Israel PM calls Donald Trump’s Gaza plan ‘remarkable’; ::::: "US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it ," says Trump

Israel Prime Minister calls Trump’s Gaza plan ‘remarkable’; 

Netanyahu says Palestinians ‘can relocate and come back,’ stresses he does not expect US to supply troops on the ground or funds to carry out effort

Benjamin Netanyahu offered an endorsement of US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Gazans from the Strip while work is carried out to rebuild it, calling the plan “remarkable.”

“This is the first good idea that I’ve heard,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. 

“It’s a remarkable idea. And I think it should be examined, pursued, and done — because I think it will create a different future for everyone.”

The comments marked Netanyahu’s first full-throated endorsement of the idea that Trump floated on Tuesday during a joint press conference in the White House.  

In the wake of Trump’s declaration, Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said he had instructed the military to prepare a plan that would enable Gazans seeking to leave the Strip voluntarily to do so.

Appearing to surprise Netanyahu and shocking much of the world, Trump suggested during his prepared remarks that “the US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too. 

"We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out." 

Leaders of the US Reform movement condemn US President Donald Trump’s proposals for the Gaza Strip.

“Whether this was an unfiltered, spontaneous utterance or the first seed of a serious plan, it is unrealistic and dangerous,” says a statement led by the Union for Reform Judaism.

The statement says the proposals will contribute to regional instability, pose security risks to Israel, undermine Palestinian self-determination, jeopardize the ceasefire and hostage deal, and harm efforts toward a two-state solution.

“This moment requires bold thinking to bring safety and autonomy to Israel and the Palestinians. What was proposed [Tuesday] will not build that future; it will undermine it. Forcibly removing either populace will only perpetuate the conflict,” the statement says.

Other signatories to the statement include the American Conference of Cantors; the Association of Reform Jewish Educators; and the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

Video of cuffed deported Indians !! :::::: Jaishankar says India was engaging the US to ensure deportees are 'not mistreated' in any manner

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, said India was engaging the US to ensure the deportees are not mistreated in any manner.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha that the use of restraints was part of America's standard operating procedure (SOP). 

Several opposition MPs, including Congress's KC Venugopal, protested in the Parliament premises by wearing "handcuffs" to highlight the plight of the Indian deportees.  

Dr Jaishankar bats for strong crackdown on illegal migration industry

Opposition MPs protest in Parliament wearing handcuffs

"The deportations by the US are organised and executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The SOP for deportations by aircraft, effective from 2012, provides for the use of restraint. We have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained," Jaishankar said. 

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha.

The Minister assured the opposition that India was engaging the Donald Trump administration to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner.  

The Minister said that the deportees were given food and medicine during the 10-hour flight. However, he underscored that the government's focus should be on a strong crackdown on the illegal immigration industry.

"During toilet breaks, the deportees are temporarily unrestrained if needed. This is applicable to chartered civilian aircraft as well as military aircraft and there has been no change from the past procedures," he said.

On Wednesday, a US Air Force aircraft carrying 104 Indian nationals landed in Amritsar as part of Donald Trump's crackdown against illegal immigrants. Most of the deportees were from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat.

The Indian nationals claimed they were handcuffed and their feet tied with chains throughout the journey. US Border Patrol (USBP) chief Michael Banks also released a video showing the Indian nationals in restraints while boarding the aircraft.

Jaishankar's statement came as protests by opposition MPs over the deportation of 104 Indian nationals saw proceedings being disrupted in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

In the Lok Sabha, opposition MPs took to sloganeering and protested in the well of the House even as Speaker Om Birla appealed to them not to resort to "planned disruptions".

"Your matter is with the government. This is the matter of the Ministry of External Affairs. This subject is related to another country. The government has taken cognisance of it," Om Birla said. However, the MPs continued with their protests, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House briefly.

Earlier, KC Venugopal moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the issue. The motion urged the Centre to outline the diplomatic steps being taken to engage with the Donald Trump administration.

