Month: April 2025

Pro Khalistani, Canadian politician and New Democratic Party (NDP) chief Jagmeet Singh has announced that he will be stepping down after support for his party collapsed in Canada’s federal election and he conceded his seat, CTV news reported.

Singh lost his seat in the House of Commons, one he’s held since 2019, coming in third. His seat of Burnaby Central in British Columbia was affected by redistribution ahead of this election. The NDP has also lost its official status, failing to secure the 12 seats necessary.

“It’s been the honour of my life to lead the NDP and to represent the people of Burnaby Central. Congratulations to Prime Minister Carney, and to all the other leaders on a hard-fought campaign. I know this night is disappointing for New Democrats. I am disappointed that we could not win more seats. But I am not disappointed in our movement. I am hopeful for our Party. I know that we will always choose hope over fear,” he said in a post on X after his loss.

Jagmeet Singh has been a vocal pro-Khalistan advocate and has frequently spoken on behalf of Khalistan activists in Canada.

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Liberal Party are projected to retain power, winning enough seats in the 45th federal election to form the government. Carey had taken over from Justin Trudeau, who resigned towards the end of his term after his party lost faith in him.

The Canadian election was fought in the wake of Tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump and his repeated attacks on the country, dubbing it the 51st state of the United States.

According to an IPSOS poll conducted by Global News, the Liberal party held a four-point lead heading into Monday’s polls. This federal election was called earlier than scheduled after Carney, newly installed as Prime Minister, dissolved Parliament and sought a fresh mandate.

Justin Trudeau’s tenure was marked by his adverse relationship with India after he claimed that the Indian government had a hand in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Nijjar.

Mark Carney has publicly advocated for better relations with India, making it a point to send his condolences after the Pahalgam terror attack. (ANI)

BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan on Tuesday said that the BJP-AIADMK alliance will come to power in Tamil Nadu in the next elections. She accused Chief Minister MK Stalin and his ministers of blocking the state’s progress and said that over nine ministers are facing corruption charges.

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan said, “In the next elections, BJP, AIADMK and our alliance will come to power in Tamil Nadu….The Tamil Nadu CM and his ministers are stopping the progress of the people of Tamil Nadu. More than nine ministers have been accused of corruption. They are swindling people’s money. To hide his failures, the CM is blaming the central government…”

She also alleged that the state government is misusing public money and blaming the Centre to cover up its failures.

Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, addressing the State Assembly, expressed confidence in the DMK forming the government for the seventh time, citing the party’s achievements and schemes.

“I have faith that DMK will form the government for the seventh time, seeing the achievements and schemes which we have implemented so far. In India’s electronics imports, Tamil Nadu has a 42.2 per cent share. He described the current tenure of the DMK government as “Dravidian Model Government Part 1,” announcing that “Version 2.0 is loading in 2026,” promising more accomplishments.

“So far, what we witnessed is Dravidian Model Government Part 1 only. In 2026, Version 2.0 is loading, in which more achievements would be made,” he said.

Responding to VCK MLA Sinthanai Selvan’s request during a debate yesterday, Stalin announced the removal of the term “Colony” from government records. “The term ‘Colony’ is being removed from Government records, as for years, the term ‘ Colony has been defaming scheduled caste people. I want to make another important announcement. The ancient inhabitants of this land were once defined by a term called a Colony. This is a term that shows oppression and a symbol of untouchability, and a curse word. Therefore, this word would be completely removed from all government documents, and efforts will be taken to remove it from public usage as well,” he said. (ANI)

Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is currently on a visit to his parliamentary constituency Raebareli. Gandhi chaired a ‘Disha’ meeting at the Bachat Bhavan in Collectorate on Tuesday.

Rahul Gandhi inaugurated the 2 MW Atom Solar Roof Plant and the Atom Electric Charging station at Visaka Industries Limited in Raebareli on Tuesday.

He also unveiled the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose here.

This is the second time this year that Rahul Gandhi is visiting his parliamentary constituency, Raebareli. During his last visit in February, the Congress MP engaged with local students and residents, sparking conversations about education, employment, and community development.

