Ghulam Nabi Azad set to float new political party in Jammu and Kashmir?

News Network
August 26, 2022

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New Delhi, Aug 26: Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the Congress today with a scathing critique of the Gandhis, mainly Rahul Gandhi, is likely to launch a new party in Jammu and Kashmir, sources say.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, say sources, is keen on a new outfit on his home turf. Soon after his resignation, five Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders quit in his support.

Sources close to Mr Azad say he wants to mark his presence in the region ahead of elections due later this year.

Mr Azad, 73, quit the party days after he rejected a post in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress saying his recommendations for appointments had been ignored. 

Today, the veteran leader slammed the Gandhis with a five-page resignation letter accusing Rahul Gandhi of "childish behaviour" and immaturity and of letting a "coterie of inexperienced sycophants" run the party.

Mr Azad wrote he joined the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir in the mid-1970s, "when it was still a taboo to be associated with the party, given its chequered history in the state from 8th August 1953 onwards - the arrest of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah being the nadir of its political myopia."

His resignation comes ahead of the 2024 national election and amid signs that the election of a new Congress chief will be delayed yet again. The Congress is focused towards a "Bharat Jodo Yatra" to be led by Rahul Gandhi next month.

Mr Azad, a former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member, was among the party's tallest leaders and the Congress's face in Jammu and Kashmir.

If he forms a new party, he has the option of tying up with regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir or partnering with the BJP, which would vastly gain from a face like Mr Azad in the region.

Before him, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also floated his party after quitting the Congress. He tied up with the BJP for the Punjab election but failed to make a mark.

Mr Azad is among the few leaders to enjoy goodwill across the spectrum. After his Rajya Sabha membership ended last year, Mr Azad reportedly received invites from parties like the Trinamool Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP.

However, his bonhomie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands out.

The Prime Minister choked up during Mr Azad's Rajya Sabha farewell in parliament last year.

PM Modi shared an episode when they were both Chief Ministers - of Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. He referred to a 2007 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on visitors from Gujarat. "I will never forget Shri Azad's efforts and Pranab Mukherjee's efforts when people from Gujarat were stuck in Kashmir due to a terror attack. That night...Ghulam Nabi Ji called me...," he recalled, fighting tears.

Describing Mr Azad as a true friend, the PM said: "I would not let you retire, I will continue taking your advice. My doors are always open for you."

Mr Azad later praised PM Modi during a speech in Jammu and said he hadn't forgotten his humble roots.

Mr Azad was a leading member of the "G-23" or the group of 23 leaders who wrote to Sonia Gandhi in 2020 alleging a leadership drift and urging major reforms.

When he was honoured with a Padma Bhushan this year, many in the Congress said it was because of his proximity to the Prime Minister and the BJP.
 

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News Network
March 15,2025

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The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian doctoral student at Columbia University, has voluntarily left the United States after her visa was revoked over alleged support for Hamas, the democratically elected party in Gaza.

Srinivasan, a PhD student in Urban Planning, was in the US on an F-1 student visa. The US Department of State revoked her visa on March 5, 2025, citing security concerns related to her alleged involvement in activities supporting Hamas. On March 11, 2025, she self-deported using the CBP Home App, with officials confirming video footage of her departure.

US Homeland Security's Response

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem emphasized that studying in the US on a visa is a privilege, which can be revoked if an individual is found to support violence and terrorism. She stated that such individuals should not be permitted to stay in the country.

Srinivasan’s Academic Background

Srinivasan’s academic credentials include:

  • M.Phil in Urban Planning – Columbia University (GSAPP)
  • Master’s in Design – Harvard University (Graduate School of Design)
  • Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) – CEPT University, India
  • Her research focuses on land-labor relations in India’s peri-urban areas, with academic interests in political economy, land politics, and labor sociology.

'Security Concerns'

Her case has gained attention amid increased US government scrutiny of individuals and organizations allegedly supporting Hamas. Visa revocations for security reasons have become more frequent, reflecting the government's strict stance on national security and immigration policies.

Srinivasan’s self-deportation highlights the US government’s ongoing efforts to enforce visa regulations and prevent individuals it considers a security threat from remaining in the country.