Speaking to reporters, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the Trump administration's move to deport the Indian nationals in "handcuffs" was an insult to the country.

"We are protesting the way in which this was done. They have every legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country... but to send them like this abruptly in a military aircraft and in handcuffs is an insult to India, it's an insult to the dignity of Indians," Tharoor said.

License permit Raj was Congress identity, says PM Modi in Rajya Sabha :::: NAMO TEARS INTO CONGRESS OVER CONSTITUTION, CASTE CENSUS

 There was an era under Congress when to procure cement one ought to take 'license'. For Sugar, there was license !! - PM Narendra Modi in Rajya while replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to President's address.   

PM Modi refers to ban on Dev Anand's films to blast Congress on Emergency

Modi underscored that while the BJP's model of development was 'nation first', for the Congress it was 'family first' - a reference to the Gandhis.  

The Prime Minister also referred to the arrests of poet Majrooh Sultanpuri and actor Balraj Sahni and the ban on Dev Anand's films on Doordarshan during the Emergency period to attack the Congress over freedom of speech. 

Modi said the word "Constitution" does not suit Congress as it handcuffed and chained leaders like George Fernandes during the Emergency.

"(Actor) Dev Anand was requested to support the Emergency publicly. However, he clearly refused. He showed courage, and therefore, all the films of Dev Anand were banned on Doordarshan," PM Modi said. Dev Anand was among several artistes who faced a ban for not abiding by the government's diktats during the Emergency. The late actor has detailed his experiences in his book, Romancing with Life. After the actor refused to talk in support of the Emergency on Doordarshan, all his films were banned from being screened on TV.  

He also mentioned how the then Jawaharlal Nehru-led government sacked Lata Mangeshkar's brother, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, from All India Radio (AIR) for reciting a poem on Hindutva idealogue Veer Savarkar.

"During Nehru's tenure, a workers' strike was held in Mumbai. During that strike, the famous poet Majrooh Sultanpuri recited a poem. After that, he was put in jail. Famous actor Balraj Sahni was also jailed only because he participated in a protest. Hridaynath Mangeshkar had written a poem on Veer Savarkar and wanted to sing it on Akashvani but was banned from Akashvani for life,"  PM said. 

NAMO TEARS INTO CONGRESS OVER CONSTITUTION, CASTE CENSUS

On the Congress over claims that the BJP was "destroying" the Constitution, PM Modi emphasised that it was the Congress that "hated" BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.

"It is well documented how much anger and hatred Congress had towards Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar. They never considered Baba Saheb worthy of the Bharat Ratna award. The party also tried to defeat Ambedkar twice in elections. But today, due to compulsions, they have to raise the slogan of 'Jai Bheem'," PM Modi said.

In the 1952 Lok Sabha election, Ambedkar was defeated by Congress's Narayan Kajrolkar in Bombay (North). He was defeated again by the Congress in the 1954 by-election in Bhandara.

The Prime Minister also underscored that while the BJP's model of development was "nation first", for the Congress it was "Family first" - a reference to the Gandhis. "Expecting 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' from Congress would be a huge mistake. It is beyond their thinking, and it also doesn't suit their roadmap because the whole party is dedicated only to one family," the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi also stressed that his government had chosen the path of "santushtikaran" (satisfaction) over "tushtikaran" (appeasement).

Training his guns on Rahul Gandhi over his caste census push, the Prime Minister warned of attempts being made to spread caste poison in society. 

"For many years, OBC MPs from all parties had been demanding Constitutional status for the OBC panel. But their demand was rejected, as it might not have suited their (Congress) politics. But we gave constitutional status to this panel," PM said.

Jiribam - Manipur :::: Life is tough .... cost of living "very high" as Hmars are unable to get essential food supplies from Meitei-pockets ...."Our life without Boksha (pork) was unthinkable"

Peace after ethnic and communal conflicts remains like a mirage or an illusive bird, says a Meitei educationist in Jiribam. 

