IndiaSpeaks Community

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/38501

India's trade minister will hold talks in the UK on a free trade deal with Britain and meet ministers from the European Free Trade Association from July 10 to 11, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Sunday.

Trade minister Piyush Goyal will meet with his UK counterpart, Kemi Badenoch, as well as representatives from British industry, the ministry said in a statement.

The talks offer an opportunity to discuss the main priorities of a free trade agreement "with a focus on addressing trade barriers, promoting investments, and fostering greater cooperation in areas such as technology, innovation, and intellectual property rights," the statement said.

Differences have emerged between India and the UK on some key tariff lines and investment protection rules, including disagreement over concessions on duties levied by India on car and liquor imports.

Goyal will also meet ministers and officials from the European Free Trade Association, which comprises Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, to assess progress toward reaching a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement with them.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/31536

French President Emmanuel Macron will show PM Modi the Louvre Museum and the two may get photographed with its most famous resident—Mona Lisa.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be feted by French President Emmanuel Macron when he lands in Paris on July 13 afternoon to take the India-France ties to a new height. File Photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at Elysee Palace. File Photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at Elysee Palace.

According to inputs from Paris and New Delhi, PM Modi will address a diaspora event at La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre located on IIe Seguin island in scenic Seine River, in the western suburbs of Paris on the first day. Inaugurated in 2017, La Seine Musicale had hosted American folk-rock singer Bob Dylan in the 6000-seat Grand Seine theatre, where PM Modi will address the Indian diaspora on July 13. The La Siene Musicale is currently hosting the Festival of India called "Namaste France, organized by the Indian Embassy in France and the Ministry of Culture.

This will be followed by PM Modi being hosted by President Macron for a private dinner at his official residence at Elysee Palace. It is during this private dinner that both the leaders will discuss crucial global and bilateral issues and formal delegation level talks will follow after the Bastille Day parade on Champs Elysees in front of the French President on July 14.

A 269 men strong contingent of Indian Army from the Punjab Regiment and Rajputana Rifles will participate in the parade on the ground while one single Indian Air Force Rafale fighter will be the show with three others following in a formation. INS Chennai, an indigenous guided missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, will be stationed at the strategic port of Brest, where the nuclear ballistic missile firing submarines (SSBNs) of the French Navy are stationed. But the grand show will follow after the delegation-level talks in Paris.

President Macron will host PM Modi at Cour Marly courtyard at the world-famous Louvre Museum for a ceremonial dinner expected to be attended by over 250 dignitaries. Filled with natural light and a ficus trees forest, the Cour Marly has an army of statues made by the finest sculptors of the world since the 19th century. It is after the French lay a sumptuous vegetarian spread for PM Modi at the Cour Marly that President Macron will take the Indian leader for a guided tour of the Louvre. Perhaps the two of them may get photographed with Louvre’s most famous and most expensive painting, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance.

The two leaders after the tour of the Louvre will attend the dazzling fireworks display over Eiffel Tower from the terrace at Louvre. While the bilateral ties between the two middle-level powers will reach the next stage after PM Modi’s visit, the red-carpet treatment given to the Indian leader will surpass any bilateral visit by an Indian PM in the past by miles.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/30611

New Delhi: In the India-UK Strategic Dialogue that took place in Delhi on Friday, India urged the UK to tackle extremists threatening Indian diplomats.

Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and his UK counterpart Tim Barrow led the talks, where India aired its grievances about extremist factions attacking Indian diplomats. The Indian government demanded legal prosecution or deportation of these groups.

These requests come in the wake of attacks on Indian embassies overseas by pro-Khalistan extremists in March this year. The Indian High Commission in London was also a target, leading to a diplomatic dispute between India and the UK regarding the security provided to Indian diplomats. In a move to address the Khalistan extremism, India hosted Matthew Rycroft, the UK Home Department's senior official, this year.

The two sides also discussed counter-terrorism, counter-terror financing, use of the internet for terrorism purposes, illicit drug trafficking and counter-radicalisation.

The two nations are also considering a collaborative agreement similar to India's partnership with the US on critical and emerging technologies such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. This agreement aims to connect Indian businesses with UK-based leading-edge research facilities focusing on 5G and other pivotal technologies, and facilitating easier movement of research talent between the countries.

