that TVK currently has the required numbers to form a stable government. This has delayed clarity over the swearing-in ceremony and the formal invitation to form the government.

Political activity intensified after reports emerged that some AIADMK legislators were moved to a resort in Puducherry amid speculation over possible support to TVK. AIADMK leaders, however, publicly denied any internal crisis.

TVK sources have expressed confidence that the party will be able to demonstrate majority support during discussions with the Governor.

The Tamil Nadu election results marked a major political shift in the state, with TVK breaking the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in its first Assembly election contest.

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India News

PM Modi changes social media profile pictures to mark Operation Sindoor anniversary

PM Modi changed his social media profile pictures to commemorate one year of Operation Sindoor, with several NDA leaders following the move.

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3 hours ago

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May 7, 2026

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PM Modi speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday updated the display pictures of his social media accounts to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The new image was seen across his profiles on X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp channels.

The updated profile picture carries the text “Operation Sindoor” on a black background along with elements of the Indian tricolour. One of the letters in the word “Sindoor” has been stylised using vermilion, commonly associated with married Hindu women.

Operation Sindoor was launched a year ago by Indian defence forces and the Border Security Force along the western border. The anniversary was also marked by several Union ministers and NDA leaders, who changed their social media profile pictures in a similar manner.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other senior leaders were among those who adopted the commemorative display image on social media platforms, according to reports.

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