"Peace you are looking for cannot come with 100 per cent efforts of one or two people....But it can come with one per cent effort of 100 people," he maintained.

Manipur’s cycle of violence has halted for a while. Jiribam adjoining Assam is also calm but what we have on ground is an unease peace. The silence does not look good as of now. 

"Life is tough....Our life without Boksha (pork) was unthinkable even a few months back," said a villager at Zairawn not far from Jiribam town area where Meiteis are in substantial numbers. 

Daniel Hmar says - "We have to take a  longer route ... and go to generally peaceful Bengali dominated areas in Barak valley of Assam in Silchar or Fulertl only by hiring an auto and then take a local boat or a steamer... One person spends about Rs 500 for to and fro journey and reaching out the market to buy essentials, Chaol (rice) Dal and Boksha (pork)". 

Moreover when shop keepers in Fulertol or other pockets see them, they are charged much higher.  

According to a local elder K Khuma, "these are fueling bitterness and the bitterness is never good for normalcy and reconciliation".  

The Meitei-Kuki conflicts started in May 2023 in Imphal-Churachandpur region. but Jiribam was untouched. But in June and later in November 2024 this region also witnessed violence. 

David Haokip, spokesman of Kuki Inpi Jiribam and Tamenglong region, says: "The outside elements were responsible for triggering the clashes...they have their own motives to fuel the crisis here". 

According to him the violence was kicked off to ensure 'Meitei domination' on the National Highway 37.

But in Jiribam region, the Meitei citizenry deny any such motive. The clashes actually happened accidentally, they insist. 

"It is time all of us should work for peace....," says a student leader at Jiribam. 

However, he counsels 'strangers and visiting journalists' to travel carefully beyond Lal Pani locality.

The hamlet Lal Pani and adjoining places are dominated by Bengali Muslims. But beyond it are two Kuki-dominated villages Sejang and Mongbung and hence his 'indications' are clear.

Daniel Haokip 

There is another version to the cause of violence in Jiribam - the presence of a faction of Meitei armed militant group UNLF.

Daniel Hmar and others say the Arambai Tenggol (Meitei militia) and the UNLF (the insurgent group) attacked the Hmar villagers and houses were ransacked.

Hence a good number of them have left with women and children but about 100 others are putting up together eating from a general common community kitchen.

"We are alive today because Assam Rifles came on time," says Daniel.

"Initially a group of Meitei people and armed militants attacked the village and a few women were attacked," says Khuma adding gradually things became tough as the number of armed Meitei men had swelled rather quickly.

"Our complaint is against the state police and some other forces who did not came to our rescue...But when Assam Rifles soldiers came things were brought under control," says Khuma.  

Life goes on !!

Deserted houses 

Parts of a woman body were found later, he says. An FIR was of course registered later and the charge was that the woman victim was “raped and burnt alive”.

The Manipur People’s Army (MPA), the armed wing of the UNLF (Pambei), is also suspect, sources allege.

Obviously such killings can only set off a chain of events, with more than 25 people ultimately killed in separate incidents in just a few days.

Asked about the need to make efforts to bring in peace, Khuma and other Hmar people say - things are too early for that. 

"But the peace should prevail with better sense working on both sides.... It may need six months to six years to revive the past harmony and it may need much longer time too" -- is a refrain.

Was there a conspiracy to pull Jiribam into a whirlpool of violence -- is a question everyone is asking.

But answers are not available. And even if some people think they should speak out - they speak vaguely. 

Analysts say as the months passed by, Manipur saw a "proliferation of weapons" and there is still regular raids by central forces and police and arms are being recovered.

arms recovery snaps

Obviously when armed men from either group got killed, tension is bound to escalate.

One retired arm officer who visited his in-laws in Silchar in Assam told this blogger during the train journey between Badarpur and Lumding: 

"There have been instances where civilians from Meiteis as well as Kukis or Hmars have ventured into the so-called enemy territory and probably got attacked mercilessly and robbed and some even had gone missing".