The technology partnership was given further impetus after the Indian Science Minister, Jitendra Singh, visited London in April. Both nations inked an agreement to strengthen the ties between their scientific communities, and to allocate funds for research in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and bio-imaging.

The NSAs also deliberated on wider regional and international issues during their encounter.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/30328

The curtain raiser event for the World Hindu Congress 2023, set to take place in Bangkok later this year, commenced in Mumbai’s Jio World Centre. The event witnessed the presence of prominent leaders, scholars, and distinguished personalities. It also included the announcement of the World Hindu Congress 2026. It will be hosted in Mumbai. Swami Vigyananand, the organizer of the event, emphasized the importance of unity, strength, and global recognition for Hindus. The conference aims to bring together intellectuals, experts, politicians, and media personalities to address these priorities. The theme for the congress is “Jayasya Aayatanam Dharmah: Dharma, the Abode of Victory.” The primary objective is to unite Hindus on a global platform. It aims at fostering the exchange of ideas and strengthening their collective voice.

The Curtain Raiser Event

The curtain raiser event, held in Mumbai’s Jio World Centre. It marked the official launch and announcement of the World Hindu Congress 2023. Organized by the World Hindu Foundation, the event drew attendees from various countries, including prominent personalities, religious leaders, and scholars. The gathering served as a precursor to the main congress scheduled to be held in Bangkok.

Significance of the World Hindu Congress

The Hindu Congress serves as a platform for Hindus to come together, exchange ideas, and address contemporary challenges facing their community. It aims to promote dialogue, foster intellectual discourse, and forge alliances. They address issues such as religious freedom, education, social empowerment, and environmental sustainability.

The congress provides an opportunity to strengthen networks and collaborations among global Hindu organizations, scholars, and thought leaders.

The World Hindu Congress also plays a crucial role in projecting the positive aspects of Hinduism, dispelling misconceptions, and encouraging interfaith dialogue and understanding. It acts as a catalyst for social change and community development by advocating for the values of compassion, inclusivity, and service inherent in Hindu philosophy.

Way Forward

The World Hindu Congress has been a resounding success in previous editions, with New Delhi, India hosting the event in 2014 and Chicago in 2018. These landmark conferences witnessed the participation of distinguished individuals such as the revered Dalai Lama, renowned British politician Priti Patel, esteemed American politician Tulsi Gabbard, Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu, and notable Union Ministers like Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani. The conferences also attracted delegates from a staggering 60 countries, further solidifying its global significance and impact.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/30302

Hinduism, also known as Sanatana Dharma, is the world’s oldest living religion.

It is a natural religion, meaning its philosophies and practices are considered universally accessible through sincere study, reason, and experience apart from special revelation. Hinduism is also an indigenous religion made up of a diverse family of philosophies and traditions that have been practiced primarily throughout Asia for thousands of years. Today, Hinduism is a global religion with adherents representing virtually every racial, ethnic, and national background and living on every continent, and comprising majorities in three countries: India, Nepal, and Mauritius.

Most traditions, sects, or schools within Hinduism share certain distinctive, foundational concepts despite the absence of an identifiable beginning in history, single founder, central religious establishment, or sole authoritative scripture. Two of these foundational concepts are that of the oneness of existence and pluralism.

All beings, from the smallest organism to man, are considered manifestations of the Divine (existence, pure being, light of consciousness) or reflections of the Divine’s qualities, depending upon the school of thought. Because of this shared divinity, Hinduism views the universe as a family or, in Sanskrit, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

Hinduism also advances the concept of the equal worth of all mankind, as expressed in the ancient hymn:

Ajyesthaso akanishthaso ete sambhrataro vahaduhu saubhagaya.

“No one is superior, none inferior. All are brothers marching forward to prosperity.”

Mankind, because it is believed to be the most spiritually evolved, thus carries a special responsibility to honor the equal worth of all people and the underlying unity of existence through one’s relationship with oneself and others. Ensuring that one’s thoughts, words, and actions uphold and promote values such as truth, kindness, equanimity, empathy, generosity, and equal regard is how this responsibility is met.

The popularly recited Hindu invocation demonstrates this concern for universal kinship and well-being:

Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah. Sarve santu niraamayaah. Sarve bhadraani pashyantu. Maa kaschid dukhbhaag bhavet.

“May all beings be happy. May all beings be healthy. May all beings experience prosperity. May none in the world suffer.”

