A major controversy has broken out in the national capital after police action at the office of United News of India (UNI), one of India’s oldest news agencies. On Friday evening, 20th March, officials from the Delhi Police, along with paramilitary personnel, reached UNI’s office at Rafi Marg and carried out an eviction process following a court order.

According to media reports, around 50 journalists and staff members present at the office were asked to vacate the premises. Reports also claimed that some employees were physically removed from the building during the operation. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma said that the police were present only to assist government authorities. “As per the HC order, we were there to provide security to the L&DO officers and asked all UNI staffers to vacate the premises,” he stated.

The action came just hours after the Delhi High Court dismissed UNI’s plea challenging the cancellation of its land allotment. Soon after, the property was sealed by authorities, triggering a wider debate over press freedom and government action.

Misleading public by dubbing action against UNI as attack on ‘press freedom’

Following the incident, several left-liberals, activists and so-called journalists took to social media to criticise the government, with many saying that the move reflects shrinking space for free speech in India.

A Congress worker, Srinivas, compared the situation to an authoritarian regime and suggested that media freedom in India is under serious threat. He wrote, “Congratulations, North Korea has been born in India…”

बधाई हो, भारत में North Korea पैदा हुआ है.. https://t.co/MF72AbkuJQ

— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) March 20, 2026

Journalist Mamta Tripathi also expressed concern, alleging that the media industry is being controlled. Sharing a video, she wrote, “Will Lala Ji take control of UNI too?? Today, Delhi Police raided the UNI office!! He has the entire news industry in his fist.”

UNI पर भी लाला जी का क़ब्ज़ा होगा क्या?? आज दिल्ली पुलिस ने UNI के दफ़्तर पर छापा मारा है!!

पूरी न्यूज़ इंडस्ट्री को मुट्ठी में कर लिया है। pic.twitter.com/aH3kRFFNho

— Mamta Tripathi (@MamtaTripathi80) March 20, 2026

Similarly, journalist Harsh Vardhan Tripathi criticised the action and called the visuals disturbing. He wrote, “The Delhi Police has raided #UNI. The Statesman newspaper is also part of the same group. Shameful scene.”

Another journalist, Namita Sharma, used strong words to describe the situation, suggesting that the system itself is targeting the media. She wrote, “Some die by bullet, some by hunger… So some will die by the system, all will die, Raid by Delhi Police on UNI News… It’s clear to the media: if you lick, you’ll be cut. Today it’s UNI’s turn, tomorrow it’ll be yours, Sycophantic journalism has made corrupt governments great…”

कोई गोली से, कोई भूख से…
तो कोई सिस्टम से मरेगा,मरेंगे तो सब—
UNI News पर दिल्ली पुलिस का छापा—-

मीडिया के लिए स्पष्ट है बटोगे तो कटोगे—
आज UNI की बारी तो कल तुम्हारी बारी—

चाटुकार पत्रकारिता ने भ्रष्ट सरकारों को महान बना दिया ——#UNI #MEDIA pic.twitter.com/ah86JMfgav

— Journalist Namita Sharma (@NamitaSharmaSV) March 20, 2026

Political leaders also joined in. CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar condemned the action and termed it an attack on press freedom. 

STORY | Sealing of UNI office "assault on press": CPI MP

CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar on Friday condemned the sealing of the office of news agency UNI and called it an assault on press freedom.

READ: https://t.co/9DkpjnVL3K pic.twitter.com/bASWwe4qJW

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 20, 2026

Meanwhile, another Congress worker from Gujarat, Saral Patel described the move as similar to an “undeclared emergency” and accused authorities of acting harshly. He wrote, “A glimpse of the undeclared emergency of the last 12 years under the Modi BJP government. India’s oldest news agency, UNI’s office, was raided by Delhi Police and sealed as if they were acting against some terror organisation. Employees were not even given time to collect their belongings. A blatant attack on the freedom of the press!”

A glimpse of the undeclared emergency of the last 12 years under the Modi BJP government.

India’s oldest news agency UNI’s office was raided by Delhi Police and sealed as if they were acting against some terror organisation. Employees were not even given time to collect their… pic.twitter.com/pVUWTAoxbX

— Saral Patel (@SaralPatel) March 21, 2026

These reactions have added to the narrative that press freedom is under threat. However, others argue that such statements are creating unnecessary panic and a “fear psychosis,” without fully acknowledging the legal and judicial context behind the action.

What led to the crackdown? The legal background

At the centre of the controversy is a long-standing land dispute involving UNI and the government’s Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

The property in question, located at 9 Rafi Marg in central Delhi, is considered prime public land. UNI was originally allotted this land decades ago with a clear condition that it would construct a composite office building along with the Press Council of India (PCI) within a specified time frame.

However, according to the government and court records, this condition was never fulfilled.

In its recent order, the Delhi High Court made strong observations against UNI. Justice Sachin Datta noted that the organisation had continued to occupy valuable public land despite failing to meet its obligations for years.

“The facts of the present case reveal a situation where valuable public land has effectively been held hostage by a licensee who has failed to perform its obligations for decades,” the court observed.

The court further added that such conduct “strikes at the very foundation of the allotment framework governing public land,” and concluded that “the cancellation of the allotment was, therefore, fully justified and legally inevitable.”

Decades of non-compliance and missed deadlines

The issue is not recent but goes back more than 45 years. UNI was first allotted land at the Rafi Marg location in 1979, with plans to build a shared office complex for multiple media organisations. However, the project never took off.

Over the years, multiple revised allotment letters were issued, in 1986, 1999, and 2000, each time reiterating the requirement to construct the building. Despite this, little to no progress was made. Even when construction approval was granted in 2012, the project remained stalled.

By 2023, after issuing a show-cause notice and receiving unsatisfactory responses, the L&DO cancelled the allotment, citing violation of lease conditions. UNI challenged this decision in court, but its plea was ultimately dismissed.

The High Court also pointed out that “more than 45 years of persistent non-performance” could not be excused simply because the organisation was now willing to act.

UNI’s financial troubles further complicated the situation. The agency underwent insolvency proceedings and was taken over by The Statesman Ltd in 2025. The government argued that this change in ownership altered the nature of the allottee, as the land was originally granted to a not-for-profit entity, not a private commercial organisation.

Court emphasises public interest

Another key point highlighted by the court was the importance of protecting public assets. The land in question is estimated to be worth around ₹409 crore, making it a highly valuable public resource.

The court stressed that public land cannot be treated as private property. “Public land cannot be allowed to be held hostage by a defaulting licensee who has failed to fulfil the very object for which the licence was granted,” it said.

It also directed authorities to ensure stricter enforcement of conditions in future allotments to prevent such long delays and misuse.

Government’s role: Implementing the High Court’s order

One of the central debates in this controversy is whether the government acted independently or was simply following judicial directions.

A closer look at the sequence of events suggests that the action was taken after the Delhi High Court’s order, which clearly directed authorities to “immediately take possession of the land.”

Police officials have also maintained that their role was limited to providing security during the eviction process. The operation was carried out in support of the L&DO, which is responsible for managing government land.

In that sense, the government’s actions appear to be in line with the court’s directive rather than an arbitrary decision.

Conclusion: A case of legal action, not press freedom

The UNI controversy has once again brought the debate on press freedom into the spotlight. While some activists and journalists have portrayed the incident as an attack on media independence, the legal record tells a more complex story.

The eviction was not a sudden move but the result of a long-standing dispute over land use, stretching back decades. The Delhi High Court’s detailed observations point to consistent non-compliance by UNI in fulfilling its obligations.

At the same time, the government, as an implementing authority, is bound to act on court orders. Ignoring such directives would raise serious questions about governance and the rule of law.

While concerns about press freedom are important in any democracy, it is equally important to separate legal enforcement from political narratives. In this case, the available facts suggest that the action against UNI was rooted in a judicial decision rather than an independent crackdown on the media.

The situation, however, has clearly struck a nerve, and the larger debate around media freedom, government action, and accountability is likely to continue in the coming days.

For decades, the United States operated under a comfortable strategic assumption: that distance equals safety. That wars in the Middle East could be fought, escalated, and even prolonged, without ever threatening America’s most prized military sanctuaries far beyond the Gulf.

Iran has just challenged that assumption in one calculated move.

The myth of the untouchable base

The attempted missile strike on Diego Garcia, a remote US-UK military base sitting deep in the Indian Ocean, is not just another escalation. It is a doctrinal disruption. It signals that Tehran is no longer playing by the geographic constraints Washington had quietly built its war calculus around.

And that changes everything.

To understand why this attempted strike matters, one must first understand what Diego Garcia actually is.

This is not just another overseas installation. It is arguably one of the most strategically valuable military assets the United States possesses outside its mainland.

Sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia was chosen during the Cold War precisely because of its geographic centrality and isolation, roughly equidistant from key chokepoints like the Red Sea and the Malacca Strait. This positioning allows the United States to project power across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia simultaneously, while also ensuring that its operations remain insulated from the political volatility of continental bases. The location provides Washington with the ability to operate without dependence on host nations that may shift allegiances or impose operational constraints.

Over the decades, the base has evolved into a full-spectrum war machine. It hosts long-range strategic bombers such as B-52s capable of striking deep into enemy territory, supported by an extensive airfield designed to accommodate heavy aircraft, including tankers, reconnaissance platforms, and transport fleets. 

The island also features deep-water port facilities that allow docking, resupply, and maintenance of major naval assets, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines. Alongside this, Diego Garcia maintains massive fuel reserves, pre-positioned weapons, and logistics stockpiles that enable rapid deployment during crises, as well as sophisticated radar, surveillance, and communications infrastructure that ties it into the broader US global military network.

From the Gulf War in 1991 to Iraq in 2003, and from operations in Afghanistan to recent strikes against Houthi targets, Diego Garcia has consistently functioned as a silent but decisive launchpad of American military power. In practical terms, it is not merely a base—it is a strategic backbone of US expeditionary warfare.

And that is precisely why Iran chose it.

Iran’s message: “Your safe zone is not safe”

Iran’s attempted strike, two intermediate-range ballistic missiles fired toward a base nearly 4,000 km away, was not about destruction. It was about disruption.

Because even though one missile reportedly failed mid-flight and the other was intercepted by a US SM-3 interceptor, the attempt itself shattered a long-held psychological barrier. Diego Garcia had always been considered comfortably beyond Iran’s reach, lying well outside its publicly declared missile range of around 2,000 km.

That assumption now stands eroded.

If Iran genuinely attempted a strike at that distance, it suggests the possibility that Tehran has been understating its true missile capabilities. Independent assessments have long hinted at extended-range systems, and this episode adds weight to those suspicions. Alternatively, this could represent a live combat test of modified or experimental missile systems, allowing Iran to gather operational data under real-world conditions. The third and perhaps most significant possibility is that Iran is deliberately cultivating ambiguity. By demonstrating even the possibility of such reach, Tehran forces adversaries into a position where they must assume the worst-case scenario.

In strategic terms, uncertainty itself becomes a weapon.

How this upends American war planning

For Washington, this episode is not a tactical anomaly; it is a structural disruption of its existing military calculus.

Until now, American planning in the region operated on a layered understanding of threat geography. Immediate threats were concentrated in the Gulf and surrounding conflict zones, while distant bases like Diego Garcia functioned as secure logistical hubs insulated from direct attack. Iran’s move collapses that distinction. The battlefield is no longer confined to the Middle East but now extends into the Indian Ocean, forcing the United States to consider a far broader operational theatre. This kind of horizontal escalation complicates deployment strategies and stretches surveillance and defence requirements across a significantly larger area.

The financial and operational cost of defence also increases dramatically. Missile defence systems are not only expensive but limited in number and deployment flexibility. The use of high-end interceptors like the SM-3 in a previously secure zone indicates that the United States may now need to redistribute its defensive assets, deploying additional systems and naval platforms to areas that were never prioritised before. This redistribution inevitably weakens concentration elsewhere, creating new vulnerabilities even as it attempts to plug emerging ones.

Perhaps most importantly, the psychological foundation of American military doctrine takes a hit. The concept of secure rear areas, zones from which operations can be conducted without direct threat, has been central to US expeditionary warfare. Diego Garcia epitomised that concept. By bringing even the perception of threat to such a location, Iran has effectively undermined the idea that any base can remain entirely insulated from conflict.

Britain’s decision and Iran’s response

Timing, in geopolitics, is rarely coincidental.

The attempted strike came shortly after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorised expanded use of British-linked bases, including Diego Garcia, for US operations connected to the Strait of Hormuz. Until then, British policy had maintained a more cautious posture, restricting such bases largely to defensive roles.

Iran’s response appears calibrated to that shift. By targeting Diego Garcia, Tehran signalled that escalation would not remain geographically contained and that coalition participation carries direct strategic consequences. It was a message not just to Washington but also to London: deeper involvement in the conflict invites exposure to retaliation, even in regions previously considered beyond reach.

This transforms the conflict from a bilateral confrontation into a broader strategic contest involving multiple actors and theatres.

The optics game: Why Iran still wins

At a purely tactical level, the strike failed. The missiles did not hit their target, and US defensive systems appear to have functioned as intended.

But strategy is not measured purely in successful hits.

Iran has already extracted value from the attempt. It forced the United States to activate advanced missile defence systems in a zone that was previously considered secure, thereby demonstrating that even distant assets require protection. It introduced ambiguity regarding its true missile capabilities, complicating enemy assessments and planning. It expanded the perceived geographical scope of the conflict, signalling that no region is inherently off-limits. Most importantly, it shifted the psychological balance by challenging the notion of American invulnerability at a distance.

In modern warfare, perception often precedes reality. Iran did not need to destroy Diego Garcia; it only needed to make the United States reconsider its assumptions about safety and reach.

The big picture: Stretching the superpower

This episode fits seamlessly into Iran’s broader asymmetric doctrine, which avoids direct parity with the United States and instead focuses on strategic stretching. Rather than attempting to match American capabilities in conventional terms, Iran seeks to expand the number of variables Washington must manage simultaneously. By enlarging the battlespace and increasing uncertainty, Tehran forces the United States into a position where it must defend more assets, across more regions, at greater cost.

In doing so, Iran effectively dictates the terms of engagement, not by overpowering its adversary, but by complicating its decision-making framework.

Implications beyond the US

The consequences of this development extend well beyond Washington.

Gulf states, already wary of Iran’s regional posture, now face renewed uncertainty about the true range of Tehran’s missile capabilities. This is likely to accelerate defence spending, deepen security alignments, and intensify regional arms dynamics. Israel, which relies on carefully calibrated missile-defence layers, must now account for the possibility of extended-range threats that could alter its strategic calculations.

For India and the broader Indian Ocean region, the implications are equally significant. The Indian Ocean can no longer be viewed as a relatively stable strategic space. Iran’s move introduces a new layer of risk, potentially transforming the region into an active theatre of missile engagement. This could lead to increased military presence, heightened surveillance, and a recalibration of maritime security priorities across regional powers.

A failed strike that changed the game

Iran’s attempted attack on Diego Garcia will not be remembered for its accuracy.

It will be remembered for its intent.

Because in one calculated move, Tehran has challenged America’s reliance on distance, expanded the geography of conflict, injected uncertainty into global military planning, and forced the world’s most powerful military to rethink its foundational assumptions.

The missiles may have failed.

But the strategy did not.

And in the evolving theatre of modern warfare, that distinction matters far more than where a missile lands.

In a breakthrough in anti-terror operations earlier this month, the NIA arrested seven foreign nationals, including six Ukrainians and a US mercenary, Matthew VanDyke under UAPA charges. The Ukrainians were arrested in Delhi and Lucknow, and the US citizen, Matthew Aaron VanDyke, in Kolkata. A Special NIA Court at Patiala House Court remanded them to NIA custody for interrogation. The development was significant as this was the first time that European and US nationals were taken into custody by the central agency as part of the investigation of a terror conspiracy.

According to the NIA, the foreign nationals had arrived in India on tourist visas and reached Mizoram illegally, without obtaining the necessary documents (Restricted Area Permit). From there, they entered Myanmar and contacted the ethnic war groups there. The agency further revealed that these foreign nationals had brought a huge consignment of drones, supplying weapons and hardware from Europe through India.

Notably, the American national Mathew Aaron VanDyke founded the non-profit security contracting company ‘Sons of Liberty International’ (SOLI) in 2014. VanDyke personally fought along the Libyan rebels against the Muammar Gaddafi regime in 2011. His company provides military training to various armed groups. The central agency submitted to the court that foreign nationals had plotted to train the ethnic armed groups in Myanmar in drone warfare, operations, assembly, jamming technology, and more.

The weaponised drone attacks by Kuki militants in 2024

Now, from a plain look at these developments, one might believe that these foreign nationals were aiding insurgent activities in the neighbouring Myanmar and have no connection with India. But before reaching such a conclusion, let’s take a quick recap of the drone bombings that happened in Manipur in September 2024, in the middle of the Kuki-Meitei conflict. On September 1, 2024, the Kuki militant groups used weaponised drones to carry out attacks at Meitei villages.

The incident alarmed the security agencies, as this was the first time that drones were used to drop explosives by domestic terrorist groups. Over 40 explosives were dropped using drones by Kuki militants on Meitei villages like Koutruk and Kadangband in Imphal West. Several civilians were killed and seriously injured in the drone bombings.