According to him, every wave of violence has followed almost a same pattern; and this only shows the malady is much more serious. 

ends 

Maha Kumbh : 400 mn pilgrims expected : Larger than the population of the US !! Yogi says Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav wanted bigger tragedy at Kumbh

Even in a country as big and populous as India, the scale of the Kumbh Mela is staggering. 

This time round, the government said it expected 400 million visitors – larger than the population of the US – to turn up over the total 45 days of the Kumbh Mela, which would be a record crowd for the festival. 

In 2019, a smaller version of the festival attracted 240 million people.

Blogger in 2019 : Kumbh

Over the course of the festival, a sprawling temporary city of tents, stalls, toilets and elaborate temple facades are constructed along both banks of the Ganges, across a 40 sq km area. Each day, millions gather at the triveni sangam to take a dip in the water, many having travelled for days to do so.

As well as pilgrims, it is mandatory for tens of thousands of sadhus, who are part of monastic sects known as Akharas, to attend the Kumbh Mela and take part in several ritual bathes in the river. 

It offers pilgrims a rare opportunity to offer devotion to the naga sadhus, the naked, ash-smeared holy men who largely live an isolated life of meditation and prayer in ashrams.

Spending for the festival has also increased to record highs  with the Uttar Pradesh state government reported to have spent 70bn rupees (£670m) on setting up the site and bringing in new technology to update the ancient festivities, says an article in 'The Guardian'. 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav of wanting a huge disaster to unfold during last month's stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.  

Speaking to reporters in Prayagraj, Adityanath said, "While the entire nation and the world are witnessing this grand Sanatan Dharma event with pride, there are some elements conspiring against it, spreading falsehoods and setting new standards of deception."

"The statements made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in Parliament today draw attention to this sinister agenda," he added.

Yogi Adityanath accused both the leaders of attempting to defame the Maha Kumbh Mela from the beginning. "Their statements not only reveal their anti-Sanatan stance but also expose their vulture-like vision. From day one, they have been spreading misinformation against Maha Kumbh," he alleged.

Slamming Kharge for his claim in Parliament that "thousands died on Mauni Amavasya at the Prayagraj Kumbh", the CM said, 

"Such a senior leader who heads the country's oldest party is expected to make responsible statements. Instead, he has resorted to outright lies and misguiding remarks in Parliament."

ends 

History can't be wiped out: Sheikh Hasina after mob sets father's house on fire :::::: “Why fear a house? I seek justice from the people of Bangladesh"

 History can't be wiped out: Sheikh Hasina after mob sets father's house on fire

Hundreds of protesters set fire to Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's house in Dhaka after his daughter and ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke online and appealed to Awami League workers to protest against the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.  

Mujib Memorial in Dhaka : 2017 visited by blogger 

The deposed Prime Minister questioned the motive behind the attack on the 32 Dhanmondi residence, a site of historical significance in Bangladesh’s independence struggle. 

 “Why fear a house? I seek justice from the people of Bangladesh. Have I not done anything for my country? Then why such disrespect? The only memory that both my sister and I have clung to is being wiped out. A structure can be erased, but history cannot be wiped out," she stressed.

"They must also remember that history takes its revenge," she warned.

On Wednesday night, a massive mob vandalised and set fire to Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's house in Dhaka after Sheikh Hasina made an online appeal to Awami League workers to protest against the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

The house became an iconic symbol in Bangladesh history as Mujibur largely led the pre-independence autonomy movement for decades from the residence. During Sheikh Hasina's regime, it was turned into a museum which would be visited by heads of state or dignitaries in line with state protocol. 

 I visited Dhaka in December 2017. 

My Late father and another friend of mine had advised me to visit the famous Sheikh Mujib Memorial. The military dictator Major General Ziaur Rahman had assumed power after the 1975 massacre.

Bloodstains on the walls and on the peeling green plaster certainly brought to fore the story of one of the most horrific killings of political stars and the family members in the sub-continent.

