Top Indian News: Education Scam, Modi’s Waqf Remarks, Choksi’s Arrest, and More
Special Project: India’s Great Education Betrayal
Modi’s Comments on Waqf Land and Muslim Youths
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently stated that Muslim youths could have avoided labor work if waqf land was utilized properly. Speaking in Hisar, Haryana, Modi claimed that vast amounts of waqf land could have benefited the poor if used correctly. He accused the “land mafia” of exploiting waqf properties for their gain.
New Waqf Law to Protect the Poor
Modi asserted that the newly amended waqf law would stop the exploitation of the poor, particularly poor Muslims and Pasmanda (Dalit and backward caste) Muslims. He ensured that land or property belonging to them cannot be touched by the waqf board. “This is real social justice,” he said.
Protests Against the Waqf Act
His remarks came amid violent protests against the law in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district that have left three people dead and over 200 arrested. In Assam, a protest in Cachar district against the Act turned violent on Sunday. Read more.
Mehul Choksi Arrested in Belgium
Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi has been arrested in Belgium following India’s extradition request related to the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case. Choksi, wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, was detained on Saturday.
Choksi’s Lawyer to Appeal
His lawyer confirmed the arrest, stating they would appeal, citing Choksi’s ill health and ongoing cancer treatment as the grounds for his release. Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is accused in the 2018 PNB scam, which involved fraudulent transactions worth Rs 11,380 crore.
PNB Scam Details
A few officials of the public sector bank had allegedly issued fraudulent Letters of Undertaking to Modi’s companies, resulting in the loss of Rs 6,097.6 crore to Punjab National Bank. Choksi fled India in January 2018, securing citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda. Read more.
Telangana Implements Scheduled Castes Sub-Categorisation
The Telangana government has notified the Scheduled Castes Rationalisation of Reservations Act, 2025, becoming the first Indian state to implement sub-categorisation within Scheduled Caste groups. The move follows a Supreme Court ruling permitting sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes quotas.
Sub-Categorisation Details
Based on recommendations by a one-man commission, the state split 59 SC communities into three groups within the existing 15% reservation quota: Group 1 (1% for 15 most backward sub-castes), Group 2 (9% for 18 sub-castes), and Group 3 (5% for 26 relatively better-placed sub-castes). Read more.
Salman Khan Receives Death Threat
Bollywood actor Salman Khan has received a fresh death threat via a message sent to the Mumbai traffic police’s WhatsApp helpline. The message, which arrived around 6.30 am on Sunday, warned of a bomb attack on Khan’s car and also threatened to kill him in his home.
Police Investigation
The police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation. Khan has been on the radar of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang since 2018 due to his involvement in a 1998 blackbuck poaching case.
Previous Threats and Incidents
In April 2024, suspected Bishnoi gang members fired shots outside his residence, and the gang has previously threatened Khan over the case. The Mumbai Police has also alleged that former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique’s murder in October was linked to his perceived proximity to Khan. Read more.
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