Month: May 2025

CPI (M) MP John Brittas, who is part of the all-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, said the country understands India’s concerns about terrorism and has declared its intent to support India.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Brittas also highlighted the “extensive” meetings in Indonesia for the last 3 days, with government agencies, ministers, parliamentarians, think tank members, and political parties of Indonesia

Brittas stated, “Indonesia very well understands the concerns of India…they understand that such terror activities always pull back the country from its progressive and development trajectory.”

“They have understood and declared their intent to support India in our fight against terror…we want to progress mutually…our visit to Indonesia was very fruitful in every aspect,” he added.

On the third day of their visit to Jakarta, the all-party parliamentary delegation, led by

Sanjay Kumar Jha, Member of Parliament, India, held interactions with the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), prominent media houses, business and community leaders from the Indian Diaspora in Indonesia, and met with Members of Parliament from Golkar and NasDem Party, as per the Embassy of India in Jakarta.

The delegation also visited the Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School, Jakarta.

The delegation had a meeting with KH Ulil Abshar Abdalla, MA, Chairman of the Nahdlatul

Ulama (NU) Executive Board and Kholili Kholil, Committee Member of the NU, the largest

Islamic organization in Indonesia.

In this meeting, the delegation sought Indonesia’s unwavering support against all forms of terrorism, recalling our shared values of peace and tolerance as the largest Muslim country in the world. Condemning terrorism and the attack on innocent civilians, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leadership conveyed that it felt the pain of India and supports India’s resolve to tackle terrorism. Ulil called for India and Indonesia to walk hand in hand to deal with the challenge of terrorism and to foster peace and economic development in the region, according to the Embassy of India in Jakarta.

The delegation visited the Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School in Jakarta and paid floral

tri tributesbutes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and planted tree saplings as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ initiative of the Prime Minister of India.

The delegation also interacted with the Committee Members of Gandhi Seva Loka Association, calling upon the values of truth, justice, unified action, and unwavering courage in the face of national challenges, principles that Mahatma Gandhi espoused.

The delegation had focused and lively interactions with the Press and Media at the Embassy of India, Jakarta.

According to the Indian embassy statement, the delegation briefed the Indonesian media on India’s ‘New Normal’ against cross-border attacks, zero tolerance for terrorism, and all-party resolve to stand united in all matters of national interest. A number of journalists/reporters of local and global media houses/press attended the interactive session.

This was followed by an engaging interaction with prominent business and community leaders

of the Indian diaspora associations at the Embassy of India. A minute of solemn silence in

remembrance of the victims of the Pahalgam attack was observed at the event.

Speaking to the audience, Sanjay Kumar Jha, Head of Parliamentary delegation, highlighted India’s relentless efforts towards combating terrorism and ensuring peace and development. The delegation commended the Indian diaspora globally and in Indonesia for upholding the principles of tolerance, pluralism, and unity and urged them to stand resilient against terrorism and for amplifying the national resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms.

Aparajita Sarangi, MP from Odisha, interacted separately with the members of the Odiya

Samaj. She also inaugurated the ‘Biju Hall’ of the Embassy and a commemorative plaque of the late Odiya leader Biju Patnaik, an Indian freedom fighter and aviator who played a key role during Indonesia’s independence struggle, for which he received the highest civilian award of ‘Bintang Jasa Utama’. Similarly, members of the Bengali Community Association in Jakarta, JABA, called upon the WB Lok Sabha MP, Abhishek Banerjee, and exchanged thoughts with the leader.

The delegation ended the day with their interactions with members of Golkar and NasDem

Party including Agung Laksono, Dave Agung Laksono, Nurdin Tampubolobn, Gavriel Novanto, Abraham Srijaya, Wibi Andrino, Martin Manurung, Azisoko Harmoko, Ms Andina Narang, Gias Kumari Putra, Jupiter Prof Dr. Ratlan Pardede, Lalu Sudarmadi, Izhari Mawatdi.

