Tag: India

  • Man helps wife marry her lover

    Man helps wife marry her lover

    A man from Uttar Pradesh, India, has helped his wife get married again to her lover.

    As reported by Times Now, the woman had an extra-marital affair, in reaction to which, her husband supported her and got the two lovers married.

    People on the internet drew parallels between the story and the famous bollywood movie, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam from 1999.

    According to India Today, the couple had been married for a year before the wife started the affair. The woman’s lover, identified as Akash Shah, even visited her in-laws’ home once and was resultantly caught and beaten after they unveiled the affair.

    According to Shah, he and his paramour had dated for two years. He was unable to forget about his lover even after she got married.

    Eventually, the woman spoke with her husband about the affair who, instead of taking it as an offence, dealt with it composedly, and bid them farewell for their new journey.

  • Poverty-driven child marriages surge in flood-hit Balochistan

    Poverty-driven child marriages surge in flood-hit Balochistan

    Journalist and storyteller Shahar Baloch has recently reported for BBC about the aftermath of the devastating floods in Balochistan last year. The report reveals that families from lower income backgrounds, impacted by the aftereffects of the floods, are being compelled to sell their daughters due to mounting debts. The dire situation was uncovered in the Chowki Jamali area, one of the regions hit hardest by the 2022 floods.

    Chowki Jamali, a remote area on the border of Sindh and Balochistan, is home to approximately 50,000 people, primarily farmers and daily wage laborers. The 2023 floods displaced over 3.2 million families in 2022, with Sindh and Balochistan experiencing the worst of the brunt.

    As families struggled to recover, the economic downturn pushed many to sell their young daughters to older men, aged between 40 and 60 years, in exchange for money to pay off debts or cover medical expenses. Daily wage laborers, earning as little as 500 rupees a day, say that they are left with no other option.

    Residents of the area say that early marriages have been conducted here in the past as well.

    The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) conducted a survey of 14 districts of Balochistan in August 2022. According to the survey, there has been a 13 per cent increase in the number of cases of selling female children.

    Most girls are sold for amounts ranging from three to five lakh rupees, providing relief for financially strained families, who often rely on the transaction to settle debts, access medical treatment, or invest in their son’s education.

    The situation is exacerbated by the fact that in some cases, girls are sold multiple times if they do not “adjust” to their new circumstances. Some girls even run away upon learning of their impending sale, leaving their younger sisters to be married off in their place.

    The term “climate brides” is used to describe these girls, and this alarming practice is not unique to Balochistan; it also occurs in countries like Africa and India where poverty and climate change intersect.

    Climate change and floods have made agriculture increasingly unprofitable in Balochistan, driving families to desperate measures. With little income and food scarcity, many in Chowki Jamali resort to selling their daughters to survive.

    Even though education has made a difference, parents continue to sell their daughters due to extreme poverty.

    Health workers report severe health consequences for young girls married off early, including complications during pregnancy and the development of conditions like fistulas. Despite being aware of this issue, authorities have struggled to curb these marriages.

    Lady health worker Shehzadi told the BBC that in some cases, girls cry in pain, and some die here. “We still make noise, we can say something, but the mothers of these girls cannot say anything in this matter because it is the men of the house who decide to sell the girls.”

    Madad Community, an organization working on climate change in Balochistan, recently said that as a result of climate change and floods, it has become very difficult to earn from the agriculture sector.

    Organizer Maryam Jamali said that most people were forced to migrate, including the middle class of Balochistan. Poor farmers still have nowhere to go. As a result of extreme heat, more droughts and floods have been predicted.

    Fauzia Shaheen, Chairperson of the Government Commission for Women, revealed that Balochistan lacks effective laws to prevent child marriages, and efforts to pass the Child Marriage Restraint Bill have faced obstacles.

    In Balochistan, it is clear that the true cost of flood damage is being borne by the region’s vulnerable young girls, who are forced into early marriages due to dire economic circumstances.

  • Pakistani fans can finally get a chance to watch ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani’

    Pakistani fans can finally get a chance to watch ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani’

    Great news for Pakistani Bollywood fans who bemoaned missing out on the excitement surrounding the release of Karan Johar’s much-lauded romantic comedy ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani’, because there is finally a chance for them to watch the Alia Bhatt starrer on their screens. The Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt film is finally out on the streaming platform Amazon Prime with a special twist: it will feature a full-screen version of the song ‘Kudmayi’.

    Director Karan Johar announced the release of the film on his Instagram account.

    The romantic comedy stars Singh as a West Delhi playboy and Alia Bhatt as the headstrong feminist journalist, who cross paths after both realise there was a special connection between their grandparents. The film also stars veteran actors Jaya Bachchan, Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi.

    The film was hailed by audience members and film critics for the strong feminist message, as well as the performances by both Ranveer and Alia, with many saying this was Karan Johar’s comeback film. The film grossed more than $23 million in India and a further $21 million overseas, making it the fourth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.

