Modi silencing dissent, but spirit of democracy can’t be crushed: Rahul Gandhi
As New Delhi witnessed a complete clamp down by security personnel against the protests called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of silencing dissent. He said the internet was shut down in the national capital and students were beaten up during protests, however, the Prime Minister does not understand that the game is over. “They are silencing voices as you saw in Delhi. The entire city was shutdown, internet was shutdown. Police was beating students. BJP released their own ‘goondas’ who were beating and thrashing students,” Rahul said while addressing students at the party’s outreach programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Chennai. Addressing thousands of students from across the city, Rahul, who had earlier held a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, slammed Modi over the alleged police action on student protesters. “Modi is destroying India’s democracy. Centre is killing curiosity. But he doesn’t understand that the game is over. The Opposition has surrounded Modi and Shah and their coterie. Mogambo Modi is destroying democracy in India, but I assure you that nobody is going to crush the spirit of this country however powerful or resourceful he might be,” Rahul said amid applause from the young crowd. “Modi has been compromised by financial forces and global forces. He is fighting for his survival. The mood in India is catching up with him. Students have nothing to fear as we assure them that the entire coterie of Modi will pay for its deeds,” the LoP added. “I guarantee you this. Stand up against injustice. Never stop asking questions,” he urged the students. The Congress leader’s remarks came as protests rocked Delhi over demands for Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He linked the importance of dissent and questioning to the role of students in a democracy, arguing that curiosity was essential for progress and innovation. Article_Author Animesh Singh Courtesy : The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Chalo Delhi’: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy tells Congress leaders
The chief minister has called upon all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, MLAs, MLCs, and key Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) leaders to attend the protest programme in Delhi. HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has asked key Congress leaders from Telangana to reach Delhi on October 12 and participate in a protest to be organised by the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The chief minister has called upon all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs), corporation chairpersons, District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents, and key Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) leaders to attend the protest programme in Delhi. Earlier, Delhi Police stopped Revanth as he was on his way to express solidarity with Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/tthenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul Gandhi: ‘My message to students: you have nothing to fear. We are standing with you’
NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: The opposition came out strongly to condemn the action against protesters with the leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that “Mogambo Modi” is destroying India’s democracy. “There is no force in this world that is going to stop Modi from facing justice. I guarantee you!, “ Gandhi said. “My message to all the students: you have nothing to fear. We are with you, and we are going to make sure that Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Ajit Doval and this group of conspirators who have destroyed Indian democracy and are using Gyanesh Kumar to steal elections are brought to justice,” Gandhi said without naming the Cockroach Janta Party before a packed Island Ground venue at the sixth edition of his youth outreach programme, ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Chennai. “As you saw today in New Delhi, the entire city was shut down, the internet was shut down, police were beating students, and the BJP unleashed its own goondas to thrash students,” Gandhi said. “Mogambo Modi” is destroying India’s democracy, he added, likening the prime minister to the dreaded villain from the Bollywood hit ‘Mr. India’ played by the late actor Amrish Puri. At this point the screen behind him played a scene from the 1987 movie with Modi’s face superimposed on Amrish Puri. “Mr Modi doesn’t understand that the game is over,” he added. “I want to tell all the students in Delhi, do not worry. Stand up for everything you believe in and never stop asking questions,” Gandhi said asserting “we are standing with you.” “Mr. Modi, do whatever you want. Call out all the police: 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, whatever you want,” Gandhi challenged in a post on X. “We are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked our Constitution are defeated,” he added. Meanwhile, as part of the ongoing agitation of the opposition the INDIA MPs, leaders, workers and all concerned citizens will be holding a massive protest march against “Gyanesh & Co” Congress general secretary organisation KC Venugopal said. “A delegation of our senior leaders will submit a memorandum to the Hon’ble CJI for his intervention in this crisis, he added. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, leaders Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too came out strongly against the police action and the attempts by the authorities to prevent people from protesting. The day also saw many senior Left party leaders including former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and TMC chairperson and former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee detained as they tried to join the protests. Mamata Banerjee said that the situation in Delhi had gone “beyond Emergency; it has become Super Emergency ,” after she was detained along with party leaders outside the TMC Delhi office located at 61, South Avenue. She held an impromptu dharna at the Dwarka police station where she was detained with five other TMC MPs. CPM, CPI and CPML Liberation top leaders MA Baby, D Raja and Dipankar Bhattacharya strongly condemned the “widespread repression” unleashed by the Delhi Police on peaceful protesters. Other INIDA allies including Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aditya Thackeray and NCP (SP)’s Supriya Sule also came forward to condemn the attempt to stop protests, restrictions and the detentions. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Tamil Nadu: Dalits forced to prostrate at the feet of a 90-year-old man who went to bury him at a crematorium; a case has been filed.