A sense of chill ran through our spine as three Indian journalists encountered the 'bullet marks' at the House in Dhanmondi locality of Bangladesh capital. 

This is the place where Sheikh Mujibar Rahman, Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, and his 18 family members, including three sons and a young grandson were assassinated in a ruthless exercise by the 'right-wing' military officers -- of course in cold blood.

This house has been a witness to the history of the making of Bangladesh, its struggle, language movement.

A gentleman standing nearby and a staffer at the Memorial spoke softly: 

"It was the witness to hours of deliberations among Mujib's close associates. Today, sadly though -- this house has become an enduring symbol of love and admiration people feel for Bangabandhu."

One could not agree more.

This is/was a place where hundreds of Bangladeshis -- young and old -- at one time felt they can renew their commitment to nation building.

Among those killed were Mujib himself, his wife Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, their three sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and minor Sheikh Russel; the newly married brides of Kamal and Jamal -- Sulatana and Rosy and Bangabandhu's brother Sheikh Abu Naser.

In 2015, it was reported that at least seven months before the 'Bangabandhu' was assassinated along with his family members, a former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official had met him here and warned against the conspirators.

"These are my own children and they will not harm me," Mujib had reportedly told Rameshwar Nath Kao, who met him in December 1974 with the approval of the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Mujib's two daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, were in West Germany in August 1975 and so they survived.

So much was the 'hatred' and influence of diabolic motivation, that a number of Mujib's household staff and personal aides were also gunned down. 

In 2025  -- one can always say - the same 'hate' has many faces !!

There's Much Ado about Assam's proposed 'second capital Dibrugarh' card pushed by Chief Minister Himanta

"We often see things differently because we only read the title". 

The announcement about designating Dibrugarh as Assam's second capital by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is such a phenomenon. 

Mere announcement actually means nothing. Yet there is a political weightage in the announcement. 

The Dibrugarh region and the parliamentary constituency is the political Karma-bhoomi of Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and hence Himanta might have played a smart political card.  But the announcement is important even otherwise as this move could be game-changer in time to come if Himanta is really serious and does the implementation part religiously. 

"The second capital announcement vis-a-vis Dibrugarh does not bother me. Nor does it excite.... My father used to say we lost our house in Dispur locality of Guwahati in the 1960s when Assam capital was brought from Shillong (now in Meghalaya) without doing any ground work," says Ajith Borah, a local resident at Chabua near Dibrugarh. 

Another resident at Tinsukia, a busy money-spinning commercial hub, also sounds quite skeptical. 

"I am like a gardener in the temple complex. I water plants and do the digging. At the end of the day I get a plate of Prasada and some cash. Whether today is Poornima or any special puja does not bother me much," he says. 

The candid observation is to make it clear that whether 'Dibrugarh as a new capital' is a reality or not; what is important is people should get jobs, the drainage should improve. 

Health care is still not satisfactory and in places like Digboi - there is scarcity of drinking water.

"Of course, roads have improved a lot ... But there is no other industrialisation project. The Upper Assam or eastern part of our state is being kept neglected," says Pannalal Gupto, a hotelier in Tinsukia. 

                                                          Snap Panna Lal Gupto

The BJP's growth in Assam is largely the contributions of southern part Bengali-dominated Barak Valley -- which gave a saffron party veteran Kabindra Purkayastha. 

But coinciding with the Modi wave, the saffron party started doing well in Upper Assam in 2014 and in 2016, it came to power after projecting Sarbananda Sonowal -- a tribal - as the party face.  

Importantly, the Adivasi or tea plantation workers, along with the dominant Ahoms and communities such as the Mataks and Morans also deserted the Congress.

There are about 250 Sikh families in Dibrugarh region and according to a local businessman Sardar Baghel Singh, the saffron party will "retain" the support base in Upper Assam yet again. 

However, there are skeptics who say in lower Assam --Guwahati belt - the BJP may suffer immensely in 2026 assembly polls. 