  • Canadian Punjabi rapper’s India tour cancelled as diplomatic row continues

    Canadian Punjabi rapper’s India tour cancelled as diplomatic row continues

    Canadian Punjabi rapper Shubhneet Singh has been targeted by right wing politicians after sharing a cryptic post on his Instagram stories, leading to allegations that he supported the notion of setting up a separate state for Sikhs in India. On Thursday, ticketing platform Book My Show announced on X (formerly Twitter) that they had cancelled bookings for the Punjabi rapper’s shows in cities like Delhi and Kolkata, refunded money to the customers.

    “Singer Shubhneet Singh’s Still Rollin Tour for India stands cancelled. To that end, BookMyShow has initiated a complete refund of the ticket amount for all consumers who had purchased tickets for the show. The refund will be reflected within 7-10 working days in the customer’s source account of the original transaction.”

    This development came after members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM)- the youth wing of the right wing party BJP, launched protests against Shubhneet. On March 23, the rapper had shared a map of India on his Instagram stories, which didn’t show Punjab or occupied Jammu and Kashmir as part of the country, along with the hashtag #prayforpunjab.

    Members of the BJYM wrote to the Mumbai Police, calling for an FIR to be registered against Shubhneet “for waging war against Government of India and posting anti-government posts”.

    “Shubh is openly a Khalistani supporter,” the complaint read. “And if he is allowed to hold a concert here, he will be influencing a lot of youth in Mumbai and our country to support his agenda…He has evidently proven that he is a pro-Khalistani activist and openly supports their agenda and [he] is also influencing the youth of the country to do the same and wage a war against the Government of India by posting such absurd and derogatory post about Government of India.”

    The tensions arrive after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave a strongly worded statement about the murder of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Monday, stating that there was credible evidence of the connection between the murderers and the Indian government.

    “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” said Trudeau.

    “In the strongest possible terms, I continue to urge the government of India to cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter.”

    READ MORE: ‘Credible allegations’; Trudeau blames Indian govt agents for Nijjar murder

    Nijjar was a vocal supporter of the creation of Khalistan- a separate state for Sikhs living in India. He was branded as a terrorist by the Indian government, which maintained that he was wanted by the state for his active involvement with the Khalistan Tiger Force (KLF) an organisation declared as a terrorist group by the country. Nijjar was shot outside a Sikh temple on June 18 in Surrey, which was deemed as a targeted attack by the police.

  • Baby girl born with 26 fingers and toes in India

    Baby girl born with 26 fingers and toes in India

    A baby girl, born in Rajasthan, India, has 26 fingers and toes- seven fingers on each hand and six on each foot. According to Indian Express, the family was shocked by the discovery, hailing her as an incarnation of a goddess. The baby’s mother, Sarju Devi went into labour eight months into her pregnancy, however, doctors have confirmed the child is healthy.

    The infant’s family have expressed their joy at the birth of the child. The girl’s uncle told local media: “My sister has given birth to a baby who has 26 fingers, and we are considering it to be the incarnation of Dholagarh Devi.”

    Speaking to Indian Express, Dr Preethika Shetty said the baby has a genetical condition called polydactyly, which is characterised by small extra digits. She explained that the condition varies, as some can be born with several extra digits, or they can have an extra finger. Dr Shoba Gupta, a medical director, revealed to the publication that the medical condition runs in the family and can be brought on by hereditary causes.

    Dr Shetty explained that polydactyly can be detected in new born babies through a prenatal ultrasound or after the child is born. “The doctor will determine if your baby has polydactyly either through prenatal ultrasound or after birth. He or she will examine your child’s hands and feet for any additional digits and diagnose the specific type of polydactyly.”

  • India’s terrorism in Canada is not surprising for Pakistan, says foreign secretary

    India’s terrorism in Canada is not surprising for Pakistan, says foreign secretary

    Syrus Qazi, foreign secretary, has said that it’s not surprising for Pakistan that the Indian government has been involved in the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, Canada, in June this year.

    The statement of the foreign secretary came during a media briefing at the Pakistan mission in the UN on Wednesday, as Syrus Qazi is on a five-day visit with caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to the US to attend the 78th UNGA session.

    “India’s terrorism in Canada is not a matter of surprise for Pakistan,” the top diplomat remarked.

    The foreign secretary said that the Canadian PM’s allegations are not unusual for Pakistan, as Pakistan had arrested serving Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav from Balochistan in March 2016.

    The Indian spy was later sentenced to death as he was the mastermind of multiple terror attacks all over the country.

    On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed in an assembly session that the Indian government played a role in the killing of Sikh Leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

    “Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” Trudeau said, addressing the House of Commons about an “extremely serious matter,” after informing the opposition party leaders.

  • ‘Credible allegations’; Trudeau blames Indian govt agents for Nijjar murder

    ‘Credible allegations’; Trudeau blames Indian govt agents for Nijjar murder

    US, UK, Australia ‘deeply concerned’ over possible Indian role in Sikh leader’s murder

    The world is reacting after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement citing suspicion towards India in Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder case.