The use of weaponised drones to deploy explosives marked a major escalation in the regional ethnic conflict, which had ignited about a year ago, in May 2023. The Manipur Police described the drone bombings amid the ethnic conflict as an “unprecedented” situation. According to the police, the Kuki militants deployed rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and fired them at Meitei villages using high-tech drones. Intelligence also confirmed the use of long-range sniper rifles by Kuki militants in the attack on Koutruk village. The use of advanced weapons such as the RPGs by the Kuki militants particularly alarmed the security agencies, as this was an exceptional occurrence in a local conflict. While dropping explosives using drones requires minor modifications in a drone, launching RPGs would require fully military-grade drones and specialised knowledge, which was not possible at the local level.

Security agencies found a foreign hand in the 2024 Manipur drone bombings

The security agencies signalled the involvement of highly trained professionals with expertise in carrying out explosions through drones in the attacks. The involvement and support of a foreign agency in carrying out the drone bombings was also not ruled out by the agencies. In a statement released after the attacks, the Manipur Police said that the use of drones to deploy explosives had never been witnessed before in the regional ethnic conflict, which has a long history.

“In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, Imphal West, alleged Kuki militants have deployed numerous RPGs using high-tech drones. While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfare, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and civilians marks a significant escalation…,” Manipur Police said in the statement.

In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, Imphal West, alleged Kuki militants have deployed numerous RPGs using high-tech drones. While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and the…

— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) September 1, 2024

In the aftermath of the attack, the Assam Rifles (AR) deployed anti-drone systems in Manipur to counter such attacks in the future.

After the investigation, the NIA was able to trace the supply chain through which these drones reached the conflict-ridden state. The agency identified one Khaigoulen Kipgen, alias David, of Gamngai village, Motbung, as the person who collected and brought the drones and accessories into Manipur. The drones and accessories were supplied to him by Mayank Sharma from Ramesh Nagar in New Delhi and Vikram Chaudhary from Haryana’s Rohtak. Kipgen is said to have paid huge amounts of money to Sharma and Chaudhary for supplying the drones. Another individual, Laikangbam Albert Singh, was also found to have purchased drones and batteries from them.

The porous Indo-Myanmar border, a safe passage for drugs and arms

The drones used by the Kuki insurgents in September 2024 were modified to make them capable of carrying and firing grenades. This was similar to the tactics used by ethnic war groups during the 2021 coup in Myanmar, as per reports. The highly porous India-Myanmar border has been used by insurgent groups for the exchange of arms, drugs, ideas and even people. According to the NIA, the ethnic war groups in Myanmar are known to support local insurgent groups in India, particularly those active in the Northeast region.

How the Indo-Myanmar border corridor has been used by the drug mafia for pushing the drug trade in India is a well-known fact. From opium to heroin to industrial-scale methamphetamine, India’s illicit drug networks are fed through this corridor. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identifies Myanmar’s Shan and Chin states as the epicentre of the world’s largest illicit methamphetamine and opium economy. In 2023, Myanmar surpassed Afghanistan as the world’s largest illicit opium producer after the Taliban banned poppy cultivation in the country. As per UNODC data, by 2025, Myanmar’s opium poppy cultivation spiked by 17%, the highest in the last decade, with the sharpest increases in areas bordering India directly.

The impact of Myanmar’s drug cultivation expansion on India was clearly visible. The seizures of amphetamine-type narcotics in India more than doubled from 34 quintals in 2023 to 80 quintals in 2024. The cumulative value of narcotics seized across India in 2024 rose roughly 55 per cent year-on-year. In November 2024, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted a Myanmarese fishing vessel in the Andaman Sea carrying approximately 5,500 kilograms of methamphetamine. As per the official Coast Guard release, this was the single largest drug haul in the service’s history.

In April 2024, India’s Narcotics Control Bureau Deputy Director General Monika Ashish Batra said that investigations revealed that drug proceeds were “increasingly being used to fund terrorism, and to support armed groups”. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also flagged the threat of drug money being used to fund Naxalism, terrorism and separatism in the country.

However, according to NIA’s submissions before the court in the foreign nationals’ case, the Indo-Myanmar border is also being used by Indian insurgent groups to acquire more advanced drone warfare technology using European supply chains. The agency sought the custody of the foreign nationals to ascertain their source of funding.

Connecting the dots

In light of the facts, the presence of foreign nationals with combat experience training Myanmar’s ethnic insurgent groups and running their operations through Indian soil is a grave concern for regional security. Ethnic militant groups active in India’s North-Eastern border with Myanmar have already been getting weapons and funding through narcotics and suspected foreign organisations on the Myanmar side. The presence of foreign nationals on Indian soil does not look like a benign case of a bunch of foreigner choosing the Indian route to reach their destination in Myanmar. It hints at a larger conspiracy involving foreign powers at work to destabilise India by exploiting the country’s internal fault lines.

Assam goes to the polls on April 9, and conventionally, a journalist’s task is to observe, interpret, and analyse, not to predict. Electoral democracy, after all, is famously unpredictable. Yet, there are moments when patterns become so visible, when structural shifts align so clearly with political momentum, that refraining from a forecast feels like an evasion rather than restraint. This is one such moment. Based on more than two decades of closely following Assam’s politics and extensive ground observations over the past few months, the conclusion is difficult to avoid: when results are declared on May 4, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, is poised to return to power with a comfortable majority.

This is not clairvoyance. It is the outcome of examining a confluence of factors structural, organisational, psychological, and political that together tilt the balance decisively in favour of the ruling alliance.

A Fragmented Battlefield: Alliances and Contradictions

At the outset, the electoral map presents a familiar yet deeply fractured contest. The NDA comprises the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), collectively contesting nearly all of Assam’s 126 seats. The BJP itself fields candidates in the lion’s share, underscoring its dominance within the alliance.

Yet beneath this apparent cohesion lies a story of transactional politics. The BJP’s relationship with the BPF and its rival, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), illustrates the fluidity of alliances in Assam. From backing the BPF in 2016 to supporting the UPPL in the 2020 Bodoland Territorial Council elections, and then returning to the BPF after its resurgence in 2025, the BJP has demonstrated a pragmatic, almost clinical approach to coalition-building.

On the opposing side stands a Congress-led alliance featuring the Indian National Congress, the Raijor Dal (RD), the Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP), and several Left and regional outfits. On paper, this coalition appears broad-based. In practice, it is an untested amalgamation with weak organisational coherence and uncertain vote transferability.

Crucially, the Congress has chosen not to ally with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), a decision that may prove decisive. In 2021, their alliance delivered a combined 45 seats. Today, their separation risks splitting a consolidated minority vote a development that structurally benefits the NDA.

Delimitation: Redrawing the Political Geometry

The most consequential shift in Assam’s electoral landscape is the 2023 delimitation exercise. Constituencies have been redrawn, new seats created, and demographic balances recalibrated. While such exercises are ostensibly administrative, their political consequences are profound.

The number of constituencies where Muslim voters can decisively influence outcomes has dropped significantly from around 35 to approximately 24. Given that Muslim voters have historically consolidated behind the Congress and AIUDF, this contraction directly weakens the opposition’s electoral efficiency.

Assam’s Muslim population, estimated to exceed 40 percent today, remains a critical voting bloc. However, its geographic concentration now translates into diminishing returns in terms of seats. The Congress, which secured nearly 30 percent of the vote in 2021 but only 29 seats, faces the prospect of an even worse vote-to-seat conversion ratio in 2026.

Without an alliance between the Congress and AIUDF, this vote base is further fragmented. Multi-cornered contests in minority-dominated constituencies introduce unpredictability but not necessarily an opportunity for the opposition. Instead, they create openings for the NDA to either win marginally or benefit indirectly from divided adversaries.

Leadership and Governance: The Sarma Factor

If delimitation provides the structural foundation for the NDA’s advantage, leadership supplies its emotional and political energy. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has emerged as one of the most formidable political figures in contemporary India.

Sarma’s appeal transcends conventional party lines. His governance model, marked by visible infrastructure development, aggressive welfare delivery, and an assertive administrative style, has resonated with a broad cross-section of voters. Roads, bridges, healthcare facilities, and digitised service delivery have created a perception of efficiency and progress.

Equally important is Sarma’s political communication. Through extensive outreach campaigns such as the Aashirvad Yatra, he has cultivated a direct connection with voters. These are not merely political rallies; they are carefully choreographed demonstrations of mass appeal that reinforce his image as a leader who delivers.

In contrast, the Congress leadership in Assam, led by Gaurav Gogoi, struggles to project a comparable narrative. Organisational weaknesses at the booth level further compound this disadvantage. Elections in India are increasingly won not just through messaging but through meticulous ground-level mobilisation a domain where the BJP and its ideological ecosystem, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), maintain a decisive edge.