Earlier today, in other developments, Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the government to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

In his letter, Gandhi said the attack had outraged every Indian and stressed the need for a unified response.”The terrorist attack in Pahalgam has outraged every Indian. At this critical time, India must show that we will always stand together against terrorism,” the letter said.

He further stated that the Opposition believes a special session should be held to allow representatives of the people to express their unity and resolve.

“The Opposition believes that a special session of both Houses of Parliament should be convened, where the representatives of the people can show their unity and determination. We request that such a special session be convened at the earliest,” the letter added.

The request comes amid increased political focus on national security and responses to terrorism, amidst outrage and mourning following the terror attack on April 22.

On April 28, Rahul Gandhi, along with Congress senior leader Sonia Gandhi, met a delegation from the Progressive International in Delhi.

“CPP Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji and LoP Shri @RahulGandhi met with a delegation from Progressive International at 10 Janpath, New Delhi,” Congress’s official page stated in a post on X. (ANI)

Days after the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, the X account of Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has been withheld in India.

Earlier on Monday, India announced a ban on 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading provocative and communally sensitive content and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir. Collectively, these channels have a massive following of over 63 million subscribers.

Last week, the Pakistani defence minister made a huge admission by stating that Pakistan has been funding and backing terror groups in a viral video clip.

In a video clip that has now gone viral, Pakistan’s defence minister was in conversation with Sky News’s Yalda Hakim, when she asks him, ” But you do admit, you do admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organisations?

Khwaja Asif in his reply says, “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about 3 decades… and the west, including Britain…That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan’s track record was unimpeachable.”

Asif’s statement lays bare the fact that Pakistan, for many years, has been harbouring these terror groups.

Following the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, the Central government announced several diplomatic measures, such as closing the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, giving them 40 hours to return to their country, and reducing the number of officers in the High Commissions on both sides.

India also halted the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960 in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also assured the country that the terrorists responsible for this attack, along with those who conspired it, will face punishment beyond their imagination, The Prime Minister asserted that the time has come to eliminate the remaining strongholds of terrorism and that the willpower of 140 crore Indians will now break the backbone of the perpetrators of terror. (ANI)

Pakistan-based cyber actors have once again failed in their attempts to violate Indian cyber sovereignty. With its imprints in the Pahalgam terror attack clear, the Pakistani forces have been violating the ceasefire on the Loc every day.

Now, Pakistan has redirected its efforts towards publicly accessible welfare and educational websites after finding mission-critical national networks impenetrable. Operating under the moniker “IOK Hacker” – Internet of Khilafah, the group sought to deface pages, disrupt online services and harvest personal information. India’s layered cybersecurity architecture detected the intrusions in real-time and quickly traced their origin to Pakistan.

Sources say that Intelligence assessments confirm four related incidents. The websites of Army Public School (APS) Srinagar and APS Ranikhet were both targeted with inflammatory propaganda. APS Srinagar also faced a distributed-denial-of-service assault.

An attempted breach of the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) database was likewise detected, while a concurrent effort was made to compromise the Indian Air Force Placement Organisation portal. All four sites were promptly isolated, and restorative action was undertaken; no operational or classified networks were affected at any stage.

These frustrated attempts highlight both the adversary’s intent and its limitations. The Indian Army remains resolute in defending its digital space, continually upgrading its cyber posture, and safeguarding the welfare of soldiers and their families.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army has effectively responded to the Pakistan Army’s unprovoked small arms firing across the Line of Control (LoC) on the night of April 28-29 in areas opposite to Kupwara and Baramulla districts as well as in the Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir (J-K),

According to the Indian Army, the Indian troops responded swiftly and effectively to the unprovoked small arms firing by the Pakistan Army. This is the fifth consecutive day of India’s effective relations since the Pakistan Army’s unprovoked small arms firing on the night of 25-26.

Earlier, the Indian Army responded effectively to the Pakistan Army firing along the LoC on the night of April 27-28 in areas opposite of Kupwara and Poonch districts, as per officials.

Tensions remain high along the LoC even as security forces intensified anti-terror operations in the Kashmir valley in the aftermath of the Phalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22. (ANI)

Days after the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, tourists continued to arrive in Bhaderwah on Tuesday to witness the scenic beauty.