Caste dispute erupts in Erode, Tamil Nadu, over a public crematorium. Dalits prostrated themselves at the feet of powerful men after being threatened with a job ban. Tamil Nadu: A highly inhumane and shameful case of caste discrimination has emerged from Erode district. A massive controversy erupted over the cremation of a 90-year-old man in Perumbali village, located in the Madathupalayam Panchayat near Perundurai. Amidst the protests over the use of the public crematorium, two Scheduled Caste (SC) members were allegedly forced to prostrate themselves at the feet of members of the Backward Class (BC). Over 100 Scheduled Caste residents reside in Perumbali village. These villagers have long faced difficulties burying the bodies of their loved ones at the local crematorium. Due to strong opposition from the dominant castes, they were often forced to carry the bodies to Thingalur, about five kilometers away. However, after a recent survey, the Tehsildar of Perundurai declared this cremation ground public for all communities. On October 5th, Chenni, a 90-year-old Scheduled Caste man, died due to age-related ailments. When members of his community took his body to the public cremation ground for burial, they faced strong opposition from members of the backward castes, which soon escalated into a heated argument. According to the district police, the funeral was conducted under tight security from the Revenue Department and the police. During the altercation between the two communities, the Scheduled Caste members were allegedly threatened and warned not to approach the dominant caste members for any work in the future. Immediately after this threat of not giving them work, two members of the Scheduled Caste community were forced to grab the feet of the members of the BC community. The police have now taken strict legal action regarding this incident. A case has been registered at the Thingalur police station on the night of October 8, 2026 (Thursday) based on a complaint filed by the Perundurai Revenue Inspector. Two individuals have been charged under stringent sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in connection with this inhumane act, and the police are conducting a thorough investigation. A video of the incident is rapidly going viral on social media, clearly showing the public humiliation of members of the Dalit community. The video has sparked widespread public outrage and demands for immediate, strict action against the culprits. Iswaran, State Coordinator for the Western Region of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has strongly condemned the incident. He alleged that preventing people from using public crematoriums is a direct violation of the rights of SC community members. He described the threat of denial of work as the most brutal form of caste-based oppression. Iswaran said that taking advantage of the economic helplessness and helplessness of Dalits and forcing them to bow down at the feet of other communities is a highly condemnable act. The BSP leader also raised serious questions about the role of the police and revenue department officials present at the scene. He demanded strict action against those who opposed the funeral, as well as those officials who completely failed to prevent this insult. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
CJP protest: Airfares soar as train services hit; slight rise in last-minute bookings
NEW DELHI: The unprecedented clampdown in Delhi in the wake of CJP protest, including cancellation of several trains to the city, saw a “slight increase” in last-minute bookings on flights to and from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) for this weekend. Airfares on some routes saw a surge, too.Travel industry insiders said the shift could become more pronounced if the agitation and the restrictions on movement continue longer as the festive season begins Monday with Navratri. “There has been a slight increase in bookings on Delhi flights for this weekend. It is too early to say anything for sure in terms of train and bus passengers moving to air as the weekend flights in the pre-festive season were pretty full and the fares were anyway high,” said an airline official. A senior official of a leading online travel agency (OTA) said: “Till Friday night, we didn’t see a major spike in spot fares from Lucknow, Prayagraj and other parts of UP. Only spot fares on Varanasi-Delhi route for Saturday were higher by 15% over a month back. So far, there is no substantial increase in flight demand.” OTA sites showed Varanasi-Delhi one-way fares starting at Rs 6,200 and going up to Rs 14,000 Saturday – higher than usual. The big worry for airlines and Delhi airport is passengers, crew members and other staff being able to reach IGIA in time due to the feared large-scale disruption of metro service and impacted traffic movement. If the