Polarisation and Identity: The Enduring Faultline

No analysis of Assam’s politics is complete without addressing the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh. It remains one of the most emotionally charged and politically potent issues in the state.

The BJP has consistently leveraged this concern to consolidate indigenous voters. Sarma’s rhetoric around demographic change and cultural preservation taps into deeply held anxieties. While critics describe this as polarisation, its electoral effectiveness is undeniable.

In previous elections, the BJP found a convenient adversary in AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, whose image was used to symbolise the threat of demographic imbalance. With the AIUDF no longer allied with the Congress and its influence diminished, the BJP has recalibrated its narrative.

Figures like Rakibul Hussain have been positioned as new focal points of political attack, particularly after internal dissent within the Congress exposed factional tensions. The BJP has effectively weaponised these divisions, portraying the Congress as a party unable to reconcile competing interests.

Ironically, Congress often amplifies this narrative through its own missteps. The presence of controversial figures during key campaign moments and public disagreements over candidate selection provide the BJP with ready-made talking points.

The Optics of Defection: Perception as Reality

Elections are as much about perception as they are about numbers. In this regard, recent defections from the Congress to the BJP have had an outsized impact.

Leaders such as Bhupen Kumar Borah and Pradyut Bordoloi may not individually alter electoral arithmetic. Yet their departure reinforces a narrative of instability within the Congress.

The optics have been particularly damaging. Public attempts by Congress leaders to persuade defectors to stay, often after decisions had already been finalised, project an image of desperation. In contrast, the BJP appears confident, even dominant, further strengthening its psychological advantage.

Sarma has skilfully deepened this perception by claiming to have insider influence within the Congress, suggesting that he can anticipate or even orchestrate defections. Whether exaggerated or not, such claims sow distrust within opposition ranks and erode voter confidence.

An Unsteady Opposition: Arithmetic Without Chemistry

The Congress-led alliance faces a fundamental problem: it exists more convincingly on paper than on the ground. While it brings together multiple parties, their combined strength remains limited.

The RD and AJP, led by figures like Akhil Gogoi and Lurinjyoti Gogoi, respectively, have pockets of influence but lack statewide organisational depth. Many of the constituencies they are contesting are either newly delimited or structurally unfavourable. In the current house, the two parties have a grand total of one seat, as only Akhil Gogoi is an MLA. He is expected to retain his Sivasagar seat despite anti-incumbency due to his non-stop drama, but Lurin’s win in the election remains a doubt.

Even where arithmetic suggests competitiveness, the absence of proven vote transferability undermines the alliance’s prospects. Elections require not just shared objectives but seamless coordination at the grassroots, a capability the alliance has yet to demonstrate.

There is hope among sections of voters that a consolidation of Ahom support behind leaders like Gaurav Gogoi, Akhil Gogoi, and Lurinjyoti Gogoi could challenge the BJP in upper Assam. However, delimitation has diluted the electoral impact of such community-based swings, further reducing the opposition’s leverage.

Emotion vs Electoral Behaviour: The Zubeen Factor

The death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg has deeply affected Assam’s public consciousness. Few figures have commanded such widespread affection across communities.

Yet history suggests that emotional issues do not always translate into electoral outcomes. The protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019–20 were intense and widespread, yet they did not prevent the BJP from returning to power in 2021.

Zubeen Garg’s legacy, like the anti-CAA sentiment, reflects cultural and emotional currents that shape public discourse. But voting behaviour often aligns more closely with considerations of governance, identity, and political momentum.

The BJP’s Hidden Vulnerability

Despite its many advantages, the BJP is not without weaknesses. One notable concern is its increasing reliance on “imported” candidates leaders drawn from the Congress, AGP, and other parties.

Out of its declared candidates, a significant proportion are newcomers. This has created murmurs of discontent among long-time party workers who feel sidelined. Internal dissent, if not managed effectively, could lead to localised disruptions.

However, the BJP’s track record suggests a high degree of organisational discipline. Under leaders like Sarma and Sarbananda Sonowal, the party has consistently managed internal contradictions without allowing them to escalate into electoral liabilities.

Conclusion: A Convergence of Advantage

In the final analysis, the NDA’s expected victory in Assam is not the result of a single factor but of a convergence of advantages. Delimitation has altered the electoral map in its favour. The opposition remains fragmented and organisationally weak. Leadership, governance, and political communication provide the BJP with a compelling narrative. Polarisation continues to shape voter behaviour. And the psychological momentum rests firmly with the ruling alliance.

Elections, of course, can still surprise. Local factors, candidate-specific dynamics, and last-minute shifts in voter sentiment always carry the potential to disrupt forecasts. But barring an unforeseen upheaval, the trajectory appears clear.

When Assam’s voters deliver their verdict on May 4, it is likely to reaffirm not just a government but a political order, one defined by the BJP’s ability to combine structural advantage with strategic execution.

On 18th March (Wednesday), the central government invoked section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and certain social media accounts which seem to be affiliated with the opposition ecosystem were withheld in India. The section gives the authority to restrict internet content on grounds such as public order, national security and sovereignty.

Shortly after the development, the Indian National Congress initiated a campaign to charge the government with curtailing freedom of expression. A press conference was held on the issue by Supriya Srinate, the chief of the party’s social media and digital platforms department, in New Delhi.

She referred to the move as a rising culture of censorship and accused the centre of smothering dissent, strengthening its control on digital discourse and attacking the persons who hold unfavourable views of its policies. She alleged that the Modi government has engaged in a pattern of silencing independent dissenting voices across all online platforms.

Shrinate contended that such measures essentially give bureaucrats power over decisions regarding open accessibility to information. “This is not merely about shaping narratives; it is an encroachment on the very spirit of free expression,” she added. She further purported that the government was expanding its role into the world of social media after interfering with sections of mainstream media.

“Many of those affected are not aligned with the Congress. Some have even pointed fingers at us for our decisions, but we raise our voice in their support. We have learned from Rahul Gandhi to stand by anyone who encounters injustice, regardless of whether they have been against us and they are not an official part of our ecosystem, contrary to the assertions made by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its trolls,” the Congresswoman stated.

She then announced, “Blocking accounts will not block questions.” She also complained that the matter was a part of a broader issue, blaming the government for diverting emphasis from growing legislative and economic challenges alongside foreign policy flaws.

Shirante even uploaded a video with similar arguments and tweeted in support of the banned accounts, labelling the decision as “unacceptable” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “coward.”

Interestingly, the grand old party has a long history of crushing disagreement and has frequently violated the freedom of speech. Nevertheless, it has rallied behind these people not out of genuine concern for the lofty ideals articulated in formal statements, but because they peddle the opposition’s narrative. Of course, this cannot be the only reason for the move against them, as there appears to be much more to their online activities than meets the eye.

The knack for distributing misleading information and propaganda

Nehr_who, with 242.3 K followers, is one of the popular accounts from the Islamo-liberal cabal that has been restricted by the government. It has repeatedly not only spread false news but also exhibited racism and cast aspersions on the Indian Army. He even condemned the judiciary for its refusal to offer protection to the infamous gym owner “Mohammad” Deepak Kumar, who had mocked the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, remarking, “Only in India a hero is treated as a villain.”

He shared a speech from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which celebrated the diversity present in the United Kingdom, to declare that “this is actually the opposite in India,” leaving no chance to disparage the nation, even through falsehoods. The account has been at the forefront of circulating manufactured stories about “minorities under threat” while either sanitising the incidents of assaults on Hindus or poking fun at their massacre.

In 2024, he cited the Hinduphobia tracker of OpIndia to suggest that Hindus are more secure in Kashmir than in Uttar Pradesh to showcase his shockingly derogatory and insensitive viewpoint about their in the valley. He is clearly aware of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits due to jihadis but chose to deride their pain and anguish.

The United States Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor and the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, Samuel J Paparo went to the headquarters of India’s Western Army Command in Chandigarh this month. The talks centred on serious security matters along the western theatre, which is critical owing to military stalemates and hostilities with Pakistan.

However, the meeting was used to insinuate that PM Modi was compromised, an allegation often levelled by the Congress party and in turn raising questions on the integrity of the defence forces.

Nehr_who instigated a racist attack on the people of Bihar for their voting choices and ridiculed, “Enjoy the migration in toilets for another 5 years,” to demean the hardworking labour class merely because they refused to elect his preferred parties.

“Lakhs of migrants from UP and Bihar suffer horribly just to visit their hometown during festivals. Some of them even die,” he conveyed similarly in 2024, hitting out at them for backing the saffron party and charging that its government introduced Vande Bharat for the affluent. “You reap what you sow,” he added gleefully. The man has continuously downgraded the state and its residents over hygiene and other things.