It may be also pointed out that during Partition era of 1947, Dibrugarh was one of the highest revenue-collecting centres in the country. But things did not stand well after that and the graph started dropping.

Slowly this became a neglected region of Assam state.

In fact in the 1970s when the Assam agitation over foreigners' influx was at its peak; protagonists cited that "oil from Digboi" was being taken away by the Govt of India without giving Assam and more specifically the Upper Assam region what it deserved. 

Old timers say, the British invested quite substantially in a 65-km stretch from Dibrugarh to Margherita in the early 1880s.

By then Asia’s first oil well was drilled at the nearby Digboi town. The talk is the locality was named 'Digboi' as Britishers used to employ local labourers and used to direct them to "dig" the earth to extract oil. 

A railway track was soon started and that helped transport coal, tea, and timber from Margherita and stations en route to the river port (Brahmaputra) at Dibrugarh. 

The town developed into a busy commercial capital and also an administrative hub of eastern Assam.

Making the announcement for developing Dibrugarh as state's second capital, Himanta Biswa Sarma said - “The construction work for a permanent Assembly building in Dibrugarh will start on January 25, 2026".

He also said a session of the Assembly will be held in Dibrugarh every year from the year 2027.

In effect, the Chief Minister indicated his party’s determination not to let its support base in ‘Ujoni Asom’ (Upper or eastern Assam) slip.

The Brahmaputra Valley of Assam is temperamentally divided into ‘Ujoni’ and ‘Namoni (Lower or western) Asom’. 

The Ujoni has been the power centre in the State since 1978 and has given Assam six Chief Ministers.

The six 'smaller communities' including Ahoms, Mataks, Morans and Adivasis backed the BJP during the last decade hoping to get what the Congress did not grant -- the status of Scheduled Tribes (ST).

In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP maintained its dominance and picked up nine parliamentary seats.

However though expected to 'perform better' after the 2023 delimitation, which led to the redrawing of the constituency map, in 2024 it did not do so well even as it could nine seats.

Much to the chagrin of BJP poll strategists, former Congress veteran Tarun Gogoi's son Gaurav Gogoi (also a favourite of Rahul Gandhi) won the prestigious Jorhat seat.

In Dibrugarh, Sarbananda Sonowal won the seat securing 54.27% of the votes polled -- but this was about 9 per cent less than his BJP predecessor Rameswar Teli's votes in 2019.

Overall, the BJP’s vote share increased by 1.02% to 37.43% in 2024, while the Congress increased its tally by 1.69% to 37.48%.

The Dibrugarh  election table shows there is something to concern. 

• Sarbananda Sonowal

  

  BJP

  693,762
• 

  Lurinjyoti Gogoi

  

  ASMJTYP

  414,441
• 

  Manoj Dhanowar

  

  AAP

  137,864
• 

  NOTA

  

  NOTA

  32,255

Pls note -- The NOTA vote figures stood at 32, 255 -- This is one of the highest such a tally in the national level and most of it is perhaps due to "anguish" of BJP support base as "ex Congress leaders and workers" are now dominating BJP's politics in Assam.

Former RSS cadres and BJP leaders are sidelined both in Cachar or Barak Valley and also in Upper Assam.

Hence, the 'second capital' card has been pushed not without good reasons.

In 2026 assembly polls, there is yet another vital factor that may damage BJP's prospects.

Analysts feel, the Congress and its regional partners Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parisad, may do well in Upper Assam. 

Many BJP supporters have serious complaint that the Congress legacy of governance and its lapses associated with the Upper Assam still continue. 

ends 

A Foldscope is a low-cost, paper microscope ..... Can be used to teach about disease-specific diagnostics ::::: ASSAM RIFLES ORGANISED SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOLDOSCOPE AT UNDER-DEVELOPED REGION OF HAFLONG, ASSAM

A Foldscope is a low-cost, paper microscope that can be assembled from a flat sheet of paper and a lens. It's designed to be affordable, durable, and portable. 