protest continues for a longer duration and pushes up demand for air travel, then airfares – which are anyway higher due to spiralling operating costs from higher jet fuel prices and a crashing rupee – will soar further, according to travel industry stakeholders. Airfares from Amritsar surged sharply Friday, with some flights touching Rs 8,000 against the usual one-way fare of around Rs 4,000. Fares for the Saturday flight from Ludhiana saw fluctuations throughout the day, soaring as high as Rs 12,987 before falling to Rs 4,301 at 8 pm. “Those with onward travel plans, especially international flights, have limited choices and are having to buy expensive tickets to avoid further cancellations or missing their connections,” said Dalip, a travel agent in Amritsar. There was no big change in flight and cab fares from Chandigarh to Delhi till Friday evening. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Congress stays away, Left & AAP to join CJP stir against CEC
NEW DELHI: Cockroach Janta Party’s invitation to all opposition parties to join its Oct 10 demonstration against EC’s functioning under CEC Gyanesh Kumar saw only the Left, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool and AAP openly backing its agitation. While the Left and AAP have announced their participation, it was not clear till Friday night whether Mamata’s party would be part of the CJP protest. Before she reached Delhi, Mamata had told reporters that she may join the Oct 10 protest at Jantar Mantar, but added that nothing could be confirmed as yet. “We have maintained a relationship with them (CJP) and have extended our support, while any further decision regarding our participation will be taken later,” she had said. The Left, Mamata TMC and AAP had earlier backed and participated in the CJP-led student agitation over the NEET-UG paper leak issue, which led to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as education minister. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal will be joining with his family. Amid all this, Congress is keeping its distance from the CJP protest, with Rahul Gandhi to be in Chennai for the next edition of ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ Saturday. “I appeal to everyone in the country to reach Jantar Mantar in the largest possible numbers. This is not about any one individual or political party; this is about the country. The protest at Jantar Mantar begins Saturday. I will be there, and my entire family will join me. Everyone should come there,” Kejriwal said. On Friday, CPM general secretary MA Baby went all out to file a petition in Supreme Court challenging the restrictions imposed ahead of Saturday’s protest, while TMC national spokesperson Saket Gokhale wrote to acting Chief Justice of Delhi HC seeking suo motu cognisance of cancellation of railway services and closure of metro stations. Sharing the letter on X, Gokhale extended “full support” to CJP and “every citizen demanding free and fair elections”. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien also put out a post strongly supporting CJP. Left parties CPM, CPI, CPI(ML)L, RSP and All India Forward Bloc issued a joint statement asserting that the right to assemble and protest is a fundamental right. “We have been in the protest all these days. That will continue tomorrow too,” Baby told TOI emphasising that the Left will be present in full force at the protest. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rashtriya Janshakti Samaj Party threatens hunger strike: One-day sit-in in Ayodhya, demands action in cases of Dalit victims
The Rashtriya Janshakti Samaj Party (Uttar Pradesh) held a day-long sit-in at Tikonia Park in Ayodhya on October 9, 2026. Led by State Vice President Anil Kumar Rawat, a memorandum addressed to the Governor was submitted to the District Magistrate, Ayodhya. The memorandum demanded legal action in pending cases of Dalit victims. The party warned that if the demands are not met by October 14, 2026, its workers will begin an indefinite sit-in, fast-unto-death, and hunger strike from October 15. The party’s main demands: A case be registered for the Dalit victim, Meenawati (Anil Rawat’s wife), in the September 27, 2026 incident. A charge sheet be filed and the accused arrested in Kotwali Nagar FIR No. 702/2025. A high-ranking officer should investigate FIR No. 391/2026 against the Bikapur SDM Peshkar, and the victim’s family should be provided with protection. The accused named in FIR No. 424/2025, dated December 2025, including Ashish, Shivakant, Vindu, and Shrikant, should be arrested. The false FIR No. 425/2025 filed against Anil Kumar Rawat and others should be withdrawn. Prabhakar Nath Chaurasia | Civil Lines (Atal Nagar), Ayodhya Courtesy: Hindi News
TM Investigation | Hopes dashed: No consultation with NCSC, so how was the path to becoming pilots blocked for Dalit students?