He also invoked Osho to perpetrate xenophobic attacks against the people of Gujarat and Bihar, conveniently ignoring that these states were under the control of the parties he endorsed.

A woman reported that she voted for the Samajwadi Party but ended up with a BJP slip instead in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh. “I had an infant baby with me during the time of voting because of which I pressed the wrong button, and I have no problems with the EVMs,” she later clarified. However, her bogus statement was leveraged to denounce the Election Commission of India by him.

The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has enforced rigorous measures to stop illegal immigration from Bangladesh in the region. However, Nehr_who, not only sought to inject a communal perspective into his anti-intruder statement by crying “apartheid,” but also demanded action against him.

He and Mohammed Zubair of Alt News even tried to mark a target on journalist Nisha Pal for posing questions related to the Pahalgam terror incident, Operation Sindoor and the Israel–Hamas war directed at some Muslim children.

He even uploaded a video with a supposed Pakistani man celebrating the victory of the Indian cricket team, declaring the Islamic Republic to be a superior country compared to India, while disregarding all its massive transgressions including terrorism against his own land.

Moreover, the person which has “no ties” to the Congress seethed, “This is how you speak when you learn history from a movie and not from an actual book,” in response to a comment expressing that Dhurandhar 2 made them understand why the party should never regain power.

Disguised anti-India propaganda framed as disapproval against Modi government

Dr. Nimo Yadav 2.0, another prominent account that has been barred in India, went so far as to associate two union ministers with anti-national activities. He stated, “Is it true that N Sitharaman’s office and Rajeev Chandrashekhar were following a person on Twitter who was training terrorists in India,” and called for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the leaders.

Meanwhile, the parties that these elements support have been propping up mafias and gangsters for vote bank as they overstep all boundaries of human decency to push their agenda. He even made a joke about the appearance of the Indian Army officials and mentioned, “This is what happens when you ban eggs in mid-day meals,” illustrating the respect he has for the men in uniform who have been exemplary on the battlefield and otherwise while tackling enemies like Pakistan and China.

He derived amusement from the arrest of Nikhil Gupta, who was alleged to be involved in a unsuccesful assassination scheme against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, wishing his story to be featured in Dhurandhar 2 alongside R Madhavan who plays National Security Advisor of India in the movie. This was his pitiful effort to make a spectacle of Indian intelligence agencies.

Dr. Nimo Yadav 2.0, in another post, asserted that “things are not looking good for India” because “Russia offered crude oil to Pakistan at a discounted price,” which he characterised as a substantial failure for the government. On the other hand, India has been acquiring oil from Russia at considerable discounts, particularly in 2022, despite the threats and tariffs from the United States.

He understands that Russia’s offer to Pakistan, much like India’s closeness with Israel, does not obstruct the ties between the two countries, yet he did not let that to distract from his propaganda.

He was among those who targeted wrestler Bajrang Punia, denouncing him as a bigot and a BJP lackey for his endorsement of Bajrang Dal on social media. He was forced to retract his post and was asked to apologise for his “audacity” a directive for him to yield to their conditions to receive their support for the agitation at Jantar Mantar. Others were even instructed not to participate in trending his hashtag.

Different accounts, same objectionable conduct

Manish RJ, whose account has experienced similar constraints in India, had stated that Bihari voters sold their souls for 10,000 because they supported the BJP. This democratic exercise is only acknowledged by this cabal when it leads to the triumph of their chosen parties.

He, like the others, was unable to restrain himself from disseminating false information and wrote “fatherland” in reference to Israel, falsely attributing this to PM Modi, who had made the remark regarding Indian Jews, indicating that they view the West Asian country in that light while considering India as their motherland.

The RJ even dragged the mother of the victim into the horrific rape and murder case that occurred at Kolkata’s Medical College and Hospital in his petty politics, charging that her pleas for justice were motivated by her desire to contest elections on a BJP ticket. He unabashedly slammed the grieving woman rather than demanding accountability from the ruling Trinamool Congress government.

He has continually been retweeting posts that make fun of any detrimental effects on Indians caused by the geopolitical crises.

“Activist and social worker” Sandeep Singh, another name on the list, has been openly batting for Congress, particularly its Haryana unit, through multiple posts, contradicting Shrinate’s claim that these accounts do not endorse her party.

Furthermore, he also desires the prohibition of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in India, as mentioned in the recent controversial report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in the name of freedom of religion and prevent discrimination. The report also prescribed targeted sanctions against the Research and Analysis Wing.

Union Minister Kishan Reddy categorically reprehended Rahul Gandhi and his party for succumbing to the unwarranted interference of the United States, which he noted jeopardised Indian interests and termed this behaviour as “anti-national.”

Another withheld account in India, in its blind hatred, referenced Dhurandhar, a term that celebrates the unsung heroes of India in the film, to highlight an illegal currency note printing scam in Gujarat, thereby belittling the sacrifice of those warriors.

Dr Ranjan, whose account encountered the same outcome, posted a video from a program to inaccurately claim that the Indian media, influenced by the Modi government, is obscuring crises and disasters from the citizens. Nevertheless, the media is persistently covering this significant issue and India has effectively secured crude oil from the narrow passage after Iran allowed vessels to pass through it. The clear objective seems to be to create fear among the people and provoke resentment against the government, without considering the repercussions for the country.

The statement made by Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar, indicating that there was “no blanket arrangement” with Iran and “every ship movement is an individual happening,” was presented as if the centre had failed to secure any agreement with the Iranian regime, leaving the country to endure hardships. However, discussions took place and oil-laden vessels successfully navigated the strait, docking at Indian ports despite the extensive propaganda and contrary assertions.

He also launched an attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after he criticised casteism while endorsing the caste system, alluding to the “varna vyavastha,” which was completely founded on social function and transformed with shifts in occupation. Ranjan, however, tried to manipulate CM Yogi’s appeal with the intention of fostering a caste divide in society, claiming that he committed the “gravest sin” by defending the caste system.

Some individuals even secured their tweets following the incident, raising many eyebrows.

A number of such accounts have been banned due to their propensity to engage in the spread of misinformation, half-truths and unfounded allegations. Moreover, if they are not guilty of such actions and the government has committed any form of “injustice” against them, they can always turn to the judiciary for remedy. However, they seem to be more interested in crying victim.

Moreover, these individuals were delighted when the account of Hindu activist Vijay Patel was suspended, and Malabar Gold wanted to imprison him for his criticism of their hiring of Pakistani influencers who berated Operation Sindoor. They take pleasure in the “censorship” as long as it unfairly targets their opponents. The hypocrisy and double standards are indeed astonishing.

Conclusion

In April 2024, just before the Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah rebuked Congress for using his edited video that alleged that reservations would end if the BJP was elected to power. This video was broadly circulated as authentic by the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. Alliance and their entire network. Thus, the propagation of disinformation with harmful intent cannot be dismissed lightly. Likewise, it is not surprising that the largest opposition party in the country, which has employed such tactics, is upset following action against these accounts.

On March 20, the Institute for Economics and Peace released its Global Terrorism Index 2026, and the results were devastating, Pakistan is now officially the most terrorism-affected country in the world. 8.574 is the score. 1,139 people died. 1,045 incidents. 1,595 injuries. After two years at the top, Burkina Faso was overthrown by Pakistan, which now holds the top spot for the first time in the Index’s history.

The study, which is 97 pages long, is brutally plain. While global terrorist deaths plummeted 28% to 5,582 and attacks fell 22% to 2,944, with 81 nations improving, Pakistan went the opposite direction. This isn’t a coincidence. It is the result of extreme Islamist ideology, groups that the state once nurtured, and Afghan spillover.

How the Index is actually calculated?

The GTI isn’t just a body count contest. The number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries, and hostages abducted are the four pillars of this weighted composite score. To account for the long term impact of trauma, the Index uses a five year weighted lag, current attacks hurt more, but older ones still lower the score. No single bloody year can fake a pattern according to the method (explained in Appendix B). With six times as many events as in 2020 and the biggest death toll since 2013, Pakistan’s 2025 spike was more than sufficient to take the top rank.

Pakistan: Host, sponsor and the victim of a disease it nurtures itself

The report doesn’t hold back. Pakistan saw the highest number of terrorist killings since 2013. TTP alone was responsible for 595 attacks and 637 fatalities, a 13% increase from the year before. The group, a Deobandi Islamist organisation founded in 2007, has close operational and theological ties to al-Qaeda. The UN Security Council observes that the TTP provides safe havens along the Afghan-Pakistan border while taking ideological guidance from al-Qaeda. There is a pattern when you include the BLA’s dramatic train hijacking that resulted in 442 hostages. These groups have been bolstered by cross-border militancy from Afghanistan, where the Taliban regained control in 2021. The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan and strained relations with its neighbours are directly linked in the report to Pakistan’s rise. These tensions evolved into an open conflict by February 2026, when Pakistan attacked Kabul and Kandahar with air strikes. To put it briefly, the jihad that Pakistan once supported as a tactical advantage has returned home.

