Tejas jet crashes at Dubai Airshow a day after Govt's Fact Check unit shot down oil-leak propaganda :::: There is no confirmation yet if the jet that crashed and the one that became the target of Pakistani propaganda, were the same.

Tejas jet crashes at Dubai Airshow a day after PIB shot down oil-leak propaganda

The Tejas, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter designed to replace ageing MiG-21s. It has been in IAF service since 2016, with recent orders for upgraded Mk1A variants.

Experts say the IAF pilot appeared to be executing a manoeuvre known as a barrel roll when it crashed during the Dubai Airshow.

The PIB had on Nov 20, 2025 described a propaganda as "deliberately pushed" to undermine the jet's reliability and urged verification before sharing information.

An Indian Air Force Tejas aircraft crashed during the Dubai Airshow while performing a manoeuvre. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident. The crash came a day after the government's fact-check unit busted an oil-leak propaganda.  

Many theories circulate ...   

Retired naval officer and geopolitical commentator Cdr Sandeep Dhawan praised the government's response to the earlier misinformation.

However, the coincidence of the crash following the fact-check has been noted as unusual by many. 

One post read: "Can't ignore the sabotage angle at this stage". Another person on X asked, "If not pilot error, what went wrong... mechanical failure? Sabotage?"

However, aviation experts and officials have emphasised awaiting the court of inquiry's findings, with some urging restraint on unverified theories.

An Indian Air Force LCA Tejas Mk1 crashed during an aerial manoeuvre at the Dubai Airshow on Friday. 

The incident occurred on the final day of the biennial event at Al Maktoum International Airport. The crash came a day after the Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact-check unit debunked social media claims of an "oil leakage" from a Tejas aircraft at the airshow.  

On November 20, the PIB addressed circulating videos alleging technical issues with the LCA Tejas Mk1, stating, "Several propaganda accounts are circulating videos claiming that at the Dubai Airshow 2025, the Indian LCA Tejas Mk1 suffered oil leakage. These claims are fake".

The "propaganda videos" claimed that "oil was leaking" from one of the fighter jets.  

The government's fact-check unit clarified that the footage showed "routine, intentional draining of condensed water from the aircraft's Environmental Control System (ECS) and On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS)", a standard procedure in humid conditions like Dubai's.

This is the second Tejas crash in 24 years. The first Tejas crash occurred in March 2024 during a training sortie in Rajasthan, where the pilots ejected safely.

Investigative journalist and aviation expert Anantha Krishnan M, posting from his verified X account, described it as the "first crash in 23 years for Tejas since its maiden flight".

Krishnan expressed sadness over the crash, saying, "Will be on high alert to shoot down & take on any anti-LCA campaign (if it comes up)... Let's wait for the Court of Inquiry before jumping into any conclusions. I hope the truth will come up as soon as possible."  

Just a day later, an LCA Tejas rapidly lost altitude while performing manoeuvres at the Dubai Airshow and crashed on the ground. The IAF confirmed in a statement that the pilot was killed.

"An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident," the statement read.

However, there is no confirmation if the jet that crashed and the one that became the target of Pakistani propaganda, were the same. 

The Tejas had been a highlight of India's participation at the airshow, performing high-manoeuvre displays to showcase indigenous defence capabilities.

Religions increasingly decide winners in India’s elections ::: Polls 2025-2026 ... Kerala 'peculiarities' .. Strange tableau: Communists courting Hindus, BJP woos Christians, and Congress trying retain hold among Muslims and Catholics

 Religions increasingly decide winners in India’s secular elections

(India’s electoral future is perhaps being shaped not by economic debate but by competing visions of what it means to belong—in a nation where belonging has never been easy to define, and is becoming harder still.)

Elections in India—home to more than 1.4 billion people—are perpetual, noisy, and fiercely contested. Every few months, somewhere in the world’s largest democracy, millions line up to vote. But increasingly, these contests are no longer about competing development models or rival economic visions. Instead, identity—especially religion—is becoming the defining axis of political mobilisation.