After a detailed BANAE report, Rahul Gandhi demanded the restoration of scholarships from the Social Justice Minister. New Delhi. Major decisions are often recorded in very short lines in government files. The story of the end of the Commercial Pilot License (CPL) scholarship for Scheduled Caste (SC) students is also contained in one such line in documents obtained by TM. The minutes of a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Top Class Scholarship Scheme, held on July 7, 2023, state that there was a “broad consensus” that the CPL course should be removed from the scheme due to the very high fees and lack of employment certainty for the beneficiary students. This policy decision concerning the Scheduled Caste community was made without consulting the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, which not only violates constitutional provisions but has also deprived 200 deserving Dalit students, who perhaps dreamed of becoming pilots, of their dream careers over the past four years. More than three years after that Steering Committee meeting, this decision is now at the center of political debate. On September 26th, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, wrote a letter to Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. He demanded that the CPL scholarship be immediately reinstated and all pending cases from 2023 be approved. This letter was not written suddenly; it was represented by a Mumbai-based organization. On September 11th, the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar National Association of Engineers (BANAE), based in Andheri (Mumbai), sent a detailed letter to Rahul Gandhi. The organization’s national president, Nagsen Sonare, requested Rahul Gandhi to personally raise the issue with the Minister of Social Justice, citing it as “most urgent/on top priority.” BANAE clearly stated that this was not merely a scholarship complaint, but rather a question of adherence to constitutional safeguards in major policy decisions affecting Scheduled Castes. Fifteen days later, Rahul Gandhi wrote his letter to the Minister, enclosing BANAE’s full representation. In his letter, Gandhi wrote, “Young Dalits across the country dream of looking up to the sky and flying. For years, government scholarships made these dreams come true. These dreams have been shattered since 2023-24. In 2023-24, the CPL course was removed from the “Top Class Scholarship Scheme” for SC students. The Ministry states that eligible students can apply under the Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students.” Rahul Gandhi says that the scheme’s guidelines do not include any provision for CPL training, and therefore “the path to the cockpit has been closed for most Dalit youth.” The issue arose after a complaint by a Bahujan activist from Uttar Pradesh. Dwarika Prasad, a retired general manager of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), is the complainant in this entire episode, whose letter brought the matter to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). Through three years of tireless efforts, Dwarika Prasad collected documents through the Right to Information Act and uncovered the reasons behind the closure of this ambitious scheme. Dwarika Prasad, a resident of Mathura district, wrote a letter to the NCSC Chairman, stating that the free scholarship and fee for CPL courses for SC students had been in place for over four decades, but the Ministry of Social Justice had arbitrarily discontinued it. Dwarika Prasad explains that hundreds of poor Scheduled Caste students had benefited from this scheme. They alleged that this decision was taken in violation of Article 338(9) because it appeared that the Ministry had not consulted the Commission before making this major policy decision. They requested the Commission to take up the matter with the Ministry. On January 19, 2026, the Commission’s Under Secretary, K.J. Bhatt, sent a letter to the Secretary, Department of Social Justice, under file number ESDW/IP/UP/2024/259953, based on this complaint. Dwarika Prasad’s representation was attached to it for “appropriate action,” and a copy of the letter was also provided to him. This same Commission letter was later referenced in both BANAE’s representation and Rahul Gandhi’s letter. More than seven months after the Commission’s letter, no effective solution has been found. When CPL was part of the Post-Matric Scholarship To understand what changed, we need to look back. The Centrally Sponsored Post Matric Scholarship Scheme (PMS-2010), which came into effect on July 1, 2010, clearly states CPL as a Group I course, the same category as medical, engineering, and