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coastaldigest.com news network
March 3,2025

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In a significant policy shift, the central government has amended the passport application process, making birth certificates the sole valid proof of date of birth for individuals born on or after October 1, 2023. This move aims to streamline documentation and ensure uniformity in age verification.

Mandatory Birth Certificate for New Applicants

The new rule, announced last week as part of the amended Passport Rules, will take effect after its publication in the official Gazette. As per a notification dated February 24, the Ministry of External Affairs has revised the requirements for submitting proof of date of birth when applying for a passport.

For individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, only birth certificates issued by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or any other authorized body under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, will be accepted as valid proof of date of birth.

However, those born before this date can continue to submit alternative documents, including school transfer certificates, matriculation certificates, PAN cards, driving licenses, or extracts from service records.

Changes in Residential Information

To enhance privacy, applicants’ residential addresses will no longer be printed on the final page of passports. Instead, immigration officers will retrieve this information by scanning an embedded barcode.

New Colour-Coded Passports

The government has also introduced a colour-coding system for passports:

  • White passports for government officials
  • Red passports for diplomats
  • Blue passports for ordinary citizens

Parental Information No Longer Required

Another major change is the removal of parents' names from the last page of the passport. This revision is aimed at protecting personal information, particularly for individuals from separated or split families.

Expansion of Passport Seva Kendras

To enhance accessibility, the government plans to increase the number of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) from 442 to 600 over the next five years. The Department of Posts and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have extended their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate this expansion, ensuring continued passport services at POPSKs.

Officials noted that passport rules regarding date of birth had not been updated for a long time, largely because many rural residents lacked birth certificates. However, with stricter enforcement of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, birth certificates have now become the only recognized proof for those born after October 1, 2023.

These sweeping changes mark a significant update in India’s passport application process, reinforcing security, privacy, and efficiency in document verification.

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Media Release
March 14,2025

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, on Friday said that he will neither retract his recent statements against the RSS and BJP nor will he apologise for them, while the two saffron outfits demanded that he be arrested for his remarks.

Gandhi, during the recent unveiling of a statue of the late Gandhian P Gopinathan Nair at Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram, had referred to the BJP and RSS as "dangerous and insidious enemies" who have entered Kerala.

He had also termed the RSS as "poison", following which BJP-RSS workers shouted slogans and blocked his car.

On Friday, speaking at an event in Aluva near Kochi, Gandhi said that once he said "those things", he does not believe in retracting them or apologising for them.

"What this incident has done is strengthen my resolve to continue to expose the traitors. This is a fight which is even more essential than the freedom fight. We have a common enemy now, the Sangh. They must be exposed," he said.

He also said that he was worried that "the descendants of my great grandfather's murderers" will go to Mahatma Gandhi's statue and fire bullets at it "as they are habituated to do".

The BJP hit back at him by saying that he is just someone who was "by default" born as a descendant of Mahatma Gandhi and has been trying to "monetise" his great grandfather's name.

Former Union Minister of State and BJP leader V Muraleedharan alleged that Tushar Gandhi has been for several years trying to "monetise" Mahatma Gandhi's name.

Muraleedharan, speaking at a BJP protest against Tushar Gandhi at Neyyattinkara, further said that those who invited him for the statue unveiling probably were not aware of his background.

He further said that just because Tushar has the Gandhi name, it does not entitle him to the same respect or honour reserved for the Father of the Nation.

He demanded that Tushar Gandhi be arrested for his statements based on the BJP's complaint.

The BJP leader also criticised the Pinarayi Vijayan government for arresting five RSS-BJP workers a day ago for raising slogans against Mahatma Gandhi's grandson.

A case was registered against the five people under Sections 189(2), 191(2), 190, and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on charges of unlawful assembly, rioting, and wrongful restraint.

According to the police, a small group of people, allegedly linked to the Sangh Parivar, raised slogans against Tushar Gandhi at the end of a function he attended at Neyyattinkara on Wednesday evening.

Vijayan had strongly condemned the alleged "Sangh Parivar attack" on Tushar Gandhi, stating that actions that suppress freedom of expression cannot be allowed in a democratic society.

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