Lauding Tamil as a “sweet” language, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Saturday, March 15, that it stands as a significant asset to both the nation and the world. At an event near Sriperumbudur, he emphasized the importance of all Indian languages, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently worked to ensure that every language receives the respect it deserves.

During the inauguration of Zetwerk Electronics’ manufacturing facility, Vaishnaw expressed his gratitude for having a professor named Sadagopan at IIT Kanpur, who introduced him to the richness of the Tamil language. He began his speech with a traditional greeting of ‘Vanakkam’ and shared his limited knowledge of Tamil phrases, stating, “Tamil is a very, very sweet language… I know only three words: Vanakkam, Eppadi Irukeenga (How are you), and Nandri (Thank you).”

He reflected on how Sadagopan enriched his understanding of Tamil culture, which he described as ancient and deeply rooted. “This is one of our country’s assets and also one of the world’s treasures. We should take pride in it and celebrate all Indian languages. This is the spirit that our Prime Minister embodies, ensuring that each language receives its rightful recognition and exposure,” he remarked.

To illustrate his point, Vaishnaw mentioned the Telecom and Data Protection Laws, highlighting the Prime Minister’s encouragement to offer legal notices in all Indian languages, not just in English. He reiterated the goal of fostering unity and understanding among diverse cultures and peoples within India.

“We must aim for a unified objective of strengthening our nation and striving to become the third largest economy,” he concluded, expressing his gratitude in Tamil with “rombha rombha nandri” (many, many thanks).

His remarks come in the context of ongoing language controversies in Tamil Nadu, where the ruling DMK party has accused the central government of enforcing Hindi through the National Education Policy, allegations that the Union government has refuted.

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday refuted reports that his son, Chaitanya Baghel, had been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case in the state. Baghel stated that his son had not received any official notice from the central agency to appear before it.

Media personnel gathered outside the Baghel residence in Bhilai (Durg district) and the ED office in Raipur amid speculation that Chaitanya had been called to record his statement on Saturday. When asked if his son would appear before the ED, Baghel responded, “The question of going to the ED office does not arise if no notice has been received. When summons are served, they will be complied with.”

Speaking to reporters outside his home, Baghel accused the ED of creating unnecessary media hype and being used as a tool to defame political opponents. “It is the ED’s job to create a media frenzy. The agency is being misused to tarnish reputations. They have been doing this for years. I was implicated in a CD case for seven years, but the court recently discharged me of all charges. This is a BJP conspiracy to malign politicians,” he said.

On March 10, the ED conducted searches at Baghel’s residence in Bhilai and 13 other locations, including the premises of Laxmi Narayan Bansal, alias Pappu Bansal, an alleged associate of Chaitanya. The raids, carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), lasted about eight hours, during which the agency reportedly seized ₹30 lakh in cash and several documents.

The alleged liquor scam, as per the ED, took place between 2019 and 2022 during the Congress government’s tenure in Chhattisgarh, led by Baghel. The agency claims the scam caused a massive loss to the state exchequer, with over ₹2,100 crore in illicit gains allegedly funneled to a liquor syndicate.

Following the searches, unconfirmed reports emerged that Chaitanya had been summoned to appear before the ED on March 15. Baghel, who was present during the raids, dismissed the ED’s actions as a result of the BJP’s frustration.

The Congress party has strongly opposed the ED’s actions, with party workers burning effigies of the BJP-led central government and the ED on March 11 in protest. The party has accused the BJP of using central agencies to target political opponents and undermine democracy.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk revealed on Saturday that the company’s colossal Starship rocket is slated to embark on a mission to Mars by the end of 2026, with Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, on board. Musk also expressed optimism about human landings on the Red Planet, suggesting they could begin as early as 2029, though he acknowledged 2031 as a more likely timeframe.

“Starship will depart for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If these landings go well, human landings could start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more probable,” Musk stated in a post on his social media platform, X.

Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, is central to Musk’s ambitious vision of establishing a human colony on Mars. The spacecraft is also a critical component of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade. A modified version of Starship is expected to serve as a lunar lander for the Artemis missions.

However, before SpaceX can realize these interplanetary ambitions, it must demonstrate that Starship is reliable, safe for crewed missions, and capable of complex in-orbit refueling—a necessity for deep-space exploration.

The company recently faced a setback during its latest Starship test flight, which ended in a fiery explosion. While the booster was successfully caught during its orbital test, the upper stage of the rocket tumbled uncontrollably minutes after liftoff and booster separation. The live video feed of the event abruptly cut off, marking a near-repeat of a previous test flight failure.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated that SpaceX conduct a thorough investigation into the incident before it can proceed with further test flights.

Despite these challenges, Musk remains steadfast in his commitment to advancing space exploration. The successful development and deployment of Starship could revolutionize humanity’s ability to travel beyond Earth, paving the way for unprecedented missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.