The recent election in Bihar underscored this trend. The coalition led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 202 of the state’s 243 seats, cementing its dominance.

But even as the BJP celebrates, far tougher battles loom across four major states: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Assam. The political fault lines in these regions reveal the complex, contradictory, and combustible nature of India’s identity politics.

South India: Ideology Meets Identity

In Tamil Nadu, both the BJP and the national opposition Congress and lack organisational depth. The state’s Dravidian political landscape has traditionally resisted the BJP’s Hindu-nationalist message. Yet the party continues to experiment with ways to break into the state.

Kerala presents a different paradox. Here, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)—long seen as ideologically secular and class-focused—has adopted what critics call “soft Hindutva,” a subtle accommodation of majority religious sentiment.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, now 80, has kept Congress out of power for a decade. His political acumen was evident in 2021, when the Left unexpectedly retained the state despite anti-incumbency.

Kerala’s Congress-led opposition is anchored by Christians—especially Catholics—and the Muslims led by the Indian Union Muslim League. The BJP remains weak, though it has made modest inroads among Christians and even in historically left-leaning Hindu strongholds.

Yet many Christians still view BJP outreach as tokenistic, contrasting the party’s assurances of religious freedom with frequent attacks on Christian institutions elsewhere in India.

The result is a strange tableau: 

- communists courting Hindus, 

** the BJP wooing Christians, and 

Congress trying to hold together a coalition of minorities. Kerala’s ideological purity has long been a myth; now, even its secularism is being tested.

The East: The boiling port identify politics  ::: Why Himanta has turned into a liability ?

One round of polls just got over in the province of Bihar in the east and it has been rather convincingly won by PM Narendra Modi's BJP and its alliance partners.

But tougher competitions lie ahead in next four-five months in four provinces -- two in south of India -- Tamil Nadu and Kerala and two others again in the east -- the states of Assam and West Bengal.

In Kerala; communists will be locked in a fierce battle against the Congress.

India's principal opposition Congress party of Rahul Gandhi (whose mother Sonia is an Italy-born Indian lawmaker for over two decades) often join hands at the national level with the Left when they have to fight Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

But in Kerala at the provincial level they are bitter rivals. 

The Marxists are in power in the state under 80-year-old Marxist Pinyari Vijayan having been able to keep Congress at bay from the seat of governance for the last decade. In fact, in 2021 - the Congress though expected to come to power was denied the opportunities by sheer politicking of the Left parties.

***

India’s fiercest electoral contests lie in West Bengal and Assam—two states where religious identity is central to political strategy.

West Bengal, with an estimated 30–33 percent Muslim population, is governed by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool (grassroots) Congress. 

Her populism and welfare politics retain deep support among poor Hindus and Muslims.

Yet she faces relentless attacks from the BJP, which paints her as excessively pro-Muslim. The party’s leadership has made West Bengal a top priority, after becoming the second-largest party in 2021.

Ironically, the Left—which governed Bengal for 34 years until 2011—and the Congress both failed to win a single seat in the last assembly election. Bengal’s politics has collapsed into a polarised two-way fight.

In Assam, the BJP has been in power since 2016 but now faces strong anti-incumbency. Assam’s diverse demographics—tribal communities, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians—make identity politics more unpredictable. 

The state’s Muslim population was 34.22 percent in 2011 and continues to increase. Alleged “infiltration” of Bengali-speaking Muslims from Bangladesh remains a contentious electoral issue, especially in the tea- and coal-rich Upper Assam region, where economic stagnation breeds resentment.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a firebrand known for hardline policies, faces mounting public dissatisfaction. Critics cite his government’s anti-Christian measures—law against magical healing and restrictions on beef supply—have alienated religious minorities and tribals.

Even the Nagaland assembly, in a state that is 90 percent Christian, criticised Assam’s stance.

Economic frustration is also real. “Upper Assam desperately needs jobs and functioning health facilities,” businessman Panna Lal Gupto told me in Tinsukia. “We have oil, tea, coal—but no development.”

There is even quiet speculation that Sarma could be replaced by Sarbananda Sonowal, a tribal BJP leader and architect of the party’s 2016 victory.

Congress senses an opportunity here. Led by Gaurav Gogoi, a prominent Ahom tribal politician, the opposition hopes to unify discontented tribals, Christians, and Muslims.

Religious Identity: A National Strategy

Nationally, the BJP’s strategy often revolves around splitting minority votes and consolidating Hindu support. In Bihar, it succeeded in dividing Muslim votes; similar tactics will likely shape campaigns in Assam and West Bengal. Whether they succeed in the East will determine the balance of power leading into the next general election cycle.

UCA News : India's future is shaped by competing visions of identity

In Kerala, the BJP is testing its ability to attract Catholics—a long-term project rather than a near-term expectation. Christian leaders remain divided: some favour engaging with the ruling party of the day; others argue the BJP’s ideological hostility to conversions makes genuine partnership impossible.

The upcoming set of elections will be a referendum not only on governance but also on the direction of India’s democracy. The contest is increasingly shifting from development to identity, from performance to polarisation.

Mamata Banerjee’s charisma might help her fend off BJP advances in West Bengal. Assam seems ready for an intense multipolar contest. Kerala is heading toward a complex ideological recalibration.

Blogger - Background Howrah Bridge 

ends 

Truth and Fiction :::: Strange is the way of Life ::: Thanks to SIR .... "Voter revision drive" brings 'reverse exodus' --- illegal migrants head back to Bangladesh :::: Sitai is bordered by Bangladesh to the south and west, specifically by the Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila and Aditmari Upazila of Bangladesh

Unthinkable is happening !!  

Sickularism shaken

'Bangladeshis' rush to the border soon after the Election Commission started holding the SIR of electoral rolls in West Bengal ahead of next year’s polls.

 Voter revision drive SIR sees 'reverse exodus', illegal migrants head back to Bangladesh  

“We are scared. That is why we packed our bags and came here,” Abdul Momin, one of the people crossing the border, told The Indian Express. 

He claimed that he came to India from "Satkhira district in Bangladesh" five years ago after “paying a tout at the border”.  

As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process comes into effect across several states in India, people are reportedly crossing over to Bangladesh amid fears of getting caught. 

The report shed light on the situation at the Hakimpur border outpost in West Bengal. Men, women and children are squatting at the border as they wait for their turn to cross the country.

In June I traveled to some parts of North Bengal and the on-ground assessment was that the Illegal Immigration of Bangladeshis is a matter of concern:

"It's more than mere conspiracy", say citizens in Coochbehar-Sitai belt in North Bengal. "There is a system and systematic political patronage". Those entering into Sitai area hardly stay here. Influx happening almost daily basis ... despite presence of BSF, locals said.

Trinamool operatives with 'necessary patronage' ensure that such illegal immigrants are easily taken to Siliguri and two key Muslim-dominated hubs Murshidabad and Malda. 

There are few pockets dominated by Rajbongshi Muslims. 

They are called Naishya Rajbongshis. 

Otherwise 'mainstream Bengali Muslims' make it convenient to reach Muslim-strongholds Murshidabad where Hindus are not only in minority; they are also slowly but gradually moving out to 'safer places'.  

In 1951, nearly 44.6% of Murshidabad's population was Hindu. Today, that number has dropped below 35.12%. 

Muslims in Murshidabad are now around 64 per cent of voters and the Hindu population which was around 

,,,,, 44 per cent in 1951 has nosedived to 35.

Malda:

In Malda, locals quoting media and other reports say Muslim population is about 26-27 lakh – a quantum leap from 16.5 lakh in 2001.

Trinamool party workers in Coochbehar (who claim of visiting Malda from time to time on party and also personal work) say “voter rolls” overestimate Muslim households in Malda region.

Often TMC workers (and possibly voters) have connections to both the places Malda and Coochbehar. 

They do not share details (whether multiple voters cards)

Malda is a well known ‘entry’ point for Bangladeshis. The locality stretches a 170-km unfenced border.

Muslim population in 2001 was – 16,36,000

This shot up to 20,45,000 in 2011 (25 per cent rise)

In 2021 – the rise was again by 25 per cent – numbers jumped to around 26,000 

(Making it clear this could not be natural growth in population) 

In Coochbehar (some pockets – under Sitai and Dinhata assembly segments – political activists said – 

Voter’s names remain on voter lists even after they move to Malda and Siliguri and in some cases even outside West Bengal.

This is Malda-trend, locals said. 

Notably, Malda has one of India’s top districts for “outmigration” for jobs and also natural disasters such as floods.

BJP workers say – whenever a Muslim rickshawallah or daily wage earner (informal workers) say their ‘home town or native village’ is Malda – they should be suspect as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

Madrasas and others who “help” Bangladeshis teach the new comers to say so whenever they are confronted by any officials or political activists like from the RSS.

Bengali Muslim Rickshawallahs or even auto drivers and daily labourers may not carry enough cash or cloth. 

But they have a card – Voter’s Card or something else readily available and handy. 

From Sitai region – one got the feedback that Bangladeshi immigration actually has taken things in “grip” at three levels/layers.

First stage - Sitai and Sitalkuchi (people come in)

Second stage – They move out quickly to Siliguri, Malda

(Hence Malda is called Migrant’s first launching centre)

And then they settle mostly in Murshidabad district 

Blogger and young students in North Bengal -- not far from international border 

In Murshidabad and Malda – fake Aadhaar and voters cards are provided for Rs 500 or so.

There is a systematic ‘launchpad’ for illegal immigrants especially Bengali Muslims.

BJP supporters say – Election Commission must be pro-active well in advance as TMC has already started playing games with their select officials in select pockets.

**The plan is “votes” will be cast on EVMs on behalf of “people who are no longer voters there” and have migrated even outside West Bengal.

The Bangladesh border is relatively close to the Sitai and Sitalkuchi areas of Cooch Behar district 

Sitai is bordered by Bangladesh to the south and west, specifically by the Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila and Aditmari Upazila of Bangladesh.

Sitalkuchi:

This hub has been the scene of “increased security measures” due to growing incidents of attempted infiltration. 

Cooch Behar district shares a 549.45 km long border with Bangladesh. 

BSF Presence is visible. 

But political patronage is the talk of the town.

 

There are two varieties of BJP and RSS leaders in West Bengal including in Coochbehar and other pockets in North Bengal. One is 'original and sons of the soil (Rajbongsis) and the other is turncoats from Trinamool. In 2024, the original BJP/RSS workers were marginalised and this created major setback.

ends 

Journalism ... Sickular gang ... National Security :::: Jammu and Kashmir police conduct raids at the Jammu office of 'Kashmir Times'

 The Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a much-publicised raid at the Jammu office of the Kashmir Times.  

(Mind you; Media's job is to present the readers with the truth. 

In the long run, the Truth is always the strongest weapon for solving conflicts. As reporters, media at best could be 'educators' but never peace activists. )

Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA)  claimed that it recovered “one revolver, 14 empty cases of AK-series weapon, three live AK rounds, four fired bullets, three grenade safety levers” and “three suspected pistol rounds” from their office.

The FIR further accused the newspaper of propagating content allegedly detrimental to the country's sovereignty and a threat to public law and order. 

Besides their office, a “parallel search” was also conducted at editor Prabodh Jamwal’s home in Jammu. 

(Paramilitary soldiers patrol near the Nowgam police station after an accidental explosion on the outskirts of Srinagar. -- Photo By 'Hindustan Times')

The news publication has faced scrutiny earlier as well. In 2020, the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory’s Estates Department shut down the 'Kashmir Times' office in Srinagar. 

By the end of 2021, the newspaper had transitioned entirely to a digital format. 

In its statement on Thursday night, the DIGIPUB presented Kashmir Times managing editor Anuradha Bhasin’s point of view, stating, among other things, that all the information about this raid first came to her from media reports, and the office raided by the SIA had been closed for the last four years. 

The statement also highlighted the position she took on how “the government is attempting to target, suppress, and eliminate voices that advocate peace, dialogue, and political processes as the path to building a terror-free Kashmir”.  

The J&K police said it has filed a case against the English daily, owned by Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal, for involvement in anti-national activities, attempts to spread disaffection against the country and peddling separatists' narrative. 

The Kashmir Times, established in 1954, is the oldest English-language daily newspaper from Jammu and Kashmir started by Anuradha Bhasin's father, Ved Bhasin.  

"The agencies are doing their work. If a raid has to be conducted, it should not be done on a pick-and-choose basis. If they have done anything wrong, action should be taken, but not just to create pressure. The Press is the fourth estate, and it should get space to practice journalism," Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary told reporters.

Youth Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party chief Aditya Gupta also criticised the raid, calling the 'Kashmir Times' newspaper the "boldest voice" of the Union Territory. 

In the global context; it is said that terrorism seeks to harness the power of media to spread messages, guided reporting on terrorism and violent extremism.

Subject matters like self-censorship, sensationalism or glorification and safeguarding journalistic principles and standards are also often debated.  Journalists often try to give themselves a role which is not just being the watchdogs. Analysts even in the context of militancy and ethnic clashes in India have said from time to time that Journalists are not peace activists.  

"The scourge of terrorism, whoever commits or sponsors it, must be thwarted wherever it strikes, its victims supported and honoured, and its perpetrators brought to justice. Media can cover these dimensions, and at the same time highlight genuine dialogue and discussion as alternatives to violence and bloodshed." -- a UNESCO paper says. 

There is need to take a closer look at Challenges in tackling terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir  

** Unlike traditional terrorists who are formally affiliated with terrorist organizations, hybrid terrorists are often unlisted, loosely connected, or self-radicalized individuals who carry out acts of terrorism while maintaining a low profile in society.

** Use of social media platforms to stir anti-India propaganda.

Evolving Technology: Terrorists use drones, encrypted apps, AI-generated propaganda, and advanced weaponry (often diverted from conflict zones like Afghanistan), complicating detection and response.

Changing Tactics: Terrorists have shifted from large-scale attacks to targeted killings and attacks on soft targets like tourists and minorities. 

Notably ... there is Intelligence Gap too. Fragmented coordination among central, state/UT, and local agencies often undermines timely responses.

Insurgency : A job provider in North East ?

Importance of :

De-radicalization Programs: 

Need to Scale up localized initiatives (e.g., education, sports, cultural integration) to counter extremist narratives and reduce youth vulnerability.

** Trust-building with local communities by winning of hearts and minds in terrorism-affected areas (e.g. Operation Sadbhavana) to disrupt terror networks with the help of local intelligence.

Media can play a crucial role both in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast India.

Need to prioritize job creation, infrastructure, and tourism promotion to address economic grievances and foster stability.

Ensure inclusive governance to address political alienation and restore democratic trust through conducting of free and fair elections.

In 2014 I interviewed Swedish journalist Bertil Lintner. 

He described himself as a journalist -- who is 'hated' and also 'admired a lot' by a lot of Nagas.  Bertil has expertise about the region following a long experience of working in difficult terrains of Myanmar and other South East Asian countries.

To a question, he had said - "As I see it, the duty of the journalists is to be as objective as possible. To give the news impartially without fear or favour regardless of sects or interests involved". 

He further added, "I was often appalled by the way in which Indian Nagas treated the Myanmar Nagas.

I had to write about that as well as religious fanaticism. The outcome was that the NSCN had banned my book 'Land of Jade'. The truth was probably too unpleasant...".

All these could be relevant to share in 2025. 

Blogger 

Pointers and Though Provocation 

"We are careful at Al-Jazeera not to label anyone a terrorist. After all, one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. But the Egyptian prosecutor general sees things very differently. To him, journalism can be terrorism.

The charges levelled against me and my colleagues are an affront to every journalist who has reported accurately and independently from Egypt in recent times. We weren't there to promote one side or the other. We had no agenda. We just told it as we saw it." 

-- wrote Roy Greenslade (in The Guardian, 2014) 

Often journalists cover conflict areas 'without government accreditation or prior knowledge'. 

** The fact of the matter is while spies (in various countries) operate as journalists.

Some journalists too operate as "sources or informers" gong against ethics and could be at times helping extremists, terrorists or even enemy countries.

** Every time it may not be deliberate. They may be tricked or even pressurised.

However; getting 'official passes' too become increasingly difficult for genuine reporters.

Is not having accreditation a reason not to report an event or a story? 

Authorities these days are careful. Often countries like Egypt or Israel or someone else do not want more damaging headlines about journalists being imprisoned etc etc. 

But challenges have increased manifold as Delhi blast of Nov 10 has exposed the likely involvement of intellectuals, medicos and the so-called emergence of 'white collared' terrorism.

Overall, it's difficult times. 

ends 

Newsmaker :::: Khekiye K. Sema, retired IAS officer :::: Nov 18 Common Platform - Rally for Solution ..... ::::: "Ek jon manu amar pura Naga population laga future toh dabaikena... One person is controlling now our fate"

  Khekiye K. Sema waxes eloquence ..... angry outburst 

Pointers :  

* Our future ... stakeholders' future vis-a-vis Naga issue cannot be decided by NSCN-IM without talking to us, the people of Nagaland state.  

"NSCN-IM bhi amar Naga manu logotey husa khatha koboley time hoisey

("The NSCN-IM has to talk to our people honestly".)  

** And the crowd roared "Yes, yes".  

He further said -- "Lukai lukai kena amar future toh faisla koriboley na paarey  (You cannot decided our future by keeping things secret from us".  

$ "Even they know, they could not ask for Sovereignty from the Govt of India. But are they claiming; we got Sovereignty ? It is misa (untrue). Now I will give an example the USA is an independent sovereign nation; so will the US ask India for its flag and constitution .... then if we say we got Sovereignty; there is no need to ask for these. 

These two salient features of a sovereign people. Kun logotey bhi Flag dibi ... Constitution dibi koboley kaam nae."   

"Mr Muivah has said this from very beginning ... if there is no Flag and no Constitution; no agreement or Solution pact will be accepted. He knows the Govt of India will never give these two (diboley no hoe). 

He is behaving like Father of the nation and is speaking whatever is his mind. Without Integration; Mr Muivah cannot become chief minister in Nagaland. He can only go for a Territorial Council in Ukhrul... from such a pedestal ... that will be a climb down. 

"Ek jon manu amar pura Naga population laga future toh dabaikena rakhia .... ami khan ekta chhoto courage bhi nae niki".  

(We seem to lack courage) 

** From this forum, we have only tried to say ... The two pacts FA and Agreed Position are gentleman's agreement and hence these two should be combined and one final Solution pact be signed. This is the purpose of our rally (of Nov 18). 

## "Why one person's decision will decide the Naga people's future .....

** "Where someone has done good, we should appreciate and where someone has not done so ... we have to speak the truth".  

Khekiye : ABC - Ability, Break & Courage 

%% 

* Some organisations may say anything... But they have no authority to destroy/undermine the feeling of the people.  

"When you go back ... ask those bodies .... do you people do not want Peace".    

"It may sound very bad but some organisations are in some minister and some advisors' pocket.... 

***  

" It would have been much had Chief Minister himself had convened a meeting and consulted each one of us on how to bring an early Solution ...... 

"This exercise should have been done by the chief minister. 

That some people tried to stop you people attend this Rally ... was really shameful. 

** Why so many factions ..... why are we asking so many versions of Sovereignty.  

#  "We  common people are paying indirect taxes in many form. A material procured from Assam for Rupee 1 is sold in Nagaland for Rs 10....  that extra money we are paying is given out to various factions as taxes'.  

"A day is coming .... sae thakibi .... the people paying taxes after immense sufferings will one day say Enough of it (Hoisey)". 

ends 

With Congress Govt in Karnataka completing 2.5 years today, Leadership rotation debate resurfaces : Shivakumar loyalists-MLAs rush to Delhi

Ten Congress MLAs from the Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar camp have rushed to Delhi, escalating pressure on the Congress high command to implement the long-rumoured power-sharing formula in Karnataka.

More D.K.S camp MLAs are likely to travel to Delhi over next two-three days

With the Congress government completing 2.5 years today, the leadership rotation debate has resurfaced sharply.

The MLAs, all considered close to DK Shivakumar, left for the capital on Thursday afternoon, seeking an audience with the party’s top brass.  

The group is scheduled to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to formally present their demand. A meeting with AICC general secretary K C Venugopal is also lined up.

"Honour the promise made 2.5 years back," is the one-line demand of the Shivakumar camp MLAs, sources added.

Those who travelled today include Dinesh Gooligowda, Ravi Ganiga and Gubbi Vasu. More leaders, Anekal Shivanna, Nelamangala Srinivas, Iqbal Hussain, Kunigal Ranganath, Shivaganga Basavaraju and Balakrishna, are set to arrive tomorrow.

Speaking to India Today, MLA Iqbal Hussain said, "What will I go for? To ask for gold,

US nods $93 million defence package for India, clearing Javelin anti-tank missiles and 216 Excalibur artillery :::: Tariffs rows and Munir-friendly Trump do not impact much !!

The US has approved a $93 million defence package for India, clearing Javelin anti-tank missiles, launch units, and 216 Excalibur precision artillery rounds. 

The Javelin deal is valued at $45.7 million, while the Excalibur package is worth $47.1 million.  

Notably, Washington has cleared the weapons sale to India at a time when the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump have led to a strained relationship between the two democracies. 

The two countries are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement to boost two-way commerce. The Indian team is in Washington for the trade talks.

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missile systems and Excalibur guided artillery munitions worth $93 million to India, the U.S. Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Wednesday.

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions," the DSCA said in a statement. 

The deal is noteworthy since it is New Delhi’s first under Washington's foreign military sales programme since ties soured in August after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%.  

The Government of India wishes to buy up to 216 M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles, DSCA said. Non-MDE (Major Defence Equipment) items that will also be included in the sale are ancillary items; Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems (PEFCS) with Improved Platform Integration Kit (iPIK); primers; propellant charges; US Government technical assistance; technical data; repair and return services; and other related elements of logistics and programme support, it added.

On the sale of Excalibur projectiles, the agency said: "The proposed sale will improve India's capability to meet current and future threats by providing precision capability equipment, which will increase first strike accuracy in its brigades."

The Indian Government has requested to buy 100 FGM-148 Javelin rounds; one Javelin FGM-148 missile, fly-to-buy; and 25 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU) or Javelin Block 1 Command Launch Units (CLU), it said.

The US also listed a range of non-MDE items including missile simulation rounds; battery coolant unit; interactive electronic technical manual; and Javelin operator manuals apart from refurbishment services and other related elements of logistics and programme support.

The deal follows a re-order this month of fighter jet engines made by General Electric to power more of India's home-produced Tejas combat aircraft.

Do you know ... 'A secular religion of prosperity' :::::: Moveover ... South Korea and Taiwan :::: Now, Vietnam aims to get rich by 2045 and become Asia’s next “tiger economy”

 Get Rich ... Online ... that's what is happening in Vietnam

Why do we know Vietnam for ? ... 

Fighting Americans /// that's Past.

In 1990, the average Vietnamese could afford about $1,200 (€1,025) worth of goods and services a year, adjusted for local prices. Today, that figure has risen by more than 13 times to $16,385 (€13,995).

Vietnam aims to get rich by 2045 and become Asia’s next “tiger economy”—a term used to describe the earlier ascent of countries like South Korea and Taiwan.

The challenge ahead is steep.  