The delegation spoke on India’s national consensus and resolve to combating terrorism and sought the support of the Golkar and NasDem parties. The Indonesian side conveyed its support to India in the fight against terrorism. (ANI)

Mumbai Indians seasoned opener Rohit Sharma crossed the 7000-run milestone in the cash-rich league, becoming just the second after his long-time compatriot Virat Kohli to achieve the feat.

Rohit upped the ante during MI’s pulsating Eliminator fixture against Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur. He notched a sizzling 81 from 50 deliveries to send the five-time champions into the driver’s seat with a score of 228/5.

Rohit, who averaged barely above 15 before his rollicking display, took his guard, gunned down his past nightmares to cross the 7000-run mark in the cash-rich league, and became the second batter to join the exclusive club.

Gujarat twice had the opportunity to rob Rohit of his landmark occasion and avoid being clobbered. On the penultimate delivery of the second over, Coetzee dropped a sitter off Prasidh Krishna, allowing Rohit to survive an early scare when he stood at three.

In the next over, Rohit gave away a faint edge off Mohammed Siraj, but Kusal Mendis couldn’t collect the ball in his gloves and floored the opportunity. The 38-year-old never looked back and enjoyed his night riddled with fortune.

He decimated GT’s ball tweakers to establish his authority. He unleashed a relentless onslaught on Sai Kishore and then smoked the ball into the stands to add to Rashid Khan’s agony and cross the 7000-run landmark in the IPL in the 9th over.

Rohit’s record-breaking night came to an end in the 17th over when he tried to take on Prasidh but got deceived by the slower variation and deposited the ball into Rashid Khan’s hands. Following his exploits, Rohit has 7038 runs under his belt in 271 matches at 29.82, with two centuries and 47 fifties and a best score of 109*.

It was sixes galore for Rohit as he cleared the boundary rope four times with brute force. Rohit crossed the 300 sixes mark in the IPL and joined ‘Universal Boss’ Chris Gayle for the elusive feat. Rohit has 302 sixes to his name, behind Gayle’s record-breaking tally of 357 and Virat Kohli trailing in the third spot with 291 maximums. (ANI)

Nearly 25 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs are meeting at the residence of party MLA Thongam Biswajit Singh in Imphal to push for the formation of a popular government in Manipur.

On May 28, nearly 10 MLAs, including eight from the BJP, one from the National People’s Party (NPP), and one Independent MLA, met Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal to stake a claim to form a government in the state.

Ten MLAs, including eight from the BJP, one from the NPP, and one Independent MLA, met Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Wednesday, demanding the formation of a “popular” government in the ethnic violence-hit state.

Their meeting with the governor came amid a civil disobedience campaign in the Imphal valley led by a Meitei organisation, which alleged that central armed forces had insulted the state’s identity by masking the words “Manipur State Transport” on a state-run bus on May 20.

“The majority of people want a popular government installed, which is why we came here to meet the Governor,” Independent MLA Sapam Nishikanta Singh told reporters after the meeting.

“We also discussed other things, like the functioning of the President’s rule may not be the same after the formation of a popular government. Primarily and basically, the main point was the formation of a popular government. The response of the Governor was also nice,” he added.

President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, days after BJP leader N. Biren Singh resigned as Chief Minister. Ethnic conflict broke out in the State on May 3, 2023, causing the loss of lives of hundreds of people. (ANI)

Actor Radhika Apte, who welcomed her child in December last year with husband, musician Benedict Taylor, recently opened up about the emotional highs and lows that followed the birth of their baby.

In a candid conversation with ANI, Radhika shared that she had mentally prepared herself for “postpartum.” The actress also shared that she had spoken to her close ones beforehand, just in case she needed support.

“I was very prepared for postpartum, actually. And I had also made sure that my friends and family were aware that if I went into postpartum depression, they needed to support me. To my own surprise, I was just purely elated when I had a child. And fortunately, I didn’t suffer from severe depression at any point,” she said.