Against the backdrop of this understanding of equality and unity, the Hindu world has been able to embrace the reality of diversity through its philosophy of pluralism. Every being, with their varying likes and dislikes, their unique personalities, and their different cultures, not only connect with one another in their own unique ways, but connect with the Divine in their own individual ways.

As such, Hindus understand the Divine (existence, pure being, light of consciousness) to : 1) Manifest in different forms; 2) Be understood and worshipped by various means; 3) Speak to each individual in different ways to enable them to not only believe in the Divine, but experience and know the Divine.

This embrace of pluralism has contributed to the incredible spiritual and religious freedom one witnesses within Hinduism — in its many deity traditions, paths or yogas, schools of thoughts, saint traditions, ways of worship, etc.

The worldview of pluralism is not just applicable to Hindus, but to all members of this universal family. Accordingly, Hinduism acknowledges not just the possibility, but also the existence of more than one path (religion) or way of relating to Truth (God).

This true, unadulterated pluralism is captured in the ancient Sanskrit hymn:

Ekam sat vipraha bahudha vadanti.

“Truth is one, the wise call it by many names.”

In relating to other religions, Hinduism asserts that it is not only harmful, but inherently flawed to insist that one’s own path towards God is the only true and meaningful path. Based on this firm pluralistic belief, Hinduism has never sanctioned proselytization. Further, over their vast history, Hindus have never invaded another land in the name of religion. It is also clear that, for centuries in Southeast Asia, it has been this Hindu brand of absolute pluralism, which has provided the ideal environment for peaceful coexistence and prosperity for at least eight major religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism and Zoroastrian.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/28422

Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, a Republic Day special song created by Zoom TV. This soul-stirring track that was created in 2010 brings together many influential personalities - Bollywood celebs, sportspersons, and musicians, in the spirit of patriotism.

Featuring:

Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, A R Rahman, Sonu Nigam, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Prasenjit Chatterjee, Baichung Bhutia, Shahrukh Khan, Mahesh Babu, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Shaan, Bhupen Hazarika, Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Anoushka Shankar, Mammootty, Shivkumar Sharma, Rahul Sharma (musician), Gurdas Mann, Juhi Chawla, Zakir Hussain (musician), Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram, Vikram, Surya, Abhinav Bindra, Sudarshan Patnaik, Shilpa Shetty, Vijender Singh, Sushil Kumar, Karan Johar, K. J. Yesudas, Shiamak Davar, Shobana Chandrakumar, Shreya Ghosal, Rohit Bal, Priyanka Chopra, Louis Banks, Rituparna Sen Gupta, Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Khan, Ayaan Ali Khan and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/26776

Chandrayaan-3 be launched by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota

ISRO on Wednesday announced that the launch of Chandrayaan-3 has been scheduled for mid-July. ISRO Chairman S Somnath said the agency is now awaiting its integration with the rocket.

“The Chandrayaan-3 is already fully built, assembled inside the fairing and we are waiting for integration with the rocket. Currently, the window of opportunity is between 12-19 of July, and we will take the earliest possible date,” Somnath said.

VIDEO | Chandrayaan-3 to be launched in July. "The Chandrayaan-3 is already fully built, assembled inside the fairing and we are waiting for integration with the rocket. Currently, the window of opportunity is between 12-19 of July, and we will take the earliest possible date,"… pic.twitter.com/oQhTARAJu9

-Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 28, 2023

The ISRO chief said that the window of opportunity to launch is between 12-19 July and the exact date will be announced once all tests are complete. Even so, some reports say the launch date has been fixed 13 July at 2.30 pm. It will be launched by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third lunar mission and a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), a Propulsion module (PM) and a Rover with the objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for Interplanetary missions.

The GSLV-Mk3 will place the integrated module in an Elliptic Parking Orbit (EPO) of around 170 x 36500 km size.

The propulsion module will carry the LM from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from the PM. The propulsion module has a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit. It has been added as a value addition which will be operated after the separation of the Lander Module.

The Lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility. The Lander and the Rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface.

The Lander will carry several instruments to study the lunar surface. These include Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature, an instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for measuring the seismicity around the landing site, and Langmuir Probe (LP) to estimate the plasma density and its variations. A passive Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA is also accommodated for lunar laser ranging studies.

The rover module will carry Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.

