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Bengaluru, May 15 (IANS) The BJP has come down heavily on the Congress for allegedly undermining Operation Sindoor and for highlighting the Indian armed forces’ victory under the leadership of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 1971 war.

The BJP claimed that while the Indian armed forces won the war on the battlefield, Indira Gandhi lost it at the negotiating table.Addressing the media at the BJP headquarters in Bengaluru on Thursday, BJP National General Secretary and Karnataka In-Charge, Rajya Sabha Member, Radha Mohan Das Agarwal said: “In 1971, two wars were fought. One on December 3, 1971, by the Indian Army, and another on July 2, 1972, at Shimla, where a political negotiation took place between then Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi and Pakistan’s then Prime Minister late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in which Indira Gandhi completely failed to secure anything in India’s favour.”Agarwal further remarked: “If not for Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, we would have lost the 1971 war. Indira Gandhi wanted to go to war earlier, but General Manekshaw told her that if India entered the war prematurely, it would face a humiliating defeat. He made it clear that the war should be fought on the Army’s terms and even threatened to resign.”Indira Gandhi was eventually compelled to heed Manekshaw’s advice, and the war was fought according to his strategy.“While the Indian Army secured a decisive victory on the battlefield, Indira Gandhi squandered the gains at the negotiation table. The Army won, but she was defeated. The 93,000 surrendered Pakistani soldiers were treated like sons-in-law in India for five months, while our economy suffered. We gained nothing from Pakistan.”India had captured over 15,000 square kilometres of land in West Pakistan, which was later returned.“Around five crore Bangladeshi migrants, who remain a challenge for us today, particularly in West Bengal, were not repatriated. We returned 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, but failed to bring back our 56 soldiers captured by Pakistan. Whatever the Army achieved in 1971, Indira Gandhi lost in the following year,” he claimed.When asked about Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah’s controversial statement on Colonel Sophia Qureshi, Agarwal said that the BJP does not take suggestions from anti-national parties, adding that if resignations are demanded over every statement, then, apart from senior Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and P. Chidambaram, no one would be spared.“We would first have to ask Rahul Gandhi to resign. Regarding Vijay Shah’s remarks, he has already apologised twice, and the party has not yet pardoned him. You wait and see.”He added that he is pained that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah keeps making statements against Hindus and the nation, and is also framing policies accordingly.“I am, however, pleased that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar does not appear to support such views and seems to stand with the Indian armed forces,” he said.–IANSmka/dan

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Budget airline IndiGo on Thursday defended its codesharing partnership with Turkish Airlines, highlighting its multiple economic and strategic benefits to Indian travellers and the broader economy.The response came amid criticism on social media over the airline’s codeshare agreement with Turkey’s national carrier following Ankara’s public support for Pakistan after India’s recent military operation, ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terror camps in the neighbouring country and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).In a statement shared with IANS, IndiGo emphasised that the current arrangement allows Indian and Turkish carriers to operate up to 56 weekly flights under the bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA).“This arrangement provides multiple benefits to Indian travellers, and the country’s economy,” the airline said.It pointed out that this expanded long-haul connectivity has come at a critical time, with global airfare prices rising in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.“The increased capacity has allowed more affordable international travel for Indian passengers, especially those flying from smaller cities via two-stop connections,” according to the low-cost airline.IndiGo also highlighted the broader economic impact of the partnership, noting that the additional flights have created jobs, boosted trade, and increased tax revenues in India.“This operation keeps aircraft in active deployment and supports billions of dollars in trade between the two countries,” the airline said, adding that reinvestment of revenue into international expansion continues to strengthen India’s aviation sector.However, the code-sharing partnership has come under fire on social media, with several users urging IndiGo to end its association with Turkish Airlines in light of Turkey’s recent statements.One user, Lakhan Arjun Rawat, wrote on X: “@IndiGo6E When will you end your Partnership with Turkish Airlines? They are making profit from our citizens and using it against our nation.”Prominent lawyer Sanjay Hegde also weighed in, suggesting that a boycott could begin with IndiGo terminating the agreement and exploring alternative routes, such as flying directly to Athens.”IndiGo should stop the codeshare with Turkish Airlines. We can’t just ask people to do everything while these corporates keep making big moolah despite doing anti-national stuff,” another user mentioned.Currently, IndiGo operates direct flights to Istanbul via leased 500+ seater aircraft and offers codeshare seats to travellers to more than 40 points in Europe and the US supported by its domestic network.–IANSpk/na

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is holding a nationwide Tiranga Yatra to commemorate the triumph…

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Amid rising diplomatic tensions, prominent Indians have called for a boycott of trade and tourism with Turkey, accusing the country of supporting terrorism. The demand comes in the wake of Turkey and Azerbaijan expressing support for Pakistan following a recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