However, Apte didn’t shy away from sharing the tough parts, too and spoke about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a new parent.

“But a child, it’s so difficult to look after a child 24/7. It’s such a huge change in your life that there are many days and moments of feeling terribly low and lost, as well as feeling elated and in love with your child. There are moments when you have no idea what you think, and you feel emotionally quite tired and low,” she added.

“Also, sleep deprivation doesn’t help with that. So, it’s a constant up and down, I think, this new journey. And it’s very, very natural and normal to feel that way,” the actress further said.

On the work front, Radhika’s latest film ‘Sister Midnight’ hit Indian theatres on May 30. The film, a dark comedy filled with punk energy, was earlier screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. Radhika is seen playing the role of Uma, a bold and rebellious woman who challenges societal norms, especially those around arranged marriage.

Speaking about the character, Radhika said Uma may seem wild but is deeply relatable. “I mean, I don’t think she’s a very, very different character from Indian women. In fact, I think that I’ve seen a lot of Indian women with the same amount of… Basically, she’s quite feral. And I’ve seen a lot of women like that,” she shared.

Sister Midnight is Karan Kandhari’s directorial debut. (ANI)

Actor Shweta Tripathi is excited to make her debut as a theatre producer with the staging of the play ‘Cock’.

As per a press note, the play’s premiere show will be held on June 6 in Delhi at Max Muller Bhavan and June 10 in Mumbai at Prithvi Theatre to commemorate Pride Month.

Written by British playwright Mike Bartlett, and being directed by Manish Gandhi – Cock is “an explosive, emotionally charged drama that delves into themes of identity, sexuality, and the fluidity of love.”

On turning producer for the drama, Shweta said, “Theatre has always been my first love. It’s raw, immediate, and leaves no space to hide–from the audience or from the truth. Producing a play like Cock is a personal and creative decision born out of my belief that storytelling should reflect the world in all its complexity and beauty.”

“We are living in a time where people are finally feeling empowered to own their identities, and Cock doesn’t shy away from the discomfort or the beauty of that journey. It’s messy, human, and real. That’s what drew me to it. I want to be part of stories that make you uncomfortable in the best way–stories that spark conversations, empathy, and perhaps even change,” she added.

The play has roped in actors Rytasha Rathore, Tanmay Dhanania, Sahir Mehta, and Harssh Singh. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met the family of Shubham Dwivedi of Hathipur area of Kanpur, who was shot dead in cold blood in the name of religion in the brutal April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, and got emotional while conversing with the parents and wife of the slain victim.

The PM met the family of Shubham Dwivedi, a 31-year-old businessman who was killed at Chakeri airport after landing in Kanpur. The young man recently tied the knot on February 12, lost his life in a brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam while on a family trip with his wife and relatives.

Sanjay Dwivedi, father of Shubham Dwivedi, said that PM Modi had a word with his daughter-in-law Ashanya Dwivedi about the ghastly terror attack since Shubham was shot dead before her and got emotional.

“I think that this incident has pained him a lot. It was a really emotional moment when he was standing with us. I think he will rest only when terrorism ends,” the grieving father told ANI.

“I didn’t intend to put forward any demands. I wanted to meet him to express my gratitude for the action he has taken against terrorism…PM talked to my daughter-in-law and Shubham about the incident. He got emotional, and everyone else did as well,” he added.

Dwivedi said that his only motive for meeting the Prime Minister was to express gratitude for initiating Operation Sindoor and for retaliating strongly against terrorism by striking deep into Pakistan’s territory.

“In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, India responded strongly against terrorism by destroying terror camps. The Indian army was given a free hand. For this, I expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister on behalf of my family. I told him that he was not alone in this fight against terrorism. My entire family and community stand with you. The PM expressed condolences to our family. He said that the fight against terrorism will continue, and we will destroy terrorism completely,” he added.