Nonetheless, Islamabad insists on being the victim. There is a lot of irony. The Islamic State, JNIM (an al-Qaeda branch), TTP, and al-Shabaab are the four groups responsible for 70% of terrorist deaths worldwide, according to IEP data, yet Pakistan’s narrative is still narrowly centred.

Radical Islam as the common denominator

The pattern is obvious when you look at the top perpetrators.  Al-Shabaab, JNIM (Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen), and TTP are all based on radical or Salafi-jihadist beliefs that have their roots in al-Qaeda’s worldwide network. The same ideological void is exploited by Islamic State affiliates in the area. In Africa, the report frequently emphasises how terrorist groups profit from rhetoric about human rights abuse by state security forces, but in South Asia, the cause is evident: a poisonous combination of radical preaching, porous borders, and governmental tolerance.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas continue to serve as launchpads. The TTP’s increasing attacks for the fourth year in a row are a result of decades of ideological sowing, not an accident. 

India: rising above regional chaos

India, on the other hand, came in at number 13 with a score of 6.428. Only 2% of all terrorist deaths worldwide occurred in the nation having approx 17.5% of world population, and deaths plummeted. India maintained a multi-year trend of diminishing terror influence. Border fortifications, intelligence sharing, and strong counterterrorism frameworks have produced outcomes.

According to the report’s distribution chart, 70% of deaths occur in Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Niger. India hardly makes an impression. The tale of South Asia is unique to Pakistan, while sub Saharan Africa continues to be the new epicenter (more than half of all deaths worldwide). In the midst of Islamist terror in the subcontinent, India’s calm progress stands out like a lighthouse. 

Pakistan favourite accusation: ‘India did it’

This is where the story takes a darkly humorous turn. Despite the fact that the IEP report makes no mention of Indian support, Pakistani officials have spent years and will continue to blame New Delhi for every explosion on their turf. Following a court explosion in Islamabad in November 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif made unfounded accusations against ‘Indian proxies.’

No Indian roles are mentioned. Rather, it details Afghan spillover, TTP and BLA attacks, and Pakistan’s own shortcomings in border management. While Islamabad yells about Indian proxies, the data subtly indicates that terrorist organisations were fostered in Pakistan and provided sanctuary in Afghanistan. Why doesn’t the most reputable terrorism index in the world take notice if India is really the puppet master?

Conclusion

Pakistan’s top position is not a badge of glory. It serves as a caution. The region suffers when cross-border fighting escalates into open warfare, when BLA seizes trains, and when TTP death tolls reach levels not seen since 2011. In contrast, India has gradually decreased its vulnerability through policy rather than advertising.

The problem of jihadists is not abstract. It has its roots in radical Islamist networks that Pakistan has either supported, tolerated, or engaged. The epicentre of terrorism in the subcontinent will stay in Pakistan, as shown by the 2026 Index, unless Islamabad addresses this internal ideological disease rather than shifting the responsibility across the border.

Last year, there was a decrease in terrorism worldwide. But there are still unresolved issues in the story of South Asia. The numbers don’t lie. The real question is whether Islamabad will finally listen?

Over the last 2 days, North India has witnessed sudden rainfall, thunderstorms and even hail following an early March heat spike. Social media was quick to offer an explanation, one that had little to do with science. Last night, some Instagram influencers started posting about this. These viral reels began claiming that Bill Gates was somehow controlling rainfall in India through “artificial rain” and geoengineering experiments.

These claims, often amplified through short videos and misleading interpretations, are used by these creators to stoke fear among civilians by linking a natural weather event to unrelated global research, creating a narrative that does not stand up to factual scrutiny.

The Claim

Just right above, there is a screenshot of a reel with more than 18 million views and 1 million shares claiming that Bill Gates is controlling rainfall in India. These types of posts allege that “artificial rain” or chemtrails are being used to create recent spells of rain and hail, while others suggest attempts to manipulate or control the Indian Monsoon through geoengineering experiments.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aditya Gautam | Content (@awareurself1)

“It’s not normal rain, it’s death rain.”

A man in a video claims the ongoing rainfall is artificial and the result of cloud manipulation by Bill Gates.

He says people should not step out or get drenched, warning it could harm them.

He also urges parents to keep children away… pic.twitter.com/mXMCWsUdus

— Oppressor (@TyrantOppressor) March 20, 2026

Verdict: False

There is no evidence that Bill Gates, or any person or group, controls rainfall in India. Instead, these claims misinterpret scientific research and natural weather events.

What Actually Caused the Sudden Rainfall?

If not artificial intervention, then what explains the sudden rainfall in March? According to weather observations and updates shared by agencies such as the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the recent spell of rainfall across North India has been caused by the Western disturbance, a well-known meteorological phenomenon that originates in the Mediterranean region and travels eastward through Afghanistan and Pakistan before affecting India.

What makes this particular system notable is the presence of a rare straight-through, or low-pressure line, stretching across nearly 1,000 kilometres. Unlike the usual curved patterns seen in such systems, this straight alignment has led to a more organised and intense weather system, resulting in heavy rain, lightning, gusty winds and localised hail. The system also contributed to a drop in temperatures following an unusually warm March. This is a natural atmospheric process and has no connection to any artificial intervention.

How a Harvard Experiment Was Misrepresented

During these viral claims, influencers said that Whole Research Thing is conducting an experiment called SCoPEx. It is a proposed research initiative by Harvard University. The project was part of broader studies into solar geoengineering, which explores whether dispersing tiny particles in the upper atmosphere could help reflect sunlight and reduce global warming.

However, the experiment was extremely limited in scope, proposing to release only a small quantity of calcium carbonate similar to chalk dust. It was planned to take place in the Arctic region, and it has nothing to do with India. Notably, the experiment was never fully conducted and was eventually cancelled in 2024 following criticism. There was no large-scale deployment, and it had no connection whatsoever to India or its weather systems.

No Evidence Linking Bill Gates to India’s Weather

These claims also linked Bill Gates to India’s rainfall, which was entirely wrong. While he has funded several initiatives in India, these are focused on areas such as agriculture, climate resilience, and public health. A viral video in which he referred to setting up a “laboratory” in India has been widely misinterpreted.

In context, the statement referred to testing innovations in health and farming technologies, not conducting any form of weather manipulation. There is no credible evidence suggesting any involvement in controlling rainfall or influencing India’s climate systems.

What “Artificial Rain” Actually Means 

The idea of “artificial rain” is frequently misunderstood. In India, this typically refers to cloud seeding, a method used to enhance rainfall under specific conditions. Cloud seeding involves dispersing substances such as silver iodide or salt into existing moisture-laden clouds to encourage precipitation.

However, this technique has clear limitations. It cannot create rain from the clear skies, nor can it control large-scale weather systems like the Monsoon. Its effects are generally modest and short-term. Several Indian states, including Karnataka and Maharashtra, have used cloud seeding during droughts, but these efforts are localised and unrelated to global geoengineering research or any individual actor.

Why Hailstones May Not Melt Quickly ?

Another part of the viral claims involves videos showing hailstones that don’t melt quickly. Some people use these videos as proof of “chemical rain” or fake weather. However, this claim is not correct. Hailstones can remain on the ground for a long time due to natural factors, such as low temperatures after a storm, clouds that block direct sunlight, and thick layers of accumulated ice. Melting can also take much longer in shaded areas or on grass. These are well-known weather patterns and show no evidence of human interference.

Can Anyone Control Weather at This Scale?

There are technologies that can change the weather, but they don’t work as well as people claim. For example, more than 50 countries use cloud seeding in some form; however, even the best programs can only slightly increase rainfall when conditions are right. Despite these efforts, there is currently no technology that can control large-scale weather systems, such as the Indian monsoon, or regional rainfall patterns. This is because it is not possible to control atmospheric processes right now, as they are too complicated and big.

Conclusion

In conclusion, claims that Bill Gates controls rainfall in India are baseless. Recent North Indian weather is due to a natural Western Disturbance, not to artificial intervention. No evidence shows any person or group can control rainfall at this scale; the viral narrative distorts both science and observable phenomena.

From Tarun Kumar’s lynching by a Muslim mob in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar over Holi colours spilling over a Muslim woman to Muslim youths doing ‘Iftar’ with Chicken Biryani on the Ganga River in Varanasi and throwing chewed bones into its sacred waters, the Islamo-leftist coterie invokes syncretic cultural references, ‘Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb’, and whatnot to shield Islamist attacks and mockery against Hindus. Amidst outrage over Muslims throwing bones in the sacred waters of the Ganga, Islamo-leftist outlet The Wire, notorious for giving a Muslim victimhood spin to anti-Hindu crimes, has attempted to ‘secularise’ the Ganga River.