Speaking to IANS, Haryana Minister and BJP leader Ranbir Singh Gangwa emphasised the need to take a firm stand against nations that back terrorism.“Any country that supports and promotes terrorism should be boycotted. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already declared that this is a ‘New India’ — there is no place for terrorism here. Therefore, countries supporting such activities will not be welcomed for bilateral relations,” he told IANS.The controversy erupted after 26 people mainly tourists were killed in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22 in a terrorist attack allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan-backed groups.In response, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 7, targeting and destroying nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.Following the operation, both Turkey and Azerbaijan publicly criticised India’s actions, calling for restraint and diplomacy. Azerbaijan also issued a formal statement condemning the strikes and expressing concern over potential civilian casualties.Global Strategist Robinder Sachdev supported the idea of halting trade and tourism ties with Turkey, pointing to its growing military and diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan.“Turkey has long supplied drones to Pakistan, which have been now used in war against India. More troubling, however, is Turkey’s consistent diplomatic stance supporting Pakistan on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. It is time to reconsider our engagement with such countries,” he said.Sachdev also urged Indian travellers to avoid visiting Turkey, recommending alternate destinations.“Instead of going to Turkey, tourists should consider Greece or Armenia. India has strong relations with these countries. This is a good opportunity to shift preferences and support our allies,” he added.Data from the Azerbaijan Tourism Board shows that 243,589 Indian tourists visited the country in 2024. The board projects an 11 per cent annual growth in Indian tourist arrivals over the next decade. Turkey, meanwhile, recorded 330,000 Indian visitors in 2024, up from 119,503 in 2014, according to its Ministry of Culture and Tourism.Indian tourists contribute significantly to Turkey’s economy, spending an estimated $1,200 to $1,500 per person. In 2023, the total estimated spending by Indian tourists in Turkey was around $350–400 million (approximately Rs 3,000 crore).Amid calls for boycotting Turkish goods, data reveals trade with Turkey has declined to 63 per cent from FY22-23 levels.Tourism is a key pillar of Turkey’s economy, accounting for nearly 12 per cent of its GDP and 10 per cent of total employment. With India being one of the fastest-growing source markets, the call for a boycott could have serious implications for the Turkish tourism sector.–IANSjk/rad

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur have developed a smart tracked robot that can detect crop diseases and spray pesticides to boost farming.The semi-automatic tracked mobile manipulator cum agricultural robotic system has been successfully designed and developed by a group of students at the Institute’s Mechanical Engineering Department.The intelligent robotic system aims to address the recurring challenges faced by farmers in identifying plant diseases and ensuring appropriate and safe pesticide application.Recognising that agricultural terrains are neither completely smooth nor entirely rough, Prof. Dilip Kumar Pratihar, who led the research, proposed a tracked mobile manipulator as the ideal solution.“This system features a serial manipulator, resembling a human hand, mounted on a tracked vehicle — designed specifically for field navigation and precision tasks,” Pratihar said.While drone-based agricultural robots have gained popularity, they struggle to capture high-quality images of plant leaves due to the forced draught created during flight, resulting in noisy data.“This tracked mobile manipulator could be used to serve numerous purposes in the agricultural field, such as plant health monitoring, plant disease identification, pesticide spraying, fruit or vegetables harvesting, etc,” the researchers mentioned in the paper, presented during the 2021 IEEE 18th India Council International Conference (INDICON) organised by IIT Guwahati.The newly developed ground-based tracked mobile manipulator uses camera-based image analysis for accurate disease detection, followed by automatic spraying of the appropriate pesticide.The robotic system, funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, not only aims to reduce the health risks faced by farmers during manual pesticide spraying, but also significantly enhances food quality and agricultural productivity.By minimising crop loss due to diseases, it supports improved yield and cost efficiency, contributing positively to the nation’s GDP, the Institute said.–IANSrvt/

Hyderabad, May 15 (IANS) Saraswati Pushkaralu near Kaleshwaram in Bhupalpally district of Telangana began on Thursday.