Ashanya Dwivedi, wife of slain victim Shubham Dwivedi, said that PM Modi offered his heartfelt condolences to the family and said that the fight against terrorism is long and will go on.

“PM Modi said that the entire nation and the government are standing with us. He offered his condolences…PM Modi was very sad…PM Modi asked me about the Pahalgam terror attack…PM Modi said that the fight against terrorism has not ended,” the grieving wife told ANI.

She apprised about her conversation with the Prime Minister and said he acknowledged her opinion on why the incident happened.

“He also heard my opinions and acknowledged when I told him that they (the terrorists) wanted to divide Hindus and Muslims internally or they wanted to end the peaceful situation in Kashmir. He told me that he also thinks the same…PM Modi assured us of another meeting,” Dwivedi added. (ANI)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh aboard India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, on Friday warned Pakistan of the Indian Navy’s unmatched strength, stating that had the Navy joined its sister forces in active combat during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan would have faced a worse outcome than in 1971, surmising that it could have been divided into four parts.

“1971 is a witness to this, that when the Indian Navy came into action, Pakistan was divided from one to two. If the Indian Navy had come into action in Operation Sindoor, then Pakistan would not only have been divided into two parts, but I think it would have been divided into four parts,” Singh proclaimed.

The Defence Minister was speaking during his visit to INS Vikrant, currently deployed in the Arabian Sea, where he reviewed operational readiness and praised the Navy’s role in neutralising threats during the operation.

Singh commended the Indian Navy’s silent but effective role in bottling up Pakistani naval assets, asserting that their aggressive deployment, maritime dominance, and high state of preparedness prevented Pakistan from challenging Indian interests at sea and kept its naval assets confined to their own shores.

“During ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Indian Navy has impressed every Indian with its silent service. Despite remaining silent, the Indian Navy succeeded in tying down the Pakistani Army,” he said.

“The role of the Navy in this entire integrated operation has been glorious. During Operation Sindoor, when the Air Force destroyed the terror bases on Pakistani soil, your aggressive deployment in the Arabian Sea, unmatched maritime domain awareness and maritime supremacy confined the Pakistani Navy to its own shores. They could not even muster the courage to come into the open sea,” the minister added.

Further, the Union Minister highlighted the Navy’s forward presence, along with precision firing drills by the Western Fleet, which sent a strong strategic signal.

“Our Western Fleet ships deployed at sea carried out multiple successful firings of surface to surface, and surface to air missiles and torpedoes along the western and eastern coast, within 96 hours of the terrorist attack, which shows the combat readiness of our platforms, systems and crews. These long range precision strikes also demonstrated our intent and readiness against the enemy and forced the enemy into a defensive posture,” Singh stated.

Singh further elaborated how the Navy stunned its adversary without firing a single shot.

“Along with the forward deployment of our forces, the force projection of the Vikrant Carrier Battle Group also gave an effective indication of our intention and capability. Your strong preparation has already broken the morale of the enemy. Your preparation alone was enough for Pakistan. You did not even need to take action, the enemy was stunned by your preparation itself. Pakistan not only realized the tremendous power of the Indian Navy, its military acumen and destructive capabilities, but they were also afraid of it,” Singh noted.

During his address to Navy personnel aboard INS Vikrant, he warned that Pakistan was fortunate the Navy did not fully engage during the operation, hinting at the force’s unmatched capability.

“The way you protect our maritime borders, the intensity with which you track every movement in the Indian Ocean, if that capability of yours was a part of this mission, then there is no need to tell what would have happened to Pakistan. In a way, Pakistan is very lucky that our Navy did not display its valor during Operation Sindoor,” Singh said.

However, the Defence Minister urged the Navy to stay fully prepared for any future provocation.

“I want to tell all of you that you should not leave any stone unturned in your preparations. Whatever has happened till now was just a warm up. If Pakistan dares to do anything again, then this time the Navy will also get into action and then only God knows what will happen to Pakistan,” the Defence Minister warned.

At the start of his speech, the Defence Minister stated, “The meaning of ‘Vikrant’ is – indomitable courage, and unconquerable power. Today, standing among all you brave soldiers, I am seeing the meaning of this name come true. The determination in your eyes reflects the real power of India.”

The 45,000-tonne warship, a symbol of India’s growing naval power, played a major role in the recently conducted Operation Sindoor.

According to an official statement issued by the Government of India (GoI), the Indian Navy’s Carrier Battle Group (CBG), led by INS Vikrant, played a central role in maintaining maritime superiority during the operation, which focused on keeping Pakistan’s naval forces tucked in their harbours.

“The Indian Navy played a critical role in asserting maritime dominance during Operation SINDOOR. Operating as a composite networked force, the Navy deployed its Carrier Battle Group (CBG) equipped with MiG-29K fighter jets and airborne early warning helicopters. This ensured persistent surveillance and real-time identification of threats across the maritime domain,” the official statement from GoI read.

The statement further highlighted how the Navy managed to prevent any enemy activity in the area. “The CBG maintained a powerful air defence shield that prevented hostile aerial incursions, especially from the Makran coast. The Navy’s presence created a strong deterrent and effectively bottled-up Pakistani air elements along their western seaboard, denying them any operational space.”

Naval pilots carried out day and night sorties, demonstrating India’s preparedness and strategic capabilities in the region.

“Naval pilots conducted round-the-clock sorties, further demonstrating India’s readiness and strategic reach in the region. The Navy’s ability to establish uncontested control over the seas also validated its anti-missile and anti-aircraft defence capabilities in a complex threat environment,” the statement added.

INS Vikrant, which joined the Indian Navy in 2022, is a major representation of India’s goal of building a self-reliant defence sector. The Made-in-India aircraft carrier is slated to get a boost to its lethality with the inclusion of Rafale Marine (M) fighter jets that will complement the current fleet of MiG 29K.

The deal for the Rafale M jets was signed last month after India and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the procurement of 26 Rafale aircraft (22 Single-Seater and four Twin-Seater) for the Navy, a statement by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. (ANI)

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a heartwarming encounter at Patna airport as he met 14-year-old cricketing prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. The young sensation has captured the nation’s attention with his extraordinary performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.

Taking to the social media platform X, the Prime Minister shared a few photos and lauded the teenager’s talent.

“At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavours,” PM Modi posted.

At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavours. pic.twitter.com/pvUrbzdyU6

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 30, 2025

Suryavanshi, who turned out for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) this season, has been one of the breakthrough stars of the tournament. In just seven matches, the teenager accumulated 252 runs, but it was his explosive century against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Jaipur that truly sent shockwaves through the cricketing world.

Batting with a maturity well beyond his years, Suryavanshi hammered 101 off just 38 deliveries, becoming the youngest ever centurion in men’s T20 cricket. His hundred, which came off just 35 balls, now stands as the second-fastest century in IPL history, a staggering feat for a player just 14 years old.

The biggest night of Suryavanshi’s career so far witnessed him break several other records:

-This is also the seventh-fastest century in T20 cricket, with the fastest one belonging to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia against Cyprus in 2024, coming in just 27 balls.

-Suryavanshi also reached his fifty in just 17 balls, the fifth-fastest in league history, making him the youngest ever to score an IPL fifty.

-94 of Suryavanshi’s runs came through boundaries, with seven fours and 11 sixes included. 93% boundary percentage is the highest in any century in IPL’s history.

-Also, Vaibhav tied with former Indian batter Murali Vijay for most sixes by an Indian in an IPL innings, 11 each, with most sixes overall being hit by Gayle during his iconic 175* against Pune Warriors India, which included 17 maximums.

-Also, the 166-run stand between Vaibhav and Yashasvi Jaiswal is the highest partnership for any wicket for Rajasthan Royals, surpassing 155 by Jos Buttler & Devdutt Padikkal against DC at the Wankhede in 2022.