The mission objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are:

To demonstrate Safe and Soft Landing on Lunar Surface To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon and To conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

The launch was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aditya-L1 Mission

The ISRO chief also gave an update on Aditya-L1 Mission, India’s first mission to study the sun. “Satellites are now getting integrated. Payloads have been developed by various agencies. It has reached the satellite center. Payloads are getting integrated into satellites and it will go through a series of testing,” he said.

#WATCH | ISRO chief S Somanath gives an update on Aditya-L1 Mission, India's first mission to study the Sun.

He says, "…We are targeting that by August end, Aditya can go." pic.twitter.com/qyOexGlUfw

-ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

ISRO’s target is to launch Aditya-L1 by the end of August this year.

Aditya L1 will be the first space-based Indian mission to study the Sun. The spacecraft shall be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth. A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses. This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and their effect on space weather in real-time.

The spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle and magnetic field detectors.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/26762

The training module covered issues like conduct during the mission, actions required during medical exigencies, and technical aspects of aircraft and rescue equipment.

First batch of Crew Module Recovery Team Completes Phase-1 Training (Image Credit - PIB/Ministry of Defence)

The first batch of crew module recovery for Mission Gaganyaan has successfully completed Phase-1 training at the Indian Navy’s Water Survival Training Facility (WSTF) in Kochi, reported the Ministry of Defence’s official statement dated 2nd of July.

As per Ministry’s statement, the team includes Indian Naval divers and the Marine Commandos. They utilised state-of-the-art facilities and underwent recovery training of crew modules in varied sea conditions.

The team underwent rigorous training for two weeks. The training module covered issues like conduct during the mission, actions required during medical exigencies, and technical aspects of aircraft and rescue equipment. Notably, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been jointly formulated by the Indian Navy and ISRO.

The Ministry said. “The two weeks training capsule covered a brief on the conduct of the mission, actions to be taken during medical exigencies, and familiarisation with different aircraft and their rescue equipment.”

As per Times of India, this team will participate in the recovery of the unpressurised crew module that will be used in the first abort test mission, which ISRO has planned in August.

Subsequently, the team was greeted by Dr. Mohan M, Director of the Human Space Flight Centre, ISRO.

After the completion of the initial phase of training for the first batch, the recovery training program will progress incrementally. It will include unmanned recovery followed by manned recovery training in both harbor and open sea conditions.

The Indian Navy, in collaboration with other government agencies, is taking the lead in overseeing the recovery operations.

As per media reports, the crew trained here at Indian Navy’s WSTF will now be involved in the recovery of test launches planned by ISRO in the forthcoming months.

Mission Gaganyaan

Notably, Mission Gaganyaan is India’s first manned space mission. It was announced by PM Modi during his Independence Day speech in 2018. The mission aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability. Additionally, with the manned space mission, India wants to join the League of elite nations that are capable of sending humans to space.

As per the mission statement, a three-member crew will be launched to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission. Subsequently, they will be brought back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.

The estimated timeframe for the final launch with Indian astronauts onboard is the fourth quarter of 2024.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/26353

Taiwanese companies operating in China are looking at "decoupling" the global supply chain from that country.

Leading Taiwanese technology firms are looking at relocating their manufacturing bases to India to bring down their exposure to the Chinese market, top policymakers in the Taiwan government have said, amid the self-governed island's increasingly tense relations with China.

Deputy Minister for Taiwan's National Development Kao Shien-Quey said there is huge scope for collaboration between New Delhi and Taipei in areas of emerging and critical technologies including manufacturing of semiconductors and electronics equipment.

In an interaction with a group of international journalists, she said major Taiwanese technology giants are looking at India as a key destination to strengthen their global supply chains.

Kristy Tsun-tzu Hsu, the director at premier policy think-tank Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at Chung-Hua Institution of Economic Research, described India as an important country for Taiwan and said Taiwanese companies operating in China are looking at "decoupling" the global supply chain from that country while maintaining it for the domestic consumers.

Leading Taiwanese companies are increasingly looking at relocating their production bases from China to countries in Europe, North America, the US and India in view of Washington's trade dispute with Beijing and the Chinese military's increasing muscle-flexing around Taiwan.

The relationship between China and Taiwan has become increasingly strained after US House Speaker Nancy Palosi's visit to the island in August last year.

India is keen on having production facilities of leading Taiwanese chip producers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC), the world's largest chipmaker whose clients included Apple.