Devotees were taking a holy dip at Triveni Sangamam, where Godavari, Pranahita, and Saraswati rivers converge.This is the first Swaraswati Pushkaralu since the formation of Telangana state.Minister for Industries and Information Technology D. Sridhar Babu was among the first to take the holy dip along with his family members.“I feel truly blessed to have taken part in the sacred Saraswati Pushkaralu at the Triveni Sangamam in Kaleshwaram early this morning. As the holy rivers Godavari, Pranahita & the subterranean Saraswati converge at this divine site, it’s a profoundly spiritual moment for all of us. Witnessing thousands of devotees gather with such unwavering faith was a humbling and sacred experience,” the minister posted on ‘X’.“The first holy dip by His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Madhavananda Saraswati ji added immense sanctity to the occasion. These 12 days of Pushkaralu, from the 15th to the 26th, are not just a ritual but a chance for every soul to reconnect with the divine, and I invite everyone to come, reflect and receive the blessings of Maa Saraswati,” he added.Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will formally inaugurate the Pushakarlu with the inauguration of Swaraswati Ghat on Thursday evening. He along with his family members and several ministers will participate in the rituals. He will also unveil a statue of Saraswati Devi.The Endowment Department has made elaborate arrangements for the Swaraswati Pushkaralu, which is held once in 12 years.The Pushkaralu is observed when Jupiter enters the Gemini zodiac sign, which occurred at 10:35 p.m. on Wednesday.The 12-day event included daily yagas from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Triveni Sangamam and Saraswati Navaratna Mala Harati from 6:45 am to 7:35 a.m. each day at the Saraswati ghat. Cultural programmes are planned for the evenings.Officials expect that 1 to 1.5 lakh devotees will take part in Pushkaralu every day. Authorities have set up temporary tents and made other arrangements for pilgrims.The state government has allocated Rs 35 crore for Pushkaralu. Authorities undertook ghat construction and made arrangements for drinking water, sanitation and parking. Telangana State Road Transport Corporation is operating special buses from various parts of the state to Kaleshwaram.–IANSms/dan

Seoul, May 15 (IANS) South Korea’s top military officer inspected naval units and the submarine command on Thursday, urging firm naval readiness to deter any provocations by North Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo made the call as he boarded the ROKS Jeongjo the Great destroyer and visited the submarine force command, the Jinhae Naval Base Command and the naval special warfare flotilla based in Jinhae, some 310 kilometres southeast of Seoul, according to the JCS.Boarding the destroyer, Kim urged troops to familiarise themselves with the warship’s combat system and equipment to preemptively deter and respond to the North’s nuclear and missile threats.The 8,200-tonne Aegis destroyer, armed with an advanced missile interception platform, was delivered to the Navy in November last year and is expected to be deployed by December.While visiting the submarine force command, Kim instructed the command to maintain a firm readiness posture against the enemy’s potential provocations, Yonhap news agency reported.As part of the visit, Kim also conducted a command flight on the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, the JCS said.The Navy completed its acquisition of six P-8As last year with an aim to deploy them this year. Dubbed the “submarine killer,” the P-8A is capable of conducting an array of missions, including anti-submarine, anti-surface, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.Earlier on Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had supervised combined tactical drills of special operations, stressing that the most “crucial” task for the North’s armed forces is to make full preparations for war.The combined tactical drills of special operations and tank subunits’ joint fire strike demonstration took place the previous day.”Saying that our revolutionary armed forces are now in charge of not a few fronts, but the most important among them is the anti-imperialist class front and making full preparations for war is the most crucial task,” Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA.He also said the combat drills will help “turn the whole army into an elite ranks.”Photos carried by state media showed North Korean troops in camouflage suits operating drones. South Korea’s spy agency earlier said it detected signs of North Korean troops deployed to Russia learning drone operations and tactics from Moscow.Last month, North Korea acknowledged for the first time that it had sent troops to Russia to fight against Ukrainian forces. During a visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang last week, Kim said the North’s involvement in the war was “justifiable,” calling it an exercise of sovereign rights under a mutual defence treaty with Moscow.–IANSint/jk/dan

Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) India legend Sunil Gavaskar has inaugurated a board room named in his honour at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters in Mumbai.”Honouring a legend! India great Sunil Gavaskar inaugurates 10000 Gavaskar – a Board Room named in his honour and his iconic milestone at the BCCI HQ in Mumbai,” the BCCI shared a video of the event, which saw the presence of the BCCI president Roger Binny, vice-president Rajeev Shukla and secretary Devajit Saikia.”MCA is my mother and BCCI is my father. Thank you so much. I really appreciate the opportunity that I have got to be what I am, thanks to Indian cricket. This is a huge honour. I am very thankful to BCCI for this honour. And I would like to give it all for BCCI… so anytime anything required of me, even at this age, please feel free…” Gavaskar said in the video in which he can be seen signing a photo of his playing days.The batting legend was the first batter to get to 10,000 Test runs. He finished his career with 10,122 runs in 125 Tests at a staggering average of over 51. He scored 34 centuries. He also has 3092 runs in 108 ODIs.His record for the highest number of Test hundreds was overtaken by Sachin Tendulkar, who also has a dedicated “Sachin Tendulkar Room” at the BCCI headquarters as a tribute.”Delighted to be part of the inauguration of the newly dedicated Sachin Tendulkar Room and Sunil Gavaskar Room by @BCCI – a heartfelt tribute to two icons of Indian cricket, @sachin_rt and #SunilGavaskar. Their legacy continues to inspire generations,” BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had shared on X last week.–IANSbc/ab