In an opinion piece titled, “Who Owns the Ganga? A River of Many Faiths, Not One“, a Delhi-based writer, translator and researcher, Rakhshanda Jalil, offers family memories, Urdu poetry, and a dash of melodrama to establish a narrative that Ganga is a ‘secular’ river not owned only by Hindus, ironically, by saying that she belongs to many faiths.

Jalil opens the piece with an affectionate memory of her husband introducing her to the Ganga River in his ancestral lands in eastern Uttar Pradesh with the folk song: Ganga maiya tohre piyari chadhaibo… (O Mother Ganga, I offer this yellow dhoti to you…).

While the sentiment is beautiful and Rakshanda’s husband is free to express his admiration for the sacred river through the Bhojpuri song, the act of a Muslim man calling the Ganga River “Maiya” or mother is essentially un-Islamic.

Rakhshanda Jalil soft-peddles the trigger, lamenting that now FIRs are being registered against 14 Muslim men “for taking a boat out on the river and opening their fast on the Ganga; they are being accused of hurting the sentiments of the majority community.”

The usage of the term “majority community” here is essentially to push a subtle insinuation that the lodging of FIR against Muslim men for hurting Hindu religious sentiments is a case of arbitrary Hindu majoritarianism.

What Jalil skipped mentioning is that the Muslim youths have not been booked for taking out a boat on the Ganga River or opening their Roza during Ramzan. The accused Muslims were eating non-vegetarian food in the holy Ganges River, and they even threw the chewed bones into the sacred waters of Mother Ganga right in front of the Bindu Madhav Dharhara Temple.

She also did not highlight the fact that even Muslim clerics have said that, contrary to the picnic the accused Muslim youths were having, Iftar is a purely religious event, with Maghrib namaz to be performed.

“But what of their sentiments? And that of their forefathers? What of those people, such as my husband’s family, who have lived beside the Ganga for generations and have nothing but the greatest affection and regard for this special river that has nurtured civilisation for millennia? In the New India that is Bharat we have already divided up colours (saffron is Hindu, green is Muslim), food (sattvic vs halal), etc, are we also going to decide who has first rights over rivers and mountains?” Jalil asks in the article published on 19th March 2026.

The author deliberately avoided addressing the “hurting of the sentiments of the majority community” part properly, perhaps considering the sentiments of Hindus insignificant. Jalil proceeded directly towards doing what The Wire does best: giving a Muslim victimhood spin to incidents where Hindus are the victims and Muslims are the aggressors.

She asks: “But what of their sentiments? And that of their forefathers? What of those people, such as my husband’s family, who have lived beside the Ganga for generations and have nothing but the greatest affection and regard for this special river that has nurtured civilisation for millennia? In the New India that is Bharat we have already divided up colours (saffron is Hindu, green is Muslim), food (sattvic vs halal), etc; are we also going to decide who has first rights over rivers and mountains?”

How conveniently, The Wire flipped the aggressor-aggrieved dynamic, making Muslim sentiments a bigger issue in an incident wherein it is Muslims who have hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

A river, believed to be sacred by one and not by others, does not discriminate and nurtures all living beings it touches. However, Muslims’ regard and affection for the Ganga River is not the same as Hindus’ worshipping the river as holy, a mother, and a living deity (Devi).

If Hindus actually asserted exclusive ownership over the Ganga River, weaponising their religious sentiments, they would have demanded barring Muslims from accessing the river completely. The access to Ganga is universal, but deliberate defiling and mockery of its sanctity is not.

Also, this assertion that in the New India, by which the Islamo-leftists usually mean Modi’s India or India after 2014, has become divided into saffron is Hindu, green is Muslim, and sattvic vs halal, is dishonest. These divisions have existed for decades and shall continue to exist. India’s bloody partition was done because of the green’s intolerance of the saffron. Even after enduring the stab of partition, saffron tolerated and accommodated green, even at the cost of ceding its own rights to uphold the farce of ‘Hindu-Muslim unity’. All was hunky dory till the ‘minority’ was dominating and intimidating the majority. The society became divisive only when saffron began to pushback green’s intransigence, and sattvic resisted halal’s dominance.

One wonders if The Wire would defend Hindus if they ate pork inside a mosque complex and left its remnants there during the ‘holy’ month of Ramzan?

There is a glaring hypocrisy in this “river belongs to all faiths” narrative. This supposed ‘universalism’ is never extended in the reverse direction. Muslims maintain exclusivity of their religious sites, food choices, and lifestyle, even in localities where the Muslim community is in the majority, calling for boycott or Sar Tan Se Juda of those who supposedly hurt their religious sentiments. But Hindus are lectured to share their living deity, only for meat bones to be hurled in her sacred waters in a deliberate ‘picnic’ style. This is nothing but a blatant dilution of sacred Hindu geography and its unasked opening for reinterpretation in the name of composite culture, secularism and whatnot, all while Islamic exclusivity remains non-negotiable and sacrosanct to scrutiny.

Jalil asks if we are also going to decide who has first rights over rivers and mountains. She should ask this question to her co-religionists first. From Waqf Boards laying illegal claims over Hindu villages and temples, to Islamists in Tamil Nadu, who claim the ownership of the Thiruparankundram Hills and seek its renaming, even as the entire hill historically belonged to the Hindu temple there.

The author suggested that, amidst the controversy over Muslim youth doing an Iftar party and throwing bones in the sacred waters of the Ganga, it would be appropriate to revisit Urdu poetry written on the Ganga by Muslim poets.

Jalil could not find a better poet than Muhammad Iqbal to contend that since Muslims wrote Urdu poetry on the Ganga River, the river belongs to them as well.

“And the perfect place to start might be the vast ouvre of Iqbal, the poet we are constantly being taught to hate: the much-despised Muhammad Iqbal. Writing his Tarana-e-Hind (The Song of India) in 1904 as a patriotic song for children that went on to become one of the most popular songs for school choruses till its political baggage was discovered and it was promptly discarded, Iqbal begins with ‘Saare jahan se achha Hindostan hamara’ (Our India is the fairest in the entire world)…” Jalil writes.

Notice the subtle nuance in Jalil’s description of Muhammad Iqbal: “the poet we are constantly being taught to hate: the much-despised Muhammad Iqbal.”

Despite Iqbal deserving all the abhorrence he gets from Indian people aware of his literary, political, and Islamist activities, beyond ‘Saare jahan se acha’, nobody is being constantly taught to hate him. Ensuring that the Indian youth know who all were responsible for propagating the idea of Pakistan’s creation on Islamic lines is not the same as peddling hate.

Muhammad Iqbal was one of the main proponents of the two-nation theory that led to the creation of Pakistan in the first half of the 20th century. The famous composition ‘Sare Jahaan Se Achcha’ was published in 1904 by Muhammad Iqbal, a year before the Partition of Bengal in British India. The most famous lines of the composition, which form its sixth stanza, say, “Maẕhab nahīṉ sikhātā āpas meṉ bair rakhnā, Hindī haiṉ ham, wat̤an hai Hindositāṉ hamārā”.

In Independent India, liberals and Islamists masquerading as secularists have reduced Iqbal’s legacy to these two lines, ignoring almost entirely his contribution to the formation of Pakistan. 

In Tarana-e-Milli, which the poet wrote in 1910 for children, Iqbal revealed his real Islamic fundamentalist nature. It was composed in the same meter and rhyme scheme as ‘Sare Jahaan Se Achcha’, contradicting the thought of unity with the call for division based on religion. The first stanza of this particular composition contrasted sharply with the sixth stanza of his prior composition. It said, “Cīn o-ʿArab hamārā, Hindūstāṉ hamārā, Muslim haiṉ ham, wat̤an hai sārā jahāṉ hamārā. tauhīd kī amānat sīnoñ meñ hai hamāre, āsāñ nahīñ miTānā nām-o-nishāñ hamārā.

Moving ahead, Jalil’s article cites poetry by Suroor Barabankvi, Nida Fazli, and Sardar Jafri, among others, wherein these poets appreciated the beauty and purity of the Ganga and admired the landscape as Indians. However, not one piece of poetry she cited revered Ganga as Mother or Devi, the divine, as Hindus do.

For those poets, and Muslims generally, Ganga could be a nurturing water body, a symbol of flowing beauty, and a philosophical metaphor, but never a deity, an object of Islamic worship, prayer or pilgrimage. Islam is alien to the concept of sacred feminine energy, let alone its worship.

Ganga is divine only for Hindus because Islam has no concept of sacred feminine or nature worship. The Urdu poetry Jalil highlights in her article only demonstrates cultural syncretism and not religious ownership of the Ganga.