"With the larger context of global supply chain restructuring and the 'China plus one' strategy, I am sure that we will see an acceleration of collaboration between the two sides in the field of semiconductor and information and communication industry," Shien-quey said.

It is learnt that a sizable number of Taiwanese companies are going to set up production bases at two industrial parks in India which are being set up exclusively for leading industries from Taiwan.

Talks are in the final stages for a Taiwanese semiconductor company to set up a manufacturing facility in India, an official said on condition of unanimity.

Taiwan produces over close to 70 percent of the world's semiconductors and over 90 percent of the most advanced chips that are required for almost all electronic equipment such as smartphones, car components, data centres, fighter jets and AI technologies.

The 'China-Plus-one' strategy aims at encouraging businesses to expand their operations outside of China while maintaining their presence in that country.

"We are actively promoting the diversification of the production bases of the Taiwanese companies and we would like them to move their production bases to other countries with a like-minded value system," Shien-quey said.

Tsun-tzu Hsu said the Indian economy is significantly large and the view is that it can provide some opportunity for Taiwan to change its trade dynamics with China.

"It is not only about trade. It is more about strategic collaboration. Our companies were considering moving to India even before the beginning of the US-China trade war because the Indian economy is so large that it can provide some opportunity to Taiwan to change the dynamics with China and reduce its dependence on China," she said.

Tsun-tzu Hsu said the Taiwanese government has been trying to negotiate a trade deal with India to expand the trade basket.

Taiwan-based Foxconn, which is Apple's largest supplier, has an iPhone manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu.

The company is now setting up another iPhone production facility in Karnataka that is expected to start production by April next year.

New Delhi and Taipei inked a landmark bilateral investment pact nearly five years back that seeks to protect Taiwanese investment in India.

The bilateral trade between India and Taiwan is on an upswing. The volume of trade increased from $2 billion (roughly Rs. 16,361 crore) in 2006 to $8.9 billion (roughly Rs. 72,806 crore) in 2021.

"Recently, we see new momentum in Taiwanese companies moving to India and expanding their operations. The expansion of Foxconn is one such example," Tsun-tzu Hsu said.

Deputy Minister Shien-quey said there is a lot of room for collaboration between India and Taiwan in the area of semiconductor manufacturing.

"India is strong in its software capabilities while Taiwan is strong in hardware and manufacturing in the ICT sector. There is a lot of room for complimentary collaboration here. Secondly, India enjoys a very huge domestic market. So this is also an incentive for investment," she said.

The deputy minister said the operations by Foxconn in India are expected to encourage more technology companies to invest in India.

"Since Foxconn is already there (India) and some of the suppliers in the lower part of the supply chain for Foxconn are also in India, I am sure that this will attract more companies to invest in the upstream of the value chain," she said.

China considers Taiwan as its breakaway province and insists it should be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Taiwan, however, sees itself as completely distinct from China.

India does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but both sides have trade and people-to-people relations.

Following the eastern Ladakh border row with China, some experts in India have been pushing for upgrading New Delhi's ties with Taipei, especially in the trade and investment sectors.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/26285

यूनिफॉर्म सिविल कोड (UCC) को लेकर लॉ एंड ऑर्डर मामलों की पार्लियामेंट्री कमेटी आज मीटिंग करेगी। इस मीटिंग में UCC पर ड्रॉफ्ट तैयार कर रहे लॉ कमीशन को भी बुलाया गया है।

मीटिंग की अध्यक्षता भाजपा के राज्यसभा सांसद सुशील मोदी करेंगे। जिसमें 31 सांसद और कमेटी के सभी मेंबर्स शामिल होंगे। सभी से UCC पर राय मांगी जाएगी और उन पर विचार होगा।

सिब्बल बोले- UCC पर बहस थॉटलेस एक्सरसाइज इस बैठक से दो दिन पहले राज्यसभा सांसद कपिल सिब्बल ने UCC पर बहस को थॉटलेस एक्सरसाइज करार दिया। उन्होंने पूछा- UCC के तहत क्या ‘यूनिफॉर्म’ करने की कोशिश हो रही है? अनुच्छेद 23 के तहत परंपराएं ही कानून हैं। सरकार को बताना चाहिए कि क्या सिर्फ हिंदुओं पर लागू होने वाला HUF हटा दिया जाएगा? सरकार को यह स्पष्ट करना चाहिए कि आखिर सरकार क्या समान करने की कोशिश कर रही है।