    The White House said it was “deeply concerned” about the allegations made by Trudeau.

    “We remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. It is critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and the perpetrators be brought to justice,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.

    Then, in an official statement, spokesperson for Australian foreign minister Penny Wong said, “Australia is deeply concerned by these allegations and notes ongoing investigations into this matter. We are closely engaged with partners on developments. We have conveyed our concerns at senior levels to India.”

    Foreign Secretary of the UK posted on X (formerly Twitter), “All countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law. We are in regular contact with our Canadian partners about serious allegations raised in the Canadian Parliament. Important that Canada’s investigation runs its course and the perpetrators brought to justice.”

    Pulling no punches, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave a harshly worded statement on Monday about the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, mentioning links between the killers and the Indian government.

    The Canadian government has been probing into Nijjar’s murder case and the latest findings direct the fingers at the involvement of the Indian Government.

    Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh leader, was shot outside a Sikh temple on 18 June in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. As per the police’ evaluation, it was a “targeted” attack.

    “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,”, said Trudeau.

    “In the strongest possible terms, I continue to urge the government of India to cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter.”, he added

    Similarly, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, also gave a staemnt in which she told the media that Indian diplomat, Pavan Kumar Rai, the head of RAW — India’s external intelligence agency — had been expelled over the case.

    “We see this possible breach of sovereignty as completely unacceptable, and so that is also why we’re coming [out] with this information today,” she added.

    On the other hand, in a tit-for-tat move, India ordered a senior Canadian diplomat to leave the country, keeping in view the “growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities”.

    India’s foreign ministry has rejected all allegations, deeming them as “absurd”.

    In a statement, the ministry said: “Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated,”

    “We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law.”

    Previously, prime minister Trudeau shed light on the murder while in conversation with Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi at the G20 summit last week in New Dehli. He stated that the Indian role in the case would not be acceptable and that they expected the state’s cooperation in the investigation.

    Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?

    Nijjar moved to Canada in 1997, working first as a plumber and later establishing a plumbing business in Surrey, B.C. He also played a vital role in the Khalistan movement — a call for a separate Sikh nation in India.

    Terming him a “terrorist”, the Indian government said he was wanted by the state for his alleged active involvement in the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) — an organisation deemed as a terrorist group by the country.

    Nijjar’s friend and fellow Sikh nationalist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun spoke with Global News, stating that he was warned that “Indian intelligence agents had put a bounty on his head”.

    Similarly, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service also warned Nijjar that they had information that he was, “under threat from professional assassins,”.

  • Serious or sarcasm? Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday wish to Indian PM Modi divides social media

    Serious or sarcasm? Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday wish to Indian PM Modi divides social media

    Shah Rukh Khan is fresh off another professional high as his film ‘Jawan’ gets rave reviews from audiences and film critics alike. However, the actor was once again targeted by social media for sending birthday wish to the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi. Many felt the message was a complete departure from the actor’s image as a driving force against extremism. Others felt that the actor was mocking the PM in a subtle manner.

    “Happy Birthday to Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi ji!!! Have a healthy and joyful day. May u get some time off from work and have a bit of fun too. Best wishes.”

    The Bollywood Badshah was slammed for still supporting the PM, whose controversial regime is mirred with extremism, rising Islamophobia, and for jailing the superstar’s son Aryan Khan in 2021 on misled charges, cleared in May 2022.

    “With great success comes great responsibility,yet nobody is cancelling srk for a political stance.We are easily riled up against our artists,” wrote a user.

    Many were critical of how the ‘Pathaan’ actor has remained silent about the ongoing persecution of Muslims in India.

    But for others, many interpreted the actor advising Modi to “ake time off work” as a sarcastic dig implying that he is too old for the position any longer..

    Is King Khan subtly telling Modi to retire completely or actually sending a compliment? We’re not sure either but we’re hoping its the latter!

  • India thrashes Sri Lanka to win Asia Cup title for 8th time

    India thrashes Sri Lanka to win Asia Cup title for 8th time

    India won the Asia Cup title for a record eighth time by defeating defending champions Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 on Sunday. India easily chased down Sri Lanka’s target of just 51 runs in 6.1 overs, winning the match by 10 wickets to become Asian champions.

    Shubman Gul and Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 27 runs and 23 runs respectively for India.

    It should be noted that India has won the title of Asia Cup the most times.

    In the final played at Wilambo, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat against India, which turned out to be the wrong decision.

    The Lankan batting started with a delay due to rain, but as soon as the match started, the Sri Lankan batting line-up was decimated, with 6 wickets down for just 12 runs. Sri Lankan players could not even enter double figures, with Kaushal Mendes becoming top scorer with 17 runs. Five Sri Lankan players were bowled out for zero.

    India captain Rohit Sharma said on the occasion of the toss that if his team had won the toss, they would have batted first.

    Read More: Did we lose the match because of Shehbaz’s tweets? X users say yes

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