Tourists have condemned the attack, further stating that nothing could stop them from visiting India’s Kashmir.

“The attack that happened a few days ago in Pahalgam, the act done by Pakistan, is very shameful, and our government will give them a befitting reply. Their aim behind attacking tourists was to reduce tourism here. But this will not happen. Kashmir was ours, is ours and will remain ours. This motherland is ours; we have come here and will continue to come. We feel safe here. There is nothing to fear, and the Indian Army is here. The people here are very good, there is no problem here…”, said a tourist speaking to ANI.

Another tourist said that if they stopped visiting Jammu and Kashmir, it would only reflect that they were scared.

“Some people told us not to visit, but we refused to do this because it was just a show that we are scared… We will continue visiting these places and want to show that we are strong. We hope the country gives a befitting reply,” said the tourist.

“Kashmir is ours, and whatever happened will not stop us from visiting. We are Indians, and we will not be scared of anything. This is heaven for us,” said another tourist.

The terror attack in Pahalgam occurred on April 22 at the popular Baisaran meadow, where terrorists targeted tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals from across the country and one Nepalese citizen, leaving several others injured.

Meanwhile, a tourist from Ahmedabad, Rishi Bhatt, who was ziplining during the recent Pahalgam attack said he was “grateful to the Indian Army” who arrived within “20-25 minutes.”

Bhatt, while speaking to the ANI, said, “Army covered Pahalgam within 20-25 minutes. They gave cover to all the tourists within 18-20 minutes… We felt safe once the Army gave us cover. I am grateful to the Indian Army.”

“We soon found the Indian Army personnel before us. They gave cover to all the tourists,” he added. (ANI)

Actors RajKummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi are gearing up for the release of their film ‘Bhool Chuk Maaf’.

On Monday, the film’s cast visited Lucknow for the promotional tour of their upcoming film, directed by Karan Sharma.

Not only did RajKummar and Wamiqa explore the city, but they also interacted with the media.

Expressing excitement about ‘Bhool Chuk Maaf’, RajKummar told ANI, “Bhaut alag concept hai..A time loop narrative has been used in this story. There’s a lot of comedy. I hope the audience will like it.”

“It’s a family entertainment. Audience will leave theatres with a smile on their faces. I hope everyone will go to theatres on May 9 to watch our film,” Wamiqa added.

Directed and written by Karan Sharma, ‘Bhool Chuk Maaf’ marks the first on-screen pairing of RajKummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi.

The film is presented by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films along with Amazon MGM Studios. It will release in theatres on May 9.

Apart from Bhool Chuk Maaf, RajKummar Rao also has Maalik in his kitty. (ANI)

The Indian National Congress has called for a special parliamentary session to address the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 innocent lives.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge urged the government to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament in response to the attack.

In his letter, Kharge stated that the proposed session would be a platform to express a joint stance on the attack and would demonstrate a collective resolve to address the situation.

The Congress President also noted that the opposition’s beliefs in unity and solidarity as the need of the hour.

“At this moment, when unity and solidarity is essential, Opposition believes that it is important to convene a special session of both houses of Parliament at the earliest. This will be a powerful demonstration of our collective resolve and will to deal with the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam on innocent citizens on 22 April 2025. It is our fond hope that the session will be accordingly convened,” the letter read.

The request comes amid increased political focus on national security and responses to terrorism, amidst outrage and mourning following the terror attack on April 22.

Earlier on Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly held a special session condemning the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

During the session, a resolution was adopted to express strong disapproval of the attack and to extend solidarity to the victims and their families.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary moved the resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack at the start of the session, following opening remarks from speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

The resolution endorsed the diplomatic measures announced by the Union Government after the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting.

The resolution was adopted without any division, following which the assembly session was adjourned sine die.

Meanwhile, JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah further affirmed that he won’t be demanding statehood for Jammu and Kashmir in the name of the 26 people who have died in a terror attack, noting that his politics was not “so cheap”.

He, however, stated that he would still demand statehood for the region, but not at this very moment when the country still mourns the loss of the 26 people.