केंद्रीय मंत्री पीयूष गोयल ने UCC के एग्जीक्यूशन पर सवाल उठाने पर कपिल सिब्बल और कांग्रेस पर निशाना साधा। उन्होंने न्यूज एजेंसी ANI से बात करते हुए कहा- समय की मांग है कि सभा पार्टियां एकजुट होकर इसे कानूनी जामा पहनाएं।

सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने भी पांच बार अलग-अलग फैसलों को UCC को लाने की बात कही है। सिब्बल अल्पसंख्यकों के लिए किए गए विकास कार्यों को भूल गए हैं। मोदी सरकार जितना काम किसी ने नहीं किया। मुझे लगता है कि UCC के लिए सभी दलों के नेता समर्थन करेंगे।

UCC पर छिड़ी बहस के बीच केंद्र सरकार ने 20 जुलाई से मानसून सत्र बुलाने की घोषणा कर दी है, जो 11 अगस्त तक चलेगा।

UCC पर बहस क्यों शुरू हो गई प्रधानमंत्री मोदी ने 27 जून को भोपाल में भाजपा के 10 लाख बूथ कार्यकर्ताओं को संबोधित करते हुए देशभर में यूनिफॉर्म सिविल कोड जल्द लागू करने की वकालत की थी।

PM ने कहा- यूनिफॉर्म सिविल कोड पर लोगों को भड़काया जा रहा है। एक घर दो कानूनों से नहीं चल सकता। BJP यह भ्रम दूर करेगी।

विपक्षी पार्टियों ने क्या कहा

देशभर में यूनिफॉर्म सिविल कोड लागू करने के PM के बयान का आम आदमी पार्टी (AAP) और उद्धव ठाकरे गुट की शिवसेना ने समर्थन किया है। हालांकि, उद्धव ने सरकार के स्पष्टीकरण की शर्त रखी है।

शरद पवार के नेतृत्व वाली राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस पार्टी (NCP) ने न तो UCC का समर्थन किया है और न ही सपोर्ट किया है यानी वो न्यूट्रल है। वहीं, नेशनल कॉन्फ्रेंस लीडर फारूक अब्दुल्ला ने कहा है कि सरकार को UCC लागू करने के नतीजों पर बार-बार विचार कर लेना चाहिए।

फारूक अब्दुल्ला ने 29 जून को ईद की नमाज के बाद UCC पर बयान दिया। उन्होंने कहा- सरकार इसके नतीजों पर ठीक से विचार कर ले

UCC के समर्थन में शिवसेना (ऊद्धव गुट) और AAP

• शिवसेना (उद्धव गुट): अध्यक्ष उद्धव ने MPLB के मेंबर्स से बुधवार को कहा कि हम UCC का समर्थन करते हैं, लेकिन हम सरकार से स्पष्टीकरण भी चाहते हैं। हम चाहते हैं कि सरकार बताए कि इसका विभिन्न समुदायों पर क्या असर पड़ सकता है। साथ ही UCC पर अब चर्चा शुरू करने के पीछे मोदी सरकार का मकसद पाक-साफ नहीं है।
• AAP: AAP के राज्यसभा सांसद संदीप पाठक ने कहा- हम UCC का समर्थन करते हैं, क्योंकि आर्टिकल 44 भी कहता है कि देश में UCC होना चाहिए। हालांकि, इसके लिए सभी धर्म के लोगों, राजनीतिक पार्टियों और संगठनों से सलाह-मशविरा कर आम सहमति बनाई जानी चाहिए।
• बसपा: BSP सुप्रीमो मायावती ने भी UCC का समर्थन किया है। उन्होंने कहा- उनकी पार्टी समान नागरिक संहिता के विरोध में नहीं है। मगर संविधान इसे थोपने का समर्थन नहीं करता है। UCC लागू करने के ‌BJP मॉडल पर हमारी असहमति है। भाजपा UCC के जरिए संकीर्ण मानसिकता की राजनीति करने की कोशिश कर रही है।