Patna, May 15 (IANS) Karnataka girls and Uttar Pradesh boys won well-deserved gold medals but in contrasting styles in the basketball competition in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar at the Patliputra Sports Complex Indoor Stadium here on Thursday.
Karnataka girls’ all-round superiority over Haryana was in evidence as they dominated the final. The low-scoring boys’ title clash was a more attritional contest, with the teams seemingly well-matched. Uttar Pradesh’s ability to find ways to score at critical moments helped it beat back Rajasthan’s challenge.Nidhi Umesh’s shooting skills came in handy while skipper Nidhi Srinivas donned the role of playmaker and contributed with her lay-up shots as well. Mahek Sharma made her presence felt with 21 rebounds, 7 of them on the offensive court and scored as well to lend her shoulder to Karnataka’s wheel.Haryana were dependent on a couple of players to keep the scorers busy. Skipper Kafi had to bear a considerable load herself, setting up opportunities and scoring. Bhumi Kataria was the other livewire for Haryana on the offensive court, but the team’s low shooting accuracy and lack of bench strength hurt it.Uttar Pradesh boys did well to rally around one another, finding heroes in Sanjay Mahakumbh and Anuj Divakar, who scored at key moments. Sanjay Mahakumbh stole the ball and converted at the very end of the third quarter to leave Rajasthan to consider that lapse, which allowed Uttar Pradesh to edge ahead 47-44.In the final quarter, Uttar Pradesh’s twin spearheads found a three-pointer each to make it tough for Rajasthan to catch up. Besides, Rajasthan ended up ruing the tendency of its players to commit fouls and letting Uttar Pradesh score off free throws made a big difference and impacted the outcome of the game.The Rajasthan team had to settle for silver for the second time in succession, having lost to Tamil Nadu last year in Chennai. In the end, it did not have the players who could put their hands up at crucial moments or shoot consistently to raise the scoring percentage.Results-Boys (final): Uttar Pradesh 68 (Anuj Divakar 19, Jatin 17, Sanjay Mahakumbh 15) beat Rajasthan 57 (Lokesh Kumar Sharma 16, Chetan 11). Half-time: 31-30. Bronze medal playoff: Tamil Nadu beat Delhi 90-69.Girls (final): Karnataka 86 (Nidhi Umesh 27, Mahek Sharma 21, Nidhi Srinivas 17, Shravani Shivanna 10) beat Haryana 61(Kafi 22, Bhumi Kataria 22, Vaishnavi 13). Half time: 46-25. Bronze medal playoff: Punjab beat Maharashtra 68-63.–IANSab/bc

Istanbul, May 15 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine cannot be solved militarily.”There is no military solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This war is going to end not through a military solution, but through a diplomatic one,” said the top US diplomat as he arrived in Antalya for an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers.Rubio further stated that the US hopes that progress will soon be made in the negotiation process, noting the situation around the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict remains complicated.Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to the Kyiv authorities to resume direct talks suspended in 2022, without preconditions on Thursday in Istanbul.Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Thursday said that the Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul for talks on Ukraine and is ready for serious work.”As we have already stated, the Russian side is ready to negotiate in earnest. The Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul and is ready for serious work,” Zakharova said, addressing a news briefing.”The Russian President proposed restarting those direct talks in Istanbul on May 15 without delay or any preliminary conditions. As the Russian President emphasised, the purpose of these talks is to, direct quote, eliminate the root causes of the conflict, to reach the establishment of a long-term lasting peace for a historical perspective,” she added.The Russian delegation, headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin. However, Putin has decided to skip the visit.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said the talks, which will be held in Istanbul, will be productive.”Marco (Rubio) is going to be going there, others are going to be going, and we’ll see if we can get it done… Very importantly, talks are being held in Turkey later this week, probably on Thursday, and they could produce some pretty good results,” he told a bilateral investment forum in Saudi Arabia, without elaborating.Addressing reporters, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that on Wednesday evening, President Putin held a meeting to discuss arrangements for talks with Ukraine, due to take place in Istanbul.”Prior to the departure of our delegation for Istanbul last evening, President Putin chaired a meeting on arrangements for upcoming talks with Ukraine,” he said.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also took to his social media on Wednesday night, stating that he would hold discussions with his team on the format of the Istanbul meeting.”Today, we held several meetings with the team regarding the format in Turkey. I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing,” Zelensky posted on X.–IANSint/scor/sd/