The attack in Pahalgam is one of the deadliest attacks in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has taken strong measures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. (ANI)

Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan delivered a brutal reply to former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi for his derogatory remarks on the Indian Army in the aftermath of the ghastly Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Dhawan took to his official X handle, delivering a strong message to Afridi in response to the all-rounder’s derogatory words for Indian Army.

In his post, Dhawan reminded Afridi about Pakistan’s defeat to India in 1999 and questioned him, asking, “already itna gire ho, aur kitna giroge (you have fallen down so much already, how much more you will fall?)”. Dhawan also advised Afridi to stop making “unreasonable” comments and to focus on the progress of his own country. He ended his post by expressing pride in the Indian Army.

Dhawan wrote: “Kargil mein bhi haraya tha, already itna gire hue ho aur kitna giroge, bewajah comments pass karne se acha hai apne desh ki taraqqi mai dimag lagao @SAfridiOfficial. (We defeated you in Kargil, you have fallen so much already, how much more you will fall? Stop making unreasonable comments and focus on you own country’s progress). Humein hamari Indian Army par bohot garv hai. Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Jai Hind! (We are proud of our Indian Army, Bharat Mata ki Jai, Jai Hind)

The terrorist attack took place at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22, where terrorists killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, and injured several others.

Following the terror attack, India has taken strong measures against Pakistan for supporting cross-border terrorism. In a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23, it was decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 until Pakistan credibly and permanently stops supporting cross-border terrorism. India also closed the integrated Attari Check Post.

India has also declared officials of the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week.

The central government cancelled all visas issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Pakistani citizens to leave the country within 48 hours.

The Government of India further suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals were revoked effective from April 27, 2025, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs in a press release.(ANI)

A tourist from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, Rishi Bhatt, who was ziplining in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam during the terror attack, has alleged that the zipline operator shouted “Allahu Akbar” thrice, following which the firing began.

The terror attack happened on April 22 at the popular tourist destination in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow, where terrorists gunned down 26 tourists.

Bhatt, who had recorded a video while ziplining, can be seen enjoying the ride, while the sound of gunfire can be heard in the background. The video has gone viral.

Talking to ANI in Ahmedabad about his viral video, Bhatt said he had a “suspicion” about the “Kashmiri” zipline operator who shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ thrice, and the firing started.

“9 people ziplined before me, but the operator did not utter a word. When I was sliding, he spoke, and then the firing started. So, I have my suspicions about that man. He said ‘Allahu Akbar’ thrice and then the firing started…He looked like a regular Kashmiri,” Bhatt claimed.

“Firing started when I was ziplining… After about 20 seconds, I realised that it was a terrorist attack…and people on the ground are being killed,” Bhatt told ANI while recalling the incident. “I saw 5-6 people getting shot.”

After that, he detached himself from the zipline and fled with his family.

“I unlatched my belt and jumped down, took my wife and son and started running away. We saw people hiding at a spot which was like a pit, so you could not spot someone easily there. We too hid there,” he added.

He further claimed that the attackers targeted individuals based on their identity.

“I found out that men in two families ahead of us were asked their religion and shot in front of my wife and son. My wife and son were screaming,” Bhatt said.

According to Bhatt, the firing lasted for 8-10 minutes before a brief pause, after which it resumed. “The firing started again and 4-5 people were shot. 15-16 tourists were shot in front of us,” he said.

“When we reached the gate, we saw that the local public had already left,” Bhatt added.

He also said that the Army reached Pahalgam within 20-25 minutes.

“They gave cover to all the tourists within 18-20 minutes…We felt safe once the Army gave us cover…I am grateful to the Indian Army,” he said.

The attack in Pahalgam occurred on April 22 at Baisaran meadow, where terrorists targeted tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen, and leaving several others injured. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

Following the attack, the Central government has said that the terrorists responsible for the attack and the conspirators behind it will face severe punishment.

In the wake of the incident, the Central government has decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari check post. The Centre has also revoked all categories of visas issued to Pakistani citizens, except long-term visas, diplomatic and official visas, with immediate effect from April 27. (ANI)