UCC के विरोध में पार्टियों के बयान

• NCP: पार्टी ने UCC के मुद्दे पर वर्किंग कमेटी की मीटिंग में चर्चा की। इसके बाद नेशनल सेक्रेटरी नसीम सिद्दिकी ने कहा- हम ना तो UCC का समर्थन करते हैं और न ही उसका विरोध। जनता और इससे जुड़े वर्गों के बीच इस पर चर्चा की जरूरत है।
• नेशनल कॉन्फ्रेंस: फारूक अब्दुल्ला ने कहा कि सरकार UCC पर ज्यादा जोर ना डाले। इसे लागू करने के परिणामों पर बार-बार विचार कर ले। देश विभिन्नताओं से भरा है और अलग धर्मों-जातियों के लोग यहां रहते हैं। मुस्लिमों का अपना अलग शरीयत कानून है। सरकार सोच ले, तूफान आ सकता है।
• AIMIM: चीफ असदुद्दीन ओवैसी ने UCC पर बहस छेड़ने को साजिश बताया था। कहा था कि भाजपा मुख्य मुद्दों से जनता का ध्यान भटकाने की कोशिश कर रही है।
• कांग्रेस: सांसद शशि थरूर ने कहा, 'जहां तक यूनिफॉर्म सिविल कोड का सवाल है, प्रधानमंत्री नेहरू ने कहा था कि UCC होना चाहिए, लेकिन हमें सभी को साथ लेकर चलना होगा। आप किसी भी देश में किसी एक तबके को नहीं भूल सकते।'
• सपा: सांसद एसटी हसन ने कहा - हम हदीस की हिदायतें नहीं छोड़ सकते। संविधान हर व्यक्ति को अपने धर्म का प्रचार करने का अधिकार देता है।
• DMK : CM एमके स्टालिन ने कहा- मोदी सांप्रदायिक भावनाओं को भड़काकर और देश में भ्रम पैदा करके 2024 का लोकसभा चुनाव जीतने की सोच रहे हैं।
• शिरोमणि अकाली दल : दलजीत चीमा ने कहा UCC लागू होने से अल्पसंख्यकों के अधिकारों पर असर पड़ेगा और देश में अशांति-तनाव बढ़ेगा।

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/26275

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police along with the Indian Army have detained a suspect for interrogation from Dabi area in Balakot sector of Mendhar Sub-division.

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police along with Indian Army have detained a suspect for interrogation from Dabi Dharti area of Balakot sector of Mendhar Sub-division in Poonch. Security forces have recovered two mobile phones from his possession.

Sources informed Republic that an operation was launched by District Police, Poonch along with the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the local unit of the Indian Army in the Dabi Dharti area of the Balakot sector of Poonch. “House-to-house searches were carried out based on intercept generated by agencies after which one suspect has been detained and taken to Poonch by security forces for questioning,” he added.

On May 20, an infiltration bid from Pakistan in the same area was foiled when an intruder was shot dead by the Indian Army when he was trying to sneak into Indian territory. The killed intruder was carrying a high-powered IED along with narcotics while in a bid to enter India.

Past incidents in the area

The area has always been prone to mischief by the Pakistani side. Earlier on May 21, Security forces recovered a PIA- Pakistan International Airlines written balloon in the Balakot area and started an investigation.

Earlier this year, Security forces foiled a major narco terror bid in the same area when three terrorists who were planning IED strikes were arrested by security forces. “Three Lashkar terrorists arrested from Poonch- Rajouri who were involved in multiple IED attacks conspiracy in Rajouri on January 18th and other days. Two were arrested from Rajouri, one from the Balakot area of Poonch, and have been identified as Majid Dar, Jabbar, and one other was arrested by Rajouri Police. They were working to carry out IED attacks in Rajouri on directions of terror handler Rafiq Nai sitting in Pakistan Occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK),” Police informed.

The Pir Panjal region in Jammu has been the target of Pakistan-based terrorists with three major attacks in the region this year only. 7 civilians lost their lives in the Dhangri terror attack on January 1 and 2 when armed terrorists barged into the house of Hindus in the Rajouri district. The second attack happened on April 20th when the vehicle of the Indian Army’s Rashtriya Rifles was attacked by terrorists hiding in an ambush which led to the martyrdom of five jawans of the Indian Army in the Bhimber Gali area of Poonch. The third and deadliest attack happened in the Kandi area of Rajouri when 5 jawans of the Indian Army’s Special Forces attained martyrdom in a terror attack in the woods of Kalakote.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/25521

Prompt: Intricately detailed, professional photograph, of(ancient indian temple),magnificent, cinematic view, cinematic lighting, photographed on a Sony a9 II Mirrorless Camera, (highly detailed:1.2), (soft focus), lush forest in background HDR, 8k resolution