Ganga is the cradle of the Sanatan Civilisation. The Ganga Valley nurtured Vedic, Puranic, and classical Hindu civilisation for millennia. Be it Varanasi, Gangotri, Haridwar, Prayagraj, or Kolkata’s ghats, they are all defined by Hindu pilgrimage, finding roots in Hindu religious scriptures. Be it medieval Islamic invaders and those they converted to Islam by the force of sword, or the British colonisers, none attached any religious sentimental value to Ganga, while Hindus, since times immemorial have revered and worshipped the sacred river as Maa Ganga, the giver of salvation who descended from the heavens in the matted locks of Mahadev, beautifully described by Maharishi Valmiki in this verse from Ramayana’s Bal Kand:

gaganaat shaMkara shiraH tato dharaNim aagataa || 1-43-15
asarpata jalam tatra tiivra shabda puraskR^itam |

Maa Ganga is believed by Hindus to be the blessing, the reward of royal sage Bhagiratha’s Tapasya. Call it ‘New India’ or ‘Bharat’, this land is rooted in Hindu consciousness. Hindu civilisation will always be the OWNER of Bharat’s lands, rivers, mountains, and every nook and cranny.  

While Muslim poets have described the beauty and serenity of Ganga, Maharishi Valmiki described her origins, her journey and her divinity.

tato haimavatii jyeShThaa sarva loka namaskR^itaa |
tadaa saa ati mahat ruupam kR^itvaa vegam ca duHsaham ||1-43-4
aakaashaat apatat raama shive shiva shirasy uta |

(Afterwards, she who is reverenced by all the worlds and who is the elder daughter of Himavanta, that Ganga, assuming an unendurable form and an insupportable rapidity, they say, then plunged from the sky onto the auspicious head of Shiva.)

acintayaH ca saa devii gaMga parama dur.hdharaa ||1-43-5
vishaami aham hi paataalam strotasaa gR^ihya shaMkaram |

(She who is an extremely unendurable river that goddess Ganga even speculated, saying to herself, ‘let me enter netherworld, indeed whisking Shiva with my streams.)

Maharishi Valmiki describes how the Hladini, Paavani, and Nalini streams of Ganga cruised eastwards, Sucakshu, Seetha, and the river Sindhu streamed to the westward direction, while the seventh stream flowed towards the path of Bhageeratha’s chariot.

From Ramayana to Mahabharat, from Gaumukh to Bay of Bengal, from a nurturer to a giver of salvation, from Kumbh Mela to asthi-visarjan in accordance with Garud Purana, from a water body to a witness of history, Ganga spiritually and culturally belongs to the Sanatan Hindu civilisation that birthed, worshipped, and sustained it for thousands of years. Ganga is not anyone’s property to be legally owned, but alienating her from the historical and civilisational truth to ‘secularise’ the divine river and normalise its desecration by Muslims is unacceptable. There is no equivalence in the supposed poetic love Muslims have for Ganga and the devotion Hindus have. Secularising Ganga amounts to the erasure of its sanctity and divinity.

Ramadan is considered the holiest month in Islam. Muslims claim it is a month of worship, patience, almsgiving (zakat), and, above all, of forgetting rivalries and living in harmony. But here arises the crucial question: why, during this holy month of “peace” and “blessings,” are Muslims found involved in incidents of violence, conflict, and bloodshed?

On one hand, Islamic religious scholars preach that only virtuous deeds should be performed during Ramadan, but on the other hand, social media appears filled with inflammatory rhetoric. During Ramadan 2026, not only Islamic fundamentalists but also Islamic countries disregarded the month. In the 30 days of Ramadan, countless incidents of murder, looting, assault, violence, and rape were reported.

Here, OpIndia presents a list of 50 such incidents during Ramadan, including a young Hindu man’s murder in Delhi by Islamists and the death of 400 people in a hospital in Afghanistan. Read on and decide whether Islamic fundamentalists truly consider Ramadan a month of prayer, patience, and charity.

Middle East: A war-ridden Ramadan and a deepening humanitarian crisis

During the entire period of Ramadan, the situation in the Middle East remained extremely fragile and tense. Particularly, in Iran, the turmoil at the highest levels of power and the ongoing major attacks there have drawn global attention. Fierce military strikes by the United States and Israel have inflicted significant damage on Iran’s strategic locations, further deepening the instability in the country. Surprisingly, even during this month of ‘peace’, violence has intensified rather than diminished.

Within hours of US and Israeli strikes, Iran responded aggressively, launching missile and drone attacks against several countries in the region. This retaliation targeted not only its military rivals but also several Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Kuwait. This wave of war and attacks has created a serious humanitarian crisis in the region during the holy month of Ramadan, where conflict and the struggle for military supremacy have overshadowed the peace of worship.

1. Chaos in Kuwait: Embassy attack and Iran’s ‘Ramadan Offensive’

On March 2, 2026, Kuwait City was jolted when the US Embassy was directly targeted as part of Iran’s so-called “Ramadan Offensive”. The attack involved a coordinated barrage of missiles and lethal drones (UAVs), raining down death from the sky, filling the city’s air with a thick cloud of smoke. Although Kuwait responded swiftly and shot down several drones mid-air, the horrific attack claimed one life and seriously injured 32 others.

Such a direct attack on a country’s diplomatic mission not only blatantly flouts international law but also makes clear that Iran is no longer averse to inciting violence in its Arab neighbours. This military action, carried out during the holy month of peace (Ramadan), has transformed the entire Gulf region into a battlefield.

2. Chaos in Tel Aviv: Iranian ballistic missiles wreak havoc on residential areas

On March 1, 2026, Iran launched massive ballistic missile attacks on Israel, further fueling the regional conflict. Although Israel’s Iron Dome defence system destroyed several missiles mid-air, the sheer force of the attacks caused one missile to penetrate the security perimeter and land directly on the residential area of ​​Beit Shemesh. The massive explosion wreaked havoc, killing nine people on the spot, bringing the total death toll to 12.

The severity of this attack can be gauged from the fact that more than 150 people were injured. The way the missile landed in a residential area clearly indicates that the target was not a military installation but innocent civilians. This violent act, carried out during the holy month of Ramadan, not only shocks human sensibilities but also raises serious questions about Iran’s claims of religious and peaceful values.

3. Fear in Gulf countries: Iran’s missile attack and attack on sovereignty

On February 28, 2026, Iran simultaneously launched missiles against major Gulf cities: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Doha, sending shockwaves throughout the region. This missile blitz targeted not only US military installations but also civilian and residential infrastructure. The magnitude of this attack can be gauged from the fact that one person was killed in Abu Dhabi, while massive explosions were also reported near Dubai landmarks like the Burj Khalifa.

Given the security risks posed by these attacks, airspace across the Middle East had to be immediately closed, halting international flights and causing widespread chaos at Dubai Airport. This incident clearly underscores that in its struggle for regional dominance, Iran is now unwilling to compromise the security and sovereignty of its own Muslim neighbours.

3. War on the Borders: Pakistan-Afghanistan Bloody Clash in Ramadan

Hopes for peace in South Asia during the ‘holy month’ fell apart when tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated into a fierce military confrontation. Pakistani Air Force fighter jets crossed into Afghan territory and launched heavy airstrikes on Kabul, Kandahar, and several other areas. The Afghan Taliban government strongly condemned the attacks, alleging that Pakistan deliberately targeted civilian targets.

The severity of these attacks can be estimated from the fact that even a hospital in Kabul was hit by the Pakistani bombing. According to media reports, nearly 400 people have lost their lives so far in the horrific military aggression, and over 250 have been seriously injured. These attacks on hospitals and residential areas during the holy month of Ramadan have not only deepened the humanitarian crisis but also escalated the bitterness between the two neighbouring Islamic countries.

4. Chaos in Karachi: Pro-Iranian mobs rampage and attack the US consulate

Following the news of Iran’s Supreme Leader’s death, violence erupted in Karachi, Pakistan, plunging the city into chaos. On March 1, 2026, a pro-Iranian mob attempted to attack the US Consulate, leading to a massive outcry. Protesters not only set police checkpoints on fire but also caused significant damage to government and international diplomatic properties.

This wave of violence wasn’t limited to Karachi. In Skardu, a mob also set fire to the United Nations (UN) office. So far, 22 people have lost their lives in these fierce clashes and violent incidents, while more than 120 others have been seriously injured. The violence during the holy month of Ramadan raised serious questions about the internal security and law and order in Pakistan.

5. Pakistani airstrikes on Khost and Paktika in Afghanistan

On February 28, 2026, Pakistan Air Force fighter jets crossed the Afghan border and launched heavy bombing raids on Khost and Paktika provinces