-Suryavanshi also took just three innings to reach his maiden IPL ton, outdoing Punjab Kings (PBKS) batters Priyansh Arya and Paul Valthaty, who took four innings, as per Wisden.com.

The meeting with the Prime Minister adds another memorable chapter to Suryavanshi’s meteoric rise in Indian cricket. (ANI)

Slamming Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over his statement regarding the destruction of Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor, BJP MP Sambit Patra said, ‘Yeh jo Pakistan ke Babbar hain, woh Hindustan ke Gabbar hain’.

Sambit Patra was addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Friday.

Sambit Patra questioned Rahul Gandhi, Revanth Reddy and Jairam Ramesh over not asking Pakistan regarding how many of their airbases were destroyed or terrorists were killed.

Patra further mentioned that in the present time there are two factions in the Congress, one which supports Pakistan and another which wants to raise their voice but cannot do it because of Rahul Gandhi. The BJP MP further stated that Congress’ ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ looks like “Pakistan Hind Yatra’.

“Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, and Revanth Reddy are asking how many Rafales were shot down. ‘Yeh jo Pakistan ke Babbar hain, woh Hindustan ke Gabbar hain’. Rahul Gandhi did not ask how many Pakistani airbases were destroyed, how many terrorists were killed; rather, he only asked how many Indian planes were shot down. Today, there are two factions in Congress – one which supports Pakistan and the other which wants to raise a voice for the country but is unable to do so because of you. Your ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ looks like ‘Pakistan’s Hind Yatra’ and you should stop this yatra and hold a joint press conference with Pakistan”, Sambit Patra said.

Sambit Patra also attacked Jairam Ramesh for his remarks over the multi-party delegation and said that he “equated terrorists with MPs”. The BJP leader asserted that the MPs did not go on a tour; they went to strongly represent India’s side in front of the whole world.

“Jairam Ramesh, who is the right-hand of the Gandhi family, gives a statement, and he says in his statement that terrorists are roaming around, MPs are also roaming around. You have equated terrorists with MPs. MPs did not go on a tour, they went to strongly present India’s side in the world, and your MPs are also included in it”, Sambit Patra added.

He also accused he previous UPA government of calling terrorists to the PMO and mentioned that the Indian Armed Forces destroyed nine Pakistan terror hideouts, for which the satellite images were also shown regarding the operation.

“There was a time when terrorists were called to the PMO… We should also remember the day when Sonia ji cried after seeing the bodies of terrorists… The Indian Army destroyed nine terrorist hideouts. Satellite pictures were shown. DGMO presented all the facts”, Sambit Patra said.

Earlier on Thursday, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy said that Rahul Gandhi and party President Mallikarjun Kharge attended the all-party meeting and extended their full support to the Centre and made it clear that India should fight against Pakistan to merge the PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) with India.

As per an official statement, the Chief Minister said that he had already declared his full support for splitting Pakistan into two countries. He objected to calling off the ‘war’ by the Modi government at the behest of US President Donald Trump’s orders.

“Pakistan has downed Rafale fighter jets, which were brought by PM Modi, when asked how many downed? There’s no discussion. PM Modi, who purchased war fighter jets from another country, should answer how many Rafale jets have been downed by Pakistan. You have favoured thousands of crores worth of contracts to people who are close to you and purchased Rafale jets, but why did they get destroyed? You should answer this,” said Reddy.

Reddy reiterated that the Congress and the Gandhi family have a history of sacrificing their lives for the country. Calling PM Modi a spent force, the CM appealed to the party leaders and workers to strive hard and not relax until Rahul Gandhi became Prime Minister.

Further, the Telangana Chief Minister lashed out at the recent Tiranga Rally of the BJP, stating that the Congress is organising Jai Hind Yatra to restore self-confidence among Indian soldiers who were demoralised by the BJP’s moves. (ANI)