Negative prompt: nsfw,CyberRealistic_Negative,(deformed, distorted, disfigured:1.3), poorly drawn, bad anatomy, wrong anatomy, extra limb, missing limb, floating limbs, (mutated hands and fingers:1.4), disconnected limbs, mutation, mutated, ugly, disgusting, blurry, amputation. tattoo

Steps: 40, Sampler: DPM++ SDE Karras, CFG scale: 7, Seed: 708755406, Size: 768x512, Model hash: 03363589fe, Model: CyberRealistic_V3.1, Version: v1.3.0

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/25517

Prompt: Intricately detailed, professional photograph, of(ancient indian village),shallow depth of field, cinematic lighting, photographed on a Sony a9 II Mirrorless Camera, (highly detailed:1.2), (soft focus), lush forest in background HDR, 8k resolution

Negative prompt: nsfw,CyberRealistic_Negative,(deformed, distorted, disfigured:1.3), poorly drawn, bad anatomy, wrong anatomy, extra limb, missing limb, floating limbs, (mutated hands and fingers:1.4), disconnected limbs, mutation, mutated, ugly, disgusting, blurry, amputation. tattoo

Steps: 40, Sampler: DPM++ SDE Karras, CFG scale: 7, Seed: 1581137127, Size: 768x512, Model hash: 03363589fe, Model: CyberRealistic_V3.1, Version: v1.3.0

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/25483

Photo of Swami Vivekananda in Chicago in 1893 with the handwritten words “one infinite pure and holy—beyond thought beyond qualities I bow down to thee”

Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) is best known in the United States for his groundbreaking speech to the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in which he introduced Hinduism to America and called for religious tolerance and an end to fanaticism. Born Narendranath Dutta, he was the chief disciple of the 19th-century mystic Ramakrishna and the founder of Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Vivekananda is also considered a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the West and is credited with raising the profile of Hinduism to that of a world religion.

Speech delivered by Swami Vivekananda on September 11, 1893, at the first World’s Parliament of Religions on the site of the present-day Art Institute

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world, I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shat­tered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descen­dant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with vio­lence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/24659

Author: Anurag

In this article, we have delved into the antecedents of 16 organisations and 24 lawmakers who have undersigned the two letters and the findings are shocking - the organisations and lawmakers have links with Islamic terror organisations, Khalistanis, anti-India and anti-Hindu elements.

Govt approves 3.7 lakh crores worth schemes for farmers

On June 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his five-day visit to the United States and Egypt. The US visit is PM Modi’s first state visit to the US on an invitation by President Joe Biden. A state dinner is scheduled for India’s PM on June 22 at the White House, where President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will be the hosts. In an official statement, Prime Minister Modi said that this special invitation is a “reflection of the vigour and vitality of the partnership between our democracies.” As expected, 17 organisations and 75 Senators and Members of Congress have written to President Biden asking him either not to host the State Dinner or to raise some specific issues.

On June 7 (local time), Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), which has links to Islamic terrorist organisations, announced to have written a letter to the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, to rescind the invitation of State Dinner extended to Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. Seventeen organisations, including IAMC, signed the letter.

The organisations claimed that India is facing sharp democratic backsliding. The claim was based on April 20, 2023, Financial Times report titled ‘India’s Democratic Backsliding’. In the report, FT claimed the democratic values of India were on backtrack because a Gujarat court denied disqualified Congress MP Rahul Gandhi‘s plea against a 2-year sentence in a defamation case. FT called it bad news not only for India but for the whole world. In the letter, they cited four reports linked to CAA and NRC. They included a fact sheet by United States Commission on International Religious Freedom from February 2020. However, the report clearly mentioned that CAA was only meant for minorities in neighbouring Islamic countries. The report does point out Assam NRC controversies, but assuming NRC, whenever it comes, will have the same regulations and guidelines is far-fetched. OpIndia did a detailed analysis of the baseless claims made by IAMC and other organisations in the letter sent to President Biden that can be checked here.

Each organisation listed in the signatories has a history of anti-India and anti-Hindu activities. We explored the details of these organisations to understand what India is standing against on the international platform. In this article, we have delved into the antecedents of 16 organisations and 24 lawmakers who have undersigned the two letters and the findings are shocking – the organisations and lawmakers have links with Islamic terror organisations, Khalistanis, anti-India and anti-Hindu elements.