management courses. The CPL course also included training for a commercial helicopter pilot license and multi-engine rating on aircraft like the A-320. Fifty CPL awards were set aside for the entire country each year. State governments and union territories would scrutinize applications and submit the names of eligible candidates to the ministry, which would approve up to 50 awards nationwide on a first-come, first-served basis. Selected students received a maintenance allowance at Group I rates: ₹1,200 per month for hostel residents and ₹550 per month for day scholars. Flight charges were also covered, in addition to all mandatory fees. The same document also stipulated that scholarships would not be awarded for private pilot license and aircraft maintenance engineer courses. Thus, CPL was not an exception, but rather included in the scholarship-eligible courses. Speaking to The Mooknayak, BANAE President Nagsen Sonare says that the CPL scholarship was not a new concession. It was an established facility, recognized by the government as a specialized professional education. Sonare also cited the 2005-06 Union Budget, in which the then Finance Minister announced in Parliament that all three existing scholarship schemes for SC/ST students – pre-matric, post-matric, and merit-based – would continue. In the same speech, he proposed a new window of larger scholarships for SC/ST students enrolled in select institutions of excellence. This later became the “Top Class Education for SC Students” scheme, which came into effect in June 2007. Sonare says that in 2018, CPL was removed from the original Post Matric Scholarship framework, but the government did not discontinue it at that time. The benefit was transferred to the Top Class Education Scheme. The scheme’s guidelines, effective
Karnataka High Court: Acquittal of 26 accused in 17-year-old case of desecration of Baba Saheb’s portrait and SC/ST atrocities upheld
On behalf of the state, public prosecutor K. Nageshwarappa argued that the acquittal was “illegal, invalid, and contrary to the law, evidence, and material on record.” According to him, the lower court failed to properly evaluate the witnesses’ testimony, leading to a miscarriage of justice. Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on October 1 dismissed the state government’s appeal against the acquittal verdict delivered by the Chamarajanagar Special Court. The case relates to a 2009 incident in Bommanahalli village in Gundlupet taluk, in which a portrait of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and a community hall signboard were vandalized, and members of the Scheduled Castes were assaulted and subjected to casteist abuse. A single bench of Justice G. Basavaraj delivered the verdict while hearing the case. The appeal was filed by the state government through the Terakanambi police. According to the prosecution, on June 6, 2009, at around 7 p.m., 29 accused persons formed an unlawful assembly in Bommanahalli village. They were armed with deadly weapons and had gathered with the common intention of rioting. They were alleged to have toppled the signboard of a “community hall” and a portrait of Dr. Ambedkar. According to the prosecution, this act was committed in public with the intention of outraging the sentiments and insulting the Scheduled Caste community. The accused were charged under sections 143, 147, 148, 341, 323, 324, 506, 427, and 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3(1)(x) and (xi) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. After the charge sheet was filed, the court took cognizance and issued summons. All the accused appeared and were granted bail. However: Accused No. 2 failed to appear in court despite a non-bailable warrant, and a separate Special Case No. 51/2010 was filed against him. Accused No. 25 died and the case against him was abated. The trial court framed charges and read them out to the accused in their own language. The accused pleaded not guilty and expressed their willingness to face trial. The prosecution presented a total of 13 witnesses, 21 documents (Ex. P1 to P21), and 25 material objects. In their statements recorded under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the accused completely denied all evidence against them but offered no defense. After a hearing, the trial court acquitted Accused Nos. 1, 3 to 12, 14 to 24, and 26 to 29. The State’s arguments in the appeal The State’s Public Prosecutor, K. Nageshwarappa argued that the acquittal was “illegal, invalid, and contrary to the law, evidence, and material on record.” According to him, the trial court failed to properly evaluate the witnesses’ testimony, leading to a miscarriage of justice. He stated that there were seven injured witnesses, and there was no reason to disbelieve them. These witnesses clearly stated that the accused attacked with hands, sticks, and sickles, causing injuries all over their bodies. He also stated that caste-based abuses were hurled and stones were thrown to break the community hall signboard bearing the image and name of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The public prosecutor also argued that atrocities against Dalits are punishable under a special law that serves a social purpose, and therefore, the trial court should not have insisted on a harsh interpretation of the law. Advocate Manjunath N.D., representing the accused, stated that the trial court correctly evaluated the evidence in accordance with the law and facts, and there was no basis for interfering with the verdict. He sought dismissal of the appeal. In its order, the High Court cited paragraph 30 of the lower court’s judgment. It states that the complainant is injured, the other witnesses are his son, wife, and his elder brother’s wife, while four separate witnesses belong to the same community. All eyewitnesses admitted that the scene was dark and there was no electricity in the village since 6:45 p.m. that day. The lower court remarked, “None of the eyewitnesses explained how they saw the incident and in what light.” The court also noted that there were several significant contradictions in the evidence, which cast doubt on the occurrence of the incident. In conclusion, the lower court held that “the benefit of the doubt should accrue to the accused” and the prosecution failed to prove the accused’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, therefore, all 10 issues were answered in the negative. The High Court, after re-examining the entire material on record, refused to interfere with the lower court’s findings. Justice G. Basavaraj said in his order, “After re-evaluating, reconsidering, and re-examining the evidence, I do not find any legal or factual error committed by the lower court.” The court thereby dismissed the appeal. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
‘Lot of talk about one company’: Centre tells satcom firms to meet security norms amid Musk’s Starlink row
NEW DELHI: Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday said satellite communication (satcom) companies can begin operations in India only after individually meeting the required security conditions and milestones, stressing that three companies have received licences despite the focus on Elon Musk’s Starlink. He also took a dig at Congress for their response to Musk’s statements. “There is a lot of conversation about one specific company, but three companies have got satcom licences,” Scindia said, underlining that each operator must fulfil the required conditions before it can start services. Scindia’s remarks come amid a row between Musk and the Indian government over the delay in Starlink’s commercial launch in the country. The SpaceX chief had alleged that “certain oligarchs” were blocking the company to protect their “monopolistic chokehold” on the Indian market, without initially naming anyone. The government rejected the allegation, describing India’s regulatory framework for satellite communication services as “fair and non-discriminatory”. It said security assessments were underway for all three licensed operators and that each could move to the next stage of seeking spectrum assignment once the process was completed. The government called suggestions of discriminatory treatment “baseless and misconceived”. Minister of state for communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said the security clearance issue was pending with the ministry of home affairs and had “nothing to do with one company”. Scindia also took a swipe at Congress saying that the party had earlier objected to a particular person getting a licence but was now aligned with the same person in questioning why the licence had not been granted. He accused the party of not knowing whether it was “going left or right”. The remarks come after Musk stepped up his criticism on Thursday, saying Starlink was licensed in more than 165 countries and had spent five years complying with Indian government requirements. He questioned why the company was still awaiting approval and asked whether industrialist Mukesh Ambani was the “real boss of India”. Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi responded to Musk on X, writing: “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy.” Musk replied: “Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights