Barak Valley allegedly receives 'step motherly treatment' from Dispur : Does the Legacy continue even after a decade of BJP rule ?? - ::: All eyes on Modi’s high-stakes Barak Valley visit

Modi’s high-stakes Barak Valley visit 

Dominated by Bengali Hindus; the Barak Valley in Assam is considered BJP's pocket-borrow. Yet stakes are high. A civil servant in Dispur exuded confidence -- "Come what may; the Bengali Hindu voters will have no alternative. The fear of Miya (Muslim influence) is so much that they will be compelled to vote for the pro-Hindutva Lotus party".   

But the BJP leadership does not want to leave anything to chances and hence so much importance about PM Narendra Modi's Silchar visit on March 14.

Of course by then, chances are bright that the battlelines will be more clear and even candidates would be announced. Nevertheless, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will accompany the Prime Minister during the politically crucial trip.

Assam Minister Kaushik Rai, who heads the Barak Valley Development Department, said that a public meeting will be held at the Ramnagar bypass over a 200-bigha site, with arrangements being made to accommodate nearly two lakh people.

Authorities have drawn up a special traffic-movement plan to prevent congestion in Silchar town. 

Silchar's traffic menace is sickening. In fact, decongestion of the busy commercial town is one of the top political issues in this year's polls.

Under the proposed traffic plans for March 14, during the Prime Minister's visit -- attendees and BJP Karyakartas and supporters from Sribhumi (once called Karimganj) and Hailakandi districts will be routed directly to the venue without entering the town. 

Separate traffic arrangements are also being finalised to enable residents of Silchar and adjoining areas to reach the meeting ground in an orderly and decongested manner. 

Among the proposed programmes; the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the ambitious Panchgram–Silchar high-speed expressway, popularly known as the Silchar–Shillong bypass. 

Hence Assam poll schedule will be announced only after March 15th. If the poll Model Code of Conduct comes into play; no launching of new projects would be allowed. 

Sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 22,000 crore, the Shillong-Silchar bypass project will drastically reduce travel time between Barak Valley and Guwahati to approximately 4.5 hours from the existing 12 hours or more.

It will unlock new economic and logistical opportunities for southern Assam and help boost the prospects of hard working local communities including Bengalis (both Muslims and Hindus), a large section of Bhojpuri people, Manipuris and tribals.

This will help bring prosperity in neighbouring Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram too.

Mizoram 

Narendra Modi will also lay the foundation for the long-awaited Silchar Flyover, a Rs 564-crore project aimed at easing traffic congestion and modernising the town’s road network. 

Chief Secretary Ravi Kota said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will accompany the Prime Minister at the Silchar event. 

The political significance of the visit is well understood.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the first Agriculture College in Barak Valley, to be established in the Dohalia area of Patharkandi constituency in Sribhumi district. 

Sribhumi was earlier called Karimganj. Both Hailakandi and Karimganj are Muslim-dominated areas and entry of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants is a political issue. Nevertheless no body seems to have a good answer to this problem even as things stand much better here in Assam vis-a-vis checking the inflow of new 'guests' unlike border areas of West Bengal.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Agriculture College -- that will come up in the Dohalia area of Patharkandi.

Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Krishnendu Paul along with BJP's Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, Assam DGP Harmeet Singh, Cachar Deputy Commissioner Aayush Garg and Cachar SSP Partha Pratim Das, inspected the venue and reviewed administrative preparations to ensure smooth execution of the programme. 

The BJP had won 67 seats in 2021 and the total NDA seats were 86. This time the much ambitious BJP target is 80 to 100 seats in the 126-member assembly. The Lotus party also wants to win a few seats held by Congress and also AIUDF, which remains a Muslim-friendly party.  Hence there is always an added effort to win key seats in Sribhumi (Karimganj) and Hailakandi regions.  

A boothworker Sanjeev Dutta in Hailakandi area of Barak valley says : "One area of concern in some of the AIUDF held seats is that Muslims are slowly turning away from Badruddin Ajmal led party. 

That means Bengali Muslims in particular may turn in favaour of the Congress". Agreeing with him, shopkeeper Dinesh Sen says - "If Congress starts getting Muslim support, the grand old party may get back its rhythm that had been missing so far".

In 2021; while the Congress could pick up 22 -- the AIUDF had won 15. The assembly constituencies such as Sonai, Hailakandi and Badarpur held by AIUDF will thus see intense fighting. A former journalist is reportedly keen to try his electoral fortune this year especially from Hailakandi region. 

The Congress has started focusing on Borkhola seat and has identified one popular medico Dr Amit Kalowar. This has almost ruffled the political applecart in two other constituencies Udarbondh and Lakhipur. 

ends 

Welcome to Danger era ? Digital narcissism .... Is AI so lethal ???? :::::: "World’s most dangerous people are idiots who think they are really, really clever..."

 A few weeks or days of  Algorithms in social media posts -- Twitter, Facebook etc etc can make people more right-wing or Left Liberal .... pro-Narendra Modi and blind to Rahul Gandhi's follies.

This is certainly not a rocket science. Another facet is --- all of it do not wear off quickly.

Brainwashing works with poor, jobless and uneducated .... it's also true. But Brainwashing as a doctrine leaves a permanent influence on people who are educated.

This is why Naxalism succeeds --- one can argue. 

Way before the advent of social media algorithms and language models; the human race simply wanted to be ourselves. Perhaps. There is a famous Bhajan --- the lyrics are powerful and highlights the basis of Oriental or the wisdom of Vedas. 

"Wahan se kya tu laya bandey ....

yehan se kya le jaega ...  

It is a reminder that human beings enter and leave this world empty-handed, -- with or without human Intelligence or even AI  !! 

An algorithm is a finite, step-by-step procedure or set of rules used to solve a specific problem, perform computations, or process data. Acting as the "brains" behind software, they take input, apply logical operations (like sorting or searching), and produce output.

Multiple studies showed the algorithm nudged users towards following more right-leaning accounts or the Left-liberal ones and that the new following patterns endured even after switching back to the chronological feed. 

Well, social media introduced human race to the concept of "digitised" network sharing and also oversharing. In effect that means -- a decade old tweet or FB post can be "weaponised".

People are over cautious. People think they are safe in 'profile' is blocked. Such is the paranoia that people would not tell you who they are even after they are your 'friends'. 

Thus; when it comes to self-revelation; you feel like hiding everything. A classic class of IT users have also emerged who would “publish and be damned”.

In short; no privacy controls can be imposed either on on your ex girl friend or even the new ones you have started meeting lately. Welcome to Danger era ?  

Who is more harmful ... a blogger or the gun ??

The problem with AI as a romantic channel used to be the risk of falling in love with the mirror-machine. Go a step further :: 

It may be very easy to create a fantasy soulmate.

This will ignore your faults and in contrast applaud your 'personality' and flatter the ego and vanities.

It may appear just like a real relationship -- you must have imagined in your teens. I am talking about people born in the 1970s and 1980s. Those born in the new millennium --- I am not sure ... if they 'fantasize' at all ?

And if they do ... what's that about ?? 

Come back to techies and the tech mysteries !!  

“Who is Martin Rowson’s wife?” --- wrote Martin in an article sharing his experience with Artificial Intelligence. 

The replies he got left him puzzled -- Textile designer Fiona Scott-Wilson.

Poet Bridget Rose.

Actor Fiona Marr, she of Bridgerton.

Economist Ann Pettifor.

Julia Mills (though it’s unclear whether this is the fantasy author, the illustrator, the late powerlifter or another Julia Mills altogether).

Writer and journalist Emily Rees.

Lawyer and academic Siva Thambisetty, who is married to chess grandmaster Jonathan Rowson. AI also claims Jonathan and I are brothers. We’re not.

Writer and journalist Carrie McLaren.

** And many more. All were incorrect. And hence his verdict was near-classic. 

"We should all by now have worked out that AI is about as sentient as an abacus, and only truly mirrors the human mind in its capacity to lie to humans, telling them what it “thinks” they want to hear. It is also a universal truth that the world’s most dangerous people are idiots who think they are really, really clever...".  

Into another era ...  

Monitored customers 

Covertly tracking customers has transformed the marketplace from a place of human connection to one of automated checkouts.  

In other words; there is a bug everywhere. Most countries globally have privacy laws, which have not had a serious makeover in fur-five decades f not more.

In India; certain things can never be understood. You are not supposed to take snap at All India Radio stations or even in Delhi Metro. 

Official Secrets Act prevent that !! 

Additional info :

** The first consumer privacy laws were enacted in the 1960s in West Germany 

*** Without stronger privacy protections, men and women are now all guinea pigs in a real-time lab 

ends 

Obit : Mukul Roy ---- A Transactional Strategist in Turbulent Times

 Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari described his demise as “deeply disheartening.” TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said Roy’s passing marked “the end of an era” in Bengal’s political journey.

A Transactional Strategist in Turbulent Times

Roy’s four-decade career spanned Congress, TMC and BJP. More strategist than ideologue, he mastered organisational arithmetic in a state defined by intense political rivalry.

His rise, fall and return symbolised the volatility of West Bengal’s political theatre. With Mukul Roy’s death, Bengal loses one of its most enigmatic power players — a man who operated as kingmaker, tactician and, at times, disruptor.

Former Union minister and veteran political strategist Mukul Roy passed away on Feb 23 at a private hospital in Salt Lake. He was 71.

Roy, once regarded as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted lieutenant and the principal architect of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s organisational rise, died of cardiac arrest around 1:30 am, according to his son Subhranshu Roy.

He had been battling multiple ailments over the past two years and was reportedly suffering from dementia before slipping into a coma.

Paradoxically, Roy was technically the founding president of the Trinamool Congress when it was launched in 1997 after Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress. Banerjee later took formal charge of the outfit, but Roy emerged as its chief backroom strategist.  

Often described as the “Chanakya” of Bengal politics, Roy built the party’s grassroots machinery and managed defections that helped TMC end the 34-year Left Front rule in 2011.

The Man Who Snubbed a Prime Minister

In 2012, during UPA-2, Roy — then serving as railway minister — reportedly declined then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s suggestion to visit a train derailment site in Assam following a blast.

Asked about his absence, Roy had said: “I have nothing to say. I suggest you contact the General Manager of the NF Railway.”

The episode reinforced his image as a fiercely autonomous regional power broker. He had replaced Dinesh Trivedi as Railway Minister after a fare hike controversy that angered the TMC leadership.

From TMC Strategist to BJP Architect

Roy’s career was marked by dramatic political shifts. After falling out with the TMC leadership in 2017, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His move significantly altered Bengal’s political landscape. Party insiders credited him with engineering defections that boosted the BJP’s tally to 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019.

However, after the BJP failed to capture power in the 2021 Assembly elections, Roy returned to the TMC — only to be later disqualified as an MLA under anti-defection provisions. Though he rejoined the party, he never regained his former centrality.

Shadow of Controversy

Roy’s political journey was not without turbulence. His name surfaced in the Saradha chit fund scam and the Narada sting operation — episodes that cast a long shadow over his career. Analysts argue that how he navigated those investigations shaped his later political repositioning.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “shocked and saddened,” recalling Roy as a long-time colleague and “comrade-in-arms in many struggles.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death, saying Roy would be remembered for his political experience and efforts to serve society.

courtesy : The Raisina Hills 

Here's more on who is "Compromised" ?? :::: "People expected Indira Gandhi's party to be more honest and cleaner .... But this turned out to be a vain hope"

In a series of tweets, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi highlights the Corruption era of Congress party.

"Indira & Congress took money from both CIA and KGB. Mitrokhin Archives confirm the rot:

KGB suitcases full of cash were delivered straight to the Prime Minister’s house. 40% of her Congress MPs were on Soviet payroll.

They used foreign gold to crush Indian opponents. Pure Treason," he writes in micro blogging site X. 

Some of the old documents/publications as posted on the X by the BJP leader says:

-- 'CIA agents... were to be found according to Madame Gandhi, beneath every charpoy and behind every neem tree. 

Equally, as one of Nixon's ambassadors to India, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, pointed out, Gandhi had few qualms about cooperating with foreign intelli-gence agencies, including those of the United States, when it suited her interests to do so. 

The British High Commission in India kept a close watch on the political drama surrounding A Dangerous Place. 

Its officials noted that Gandhi had 'not very convincingly' denied receiving covert funds from the United States while president of the Congress Party. In citing Washington's satisfaction at her electoral defeat in 1977 as evidence that she could not have benefited from CIA.

The KGB, in Kalugin's view, was more successful than the CIA, partly because of its skill in exploiting the corruption which became endemic under Indira Gandhi's regime. As Inder Malhotra noted, though corruption was not new in India:

People expected Indira Gandhi's party, committed to bringing socialism to the country, to be more honest and cleaner than the old undivided Congress. But this turned out to be a vain hope. 

On the contrary, compared with the amassing of wealth by some of her close associates, the misdeeds of the discarded Syndicate leaders, once looked upon as godfathers of corrupt Congressmen, began to appear trivial.

Suitcases full of banknotes were said to be routinely taken to the Prime Minister's house. Former Syndicate member S. K. Patil is reported to have said that Mrs Gandhi did not even return the suitcases. 

The Prime Minister (Indira) is unlikely to have paid close attention to the dubious origins of some of the funds which went into Congress's coffers. That was a matter which she left largely to her principal fundraiser, Lalit Narayan Mishra, who though she doubtless did not realize it also accepted Soviet money. 

On at least one occasion a secret gift of 2 million rupees from the Politburo to Congress (R) was personally delivered after midnight by the head of Line PR in New Delhi, Leonid Shebarshin. Another million rupees were given on the same occasion to a newspaper which supported Mrs Gandhi.

**

Dr Trivedi also tweeted:

"In 1976, the Soviets even forced a rupee-rouble rate change .. This means India’s economy weaponised by foreign spies.

This was “Nehruvian socialism.” This was “Indira’s India.” 

A compromised, betrayed nation. Never forget. #CompromisedCongress". 

  

Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata bus service resumes after 18-month

 Warish Alam, general manager of the Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata bus service, said buses will initially operate twice a week on a trial basis. If conditions remain stable, the frequency could increase to three days a week.

The route provides a major logistical advantage. While the train from Agartala to Kolkata via Guwahati covers nearly 1,500 km, the bus through Dhaka reduces the distance to about 500 km, cutting travel time and costs significantly. 

The direct international bus service linking Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka has resumed after a hiatus of more than a year and a half.

The bus service had remained halted since August 5, 2024, due to “political instability” in Bangladesh and visa complications.

On Feb 24th afternoon, a ‘Royal Maitree’ bus that had departed from Kamalapur Bus Depot in Dhaka crossed into India’s Tripura state via Brahmanbaria's Akhaura.

Earlier, on February 21, a bus had left Krishnanagar Bus Depot in Agartala for Dhaka. 

Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury welcomed the passengers at Akhaura Integrated Checkpost .

The bus arrived in Agartala from Kolkata via Dhaka with around 20 passengers, while another bus left for the West Bengal capital.

The Royal-Maitri international bus service has been suspended for the past year due to political turmoil in Bangladesh, resulting in visa issues and a sharp decline in the number of passengers. With the situation improving, the operator sought to recommence the service, according to an official.

"Development is never possible without friendship. It is through friendship and cooperation that relations between two neighbouring countries become stronger," he said in a Facebook post.

On the foundation of friendship, cooperation, and mutual understanding, the relationship between the two countries grows deeper and stronger, Chowdhury said, adding that it is the reality and an undeniable truth.

"The Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata and Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus services are a major example of this friendship. Keeping that faith, trust, and reality in mind, and recognising the importance of peace, stability, and development," he said.

To fight radical Suni-Shiite axis, Hexagon of alliances — around or within the Middle East has India, Greece and Cyprus ::: It's an Netanyahu Initiative

 

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said that his country “will create an entire system — essentially a kind of hexagon of alliances — around or within the Middle East,” listing India, Greece, Cyprus, and unnamed Arab, African and Asian countries.

“The intention here is to create an axis of countries that see reality, the challenges, and the goals in the same way, in contrast to the radical axes,” he says. 

“Both the radical Shiite axis, which we have hit very hard, and also the emerging axis — the radical Sunni axis. All these countries share a different outlook, and cooperation between us can yield very great fruits and, of course, also ensure our strength and our future.”

On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel, a pitch for a new geopolitical alliance has emerged from Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled what he called a "hexagon of alliances". Netanyahu's proposed bloc aims to counter what he described as "radical axes" in the Middle East (Western Asia). He has named India as a core partner, alongside Israel, Greece and Cyprus.

  

Other Arab, African and Asian countries are expected to be part of the framework, according to Netanyahu's statement released by the Israeli foreign office on February 22.

The announcement comes amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran and Pakistan and Saudi Arabia joining hands for a Nato-like pact, with Turkey looking to join it.

At the invitation of Netanyahu, Modi will pay a State visit to Israel on February 25–26. This will be the second visit of the Prime Minister to Israel, according to India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the visit, the two leaders are "expected to exchange perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual interest," India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The framework is designed to deepen cooperation in security, intelligence-sharing and defence.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for a hexagon of alliances is significant because it formalises a shift already underway in West and South Asia.
Unlike the earlier buzz of an India-UAE-Israel-Greece understanding, this is a publicly articulated strategic doctrine. Netanyahu named the adversaries and signalled its intent.

Netanyahu's pitch for the new alliances comes amid visible churn triggered by the Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in September 2025, often described by analysts as an "Islamic Nato".

"Both the radical Shiite axis, which we have hit very hard, and also the emerging axis, the radical Sunni axis," Netanyahu said on Sunday.

The "radical Shia axis" refers primarily to Iran and its proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

The "emerging radical Sunni axis" points to evolving extremist threats, including remnants of ISIS and other terror networks in Western Asia. This alliance matters because it moves beyond bilateral ties. India, the UAE and Israel have cooperated for years, including through frameworks like the Abraham Accords and the I2U2 grouping.  But there has been no formal security pact. By invoking a "hexagon", Netanyahu has signalled a structured architecture. One that would include Greece, Cyprus, more nations from Asia and Africa, with India envisaged as a key partner.

- Ends

National Security and Counter Terrorism !! ::: India unveils new Roadmap .... More Assertive :::: Certain blank areas need "reviews"

Having practically humbled Naxalism; the Govt of India has now laid emphasis on eradicating terrorism or any other anti-India resistance.  

In a major decisive move vis-a-vis national security paradigm; the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Feb 24th,2026 unveiled the country’s new national counter-terrorism policy and strategy titled PRAHAAR. 

The strategy outlines a comprehensive framework to address evolving terror threats using a proactive approach to prevent and counter terrorist threats. 

 

PRAHAAR stands for -- Prevention of terror attacks to protect Indian citizens and interests, 

Responses, which are swift and proportionate to the threat posed, 

Aggregating internal capacities for achieving synergy in a whole-of-government approach, 

Human rights and ‘Rule of Law’ based processes for mitigation of threats, Attenuating the conditions enabling terrorism, including radicalisation, Aligning and shaping the international efforts to counter terrorism and Recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach. 

The Ministry said that while the nature of threats continues to change and present new challenges, the country remains committed to opposing terrorism in all its forms and manifestations

Basic study reveals : 

The new Policy document features key sections: Introduction emphasizing zero tolerance for terrorism; 

Threat Profile detailing cross-border Jihadi threats, 

global groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, drone misuse, cyber tools, and CBRN risks; 

Counter Terrorism Strategy with seven pillars; and The Way Forward for enhanced coordination.

Core Strategy Pillars (PRAHAAR)*

*Prevention*: Intelligence-led via Multi Agency Centre (MAC) and Joint Task Force on Intelligence 

** disrupting online propaganda, overground workers funding, and border security.

*Responses*: Local police first responders backed by NSG and state Counter Terrorism forces; 

** NIA investigations with high prosecution rates.

*Aggregating Capacities*: Modernization of agencies, training via BPR&D and NSG, uniform anti-terror structures.

Focus North East ::::: Spear Corps GoC Lt Gen Abhijit S Pendharkar gracing a Tech-friendly session

Human Rights Focus: Adherence to laws like UAPA 1967, new criminal codes, and international covenants with multi-level judicial redress.

*Attenuating Conditions*: Counter-radicalization via community engagement, 

de-radicalization in prisons, socio-economic schemes against poverty.

International Alignment: MLATs (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties)

extraditions, UN designations, and bilateral/multilateral forums.

Recovery Approach*: Whole-of-society resilience with public-private partnerships, psychological support post-attacks.

Highlights 

Emphasizes multi-agency intelligence sharing, legal updates, uniform state CT units, international cooperation against transnational threats, and tech investments to counter ICT misuse by terrorists.

There may be issues as certain blanks need closer Reviews ::

PRAHAAR’s broad framework applies to Northeast insurgents like NSCN-IM, NSCN K, ULFA(I), and Meitei groups by intensifying disruptions to their logistics, funding, and transnational links.

Need to check Jihadi links and threats over ethnic-political insurgencies.

Enhanced intelligence 

Need to work against illegal arms syndicates, 

and terror financing.

Importantly, this will directly challenge Northeast groups’ parallel economies, 

extortion, and arms smuggling in Nagaland and Manipur. 

Assam Rifles will systematically gain tech upgrades for porous Indo-Myanmar frontiers, countering cross-border modules (NSCN-IM’s China-Myanmar ties) and drone incursions. 

Will ensure 

Swift NSG/NIA responses and high-prosecution focus deter attacks.

The new policy Pushes uniform state Counter Terror units and capacity building pressure Northeast states for standardised Anti-Terrorism Squads (ATS), 

.... will aid Assam Rifles Counter Insurgency Operations.

However; there will be possibilities of risking tensions if not calibrated with ceasefires and pacts such as the NSCN-IM’s Framework Agreement and NNPG Agreed Position.

Moreover;

Attenuating conditions via de-radicalization, community engagement, and socio-economic schemes (scholarships, jobs) aims to erode recruitment in vulnerable Naga/Meitei youth, countering exploitation of unrest 

(Surrender Policy roll out a must in Nagaland).

Potential Challenges

Its jihadist/cross-border emphasis may undervalue Northeast’s ethnic sovereignty demands around complex intricacies linking flag and constitution issues as with Nagas.

This may "limit" political resolution and risk escalation of social, political and military tension if enforcement ignores nuances around AFSPA.

Wrap Up:

As a nation India/Modi Govt committed to fight terrorists and insurgents.

But we have to note more than carefully that the thin line between them is well defined.

This one has to be more centric to Counter Terror operations.

With regard Counter Insurgency operations -- the authorities/NIA and State ATS will have to apply different methodologies.

The complexities in Nagaland and Manipur will certainly need more nuanced approaches. 

There is also a major gap -- State capacity gaps persist—

Most northeastern states including Nagaland and Manipur ATS lack parity with the counterparts in Jammu and Kashmir.

This will impact enforcement and the fallout in porous terrains.

ends