One Hanoi-based firm reported nearly tenfold revenue growth in a single quarter (three months) with a four-day real estate course priced at around US$6,000 — equivalent to half a year’s income for many Vietnamese workers.

These figures reveal more than the profitability of a niche industry. 

They show how, in today’s social-media-driven culture, upward mobility has become a commodity. 

Wealth is no longer only a personal goal; it is a performance — and one that can be monetized.  

Why do people flock to these courses

This boom is rooted in the socio-economic pressures reshaping Vietnam. Young adults face a widening gap between income and living costs, especially housing prices that far outpace wage growth. Home ownership — once a traditional marker of adulthood — is slipping out of reach. Stable, long-term employment is also less common as the gig economy expands. (says a report in UCA News)

There's another story; however.  

Vietnam's transformation into a global manufacturing hub with shiny new highways, high-rise skylines and a booming middle class has lifted millions of its people from poverty, similar to China. 

But its low-cost, export-led boom is slowing and it faces a growing obstacle to its proposed reforms—expanding private industries, strengthening social protections and investing in technology and green energy—from climate change. 

Vietnam was preparing to shift its economic policies even before Trump's tariffs threatened its model of churning out low-cost exports for the world, aware of what economists call the “middle-income trap,” when economies tend to plateau without major reforms.

To move beyond that, South Korea bet on electronics, Taiwan on semiconductors, and Singapore on finance, said Richard McClellan, founder of the consultancy RMAC Advisory.

But Vietnam's economy today is more diverse and complex than those countries were at the time and it can’t rely on just one winning sector to drive long-term growth, says a report in euronews.com. 

But there is something more fundamental.  

The explosion of get-rich courses in Vietnam cannot be understood without considering the role of digital platforms. 

In recent years, Vietnam has seen a dramatic rise in so-called “get-rich” courses — programs promising financial freedom before thirty, a passive income while sleeping, or quick wealth through real estate, livestream sales, or cryptocurrency trading.

Flooding TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, these courses reflect a broader shift in how knowledge is packaged and sold in the digital era. They are not simply classes; they form a marketplace built on the fears and aspirations of a society in economic transition.

A clear illustration of this trend is the sudden success of companies specializing in “mindset” and wealth training.  

The rise of a lower-middle class with some disposable income 

** but limited financial literacy also fuels this market. 

Many have “just enough to gamble” yet lack the knowledge to evaluate risks, making them ideal targets for charismatic “gurus” claiming to possess a secret formula.

A secular religion of prosperity

The structure of many get-rich courses resembles a form of secular religion. Instructors present their success stories as personal revelations, followed by a mission to “awaken” others. Ritual-like activities — chanting motivational lines, emotional sharing sessions, late-night “breakthroughs” — foster a sense of belonging.

Psychologists note that these courses offer not just techniques but identity, says the UCA News report.

Students are told they can become “new versions” of themselves if they believe hard enough. 

This mirrors prosperity theology: wealth is framed as enlightenment, while failure is blamed on a “poor mindset.” Such framing creates emotional dependence on the instructor — and financial dependence on ever more expensive “advanced levels.”

UCA News Link - Happy Reading

Instructor–student relationships in these courses often involve subtle psychological control. Instructors define not only the path to success but success itself.

When students fail, blame is redirected onto them: they did not commit enough or still harbor a “poverty identity.” This traps participants in a cycle of guilt and escalating investment. One victim, a 35-year-old online seller in Ho Chi Minh City, paid about $1,000 for a course run by a well-known livestream personality.

“My shop grew slowly at first, and I assumed it was because I lacked experience,” she said. “I kept trying because I trusted him, believing the problem was my effort, not his methods. But when he was arrested for selling counterfeit goods, my business collapsed. I didn’t just lose money. I lost my credibility.”

Another victim, a 42-year-old factory worker in northern Vietnam, borrowed $2,400 to join a financial course promising “ten million dong [$380] per day.” He now struggles to repay both debt and shame: “I worked for fifteen years. I just wanted one chance to change my life.”

These stories show the true cost of these programs. They extract hopes, identities, and sometimes dignity.

ends