How it works: 

The Foldscope combines origami principles with optical design.

It has a glass lens and a sliding focus ramp.

The Foldscope can magnify images up to 340 times.

What it can be used for:

Medical education: Can be used to teach about disease-specific diagnostics 

General education: Can be used to teach about the role of unseen lifeforms in infectious diseases 

Forensic science: Can be used as a preliminary investigation tool 

Agriculture: Can be used to detect microorganisms that affect crops and animals 

ASSAM RIFLES ORGANISES SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOLDOSCOPE AT HAFLONG, ASSAM*

A two-day scientific workshop on the principles and working of  Foldscope was organized by Assam Rifles in coordination with a delegation from International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi under Dr Arockiaswamy at Haflong, Assam in November 2024. 

The workshop aimed at igniting and fostering scientific curiosity among school students and educators, witnessed enthusiastic participation from schools across Dima Hasao and nearby areas, sources said.

The programme focused on introducing the scientific Foldscope – a cost-effective, portable microscope – and its potential to revolutionize the teaching of science in resource-limited settings. 

Students engaged in hands-on training to use the Foldscope for observing microscopic samples, sparking curiosity and a deeper understanding of biological sciences. A total of 198 students and 24 teachers from 10 different schools located in Haflong, Jatinga, Mahur, and Gunjung actively participated at the said event.

The initiative was made possible through the collaborative efforts of ICGEB and Assam Rifles, underscoring their shared commitment to promote education and scientific innovation in the region.  

Upon conducting fieldwork in a developing country, Dr. Manu Prakash, an assistant professor at Stanford University, and his student, Dr. Jim Cybulski, discovered that the microscopes were few, fragile, and improperly handled. Using folded sheets, Dr. Prakash and colleagues devised a simple, low-cost microscope that they called the “Foldscope” in order to get around these limitations.

A component of the “Frugal Science” movement, Foldscope is a highly expensive paper microscope that draws its inspiration from origami. The movement’s goal is to provide reasonable and simple instruments for scientific usage in impoverished nations. 

With a 1.9 μm resolution and a magnification of up to 140x, this compact, sturdy, and adaptable microscope is mostly composed of paper, making it waterproof. 

It lacks the size and cost of a traditional research microscope. 

Foldscope is not like the standard scientific lab microscopes in that it is not only portable but also has the capacity to project images onto any surface, enabling a larger number of individuals to examine an image at once.

Ram Gopal Yadav is saying 'half truth' when he says BJP is still in power because of Congress :::: He should rather say - major reason Modi is in power, it is because of Rahul Gandhi and total surrender of grand old party before dynastic whims and fancies !!

Congress the only reason why Narendra Modi has not lost, says Samajwadi Party leader and uncle of party chief Akhilesh Yadav 

But what he says is only 'half truth' ...He should rather say - the major reason why Modi is in power, it is because of Rahul Gandhi and total surrender of grand old party before dynastic whims and fancies 

“Things the BJP is not saying about (Arvind) Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi is. It sends the wrong message that the BJP and Congress speak the same language,” said Ram Gopal Yadav, Rajya Sabha MP. 

These remarks only add to speculation in view of bitterness during just held Delhi assembly polls between AAP and the Congress, the opposition INDI alliance could break up.  

He also said Lalu Prasad's son and RJD chiefTejashwi Yadav would have become Bihar Chief Minister in 2020 itself if Congress had agreed. 

On the Mahakumbh stampede and other issues, Ram Gopal Yadav told 'Indian Express' :

"Nobody believes the government. The people who witnessed the stampede also think it is a lie. The government has not yet released any figures. 

Thousands of people have approached the lost-and-found counter and some people connected to my family say around 15,000 people are running from pillar to post to find their near and dear ones.

He also said: 

"With the figures that (Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha) Mallikarjun Kharge saab provided in the House, it is possible that the toll is even higher. The government made tall claims but could not manage the situation." 

The Samajwadi Party also claimed that even the name of Kumbh was changed by the BJP dispensations in Lucknow and in Delhi.

"Firstly, they changed the name of the Kumbh. There is no mention of Maha Kumbh in religious scriptures. Kumbh took place every 12 years and Ardh Kumbh every six years. For ages, people have been flocking to Kumbh Melas without any invitation as it is a matter of faith and belief. 

But this time, the government spent crores on advertisements. Nobody had heard of Amrit Snan before. Nobody had heard of Maha Kumbh before. So much so that one ‘sarkari sadhu‘ said those who don’t make it to the Maha Kumbh are anti-nationals."

When you talk like this, you should have made arrangements to manage the crowd. When you invite someone, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of that person. If the Chief Minister wanted to play host, then it was his responsibility to ensure that people didn’t face any hardships."

The interviewer posed a question:

The SP-Congress combine performed better than expected in last year’s Lok Sabha polls. But the BJP bounced back in the subsequent bypolls in UP. How are you seeing the Milkipur bypoll?

Ram Gopal Yada responded: "The BJP did not make a comeback. They did not allow people to vote. Could the BJP have ever won a (Muslim-dominated) seat like Kundarki? 

Similarly, in Milkipur, they have started voter suppression. Yadavs and Muslims are not being given voter slips. Akhilesh Yadav was not allowed to hold a rally, wrong coordinates were provided to his helicopter.

Asked, what is the status of the INDIA bloc and why that top leaders of the coalition have not met since the Lok Sabha elections …

Ram Gopal Yadav's candid response was: "It had been decided during the Lok Sabha elections that in every state INDI Alliance partners would support the party best placed to defeat the BJP. For instance, we are supporting the AAP in Delhi but that does not mean we are against the Congress. 

The AAP sought five seats from the Congress in Haryana and we were told we would be given one. While they agreed upon the seat, that very evening they fielded Vinesh Phogat. 

What can we do if the Congress does not learn its lessons? Had there been a joint Akhilesh-Rahul campaign, they would have won 20 seats but ended up with just six.

Answering another question, the Rajya Sabha leader said:

"What can I say? Congress ki arrogance nahi hoti, toh desh ki yeh stithi thodi hoti (had the Congress not been arrogant, would the country’s condition have been how it is now)?

In Bihar, Tejashwi (Prasad Yadav) would have become CM in 2020 itself but they (Congress) did not agree. They fought 70 seats and won just 19 while the RJD and other alliance partners had a strike rate of 53-54 per cent. Had Tejashwi been CM, the Opposition would have won 30 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar and Modi would not have become PM. They do not understand, I wonder who their advisors are.

We all want the Congress to win seats in states where they are strong … In Himachal Pradesh, they are in government but they got zero seats. In Chhattisgarh, where they were in power, they got nothing. 

Despite being in power in Telangana and Karnataka, the BJP performed better than them. Toh jo Modiji hat nahin paaye, uske karan sirf Congress hai (The Congress is the only reason why Modi ji has not been defeated). Every other (INDIA bloc) party except the RJD performed well.

Another question was: What should the Congress do as the largest Opposition party?

"The elder in the house has more responsibility. But they don’t even talk. During the Haryana elections, I asked Akhilesh if we got any seats. 

He said, ‘They (Congress) are not even talking.’ If they stake claim to form the government tomorrow, they cannot do without us but they do not talk to the leader of a party that has 37 MPs. 

In UP, they have nothing but we gave them seats as we did not want them to allege we do not want to defeat the BJP. 

They will not be able to open their account in the Assembly polls if we do not support them.

In Delhi, where they do not have even a single seat, they should have spoken to the AAP and asked for eight to 10 seats. What are they doing now? Things that the BJP is not saying about Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi is. It sends the wrong message that the BJP and Congress speak the same language.

 If the BJP wins Delhi, the coming times will show how it adversely affects the Opposition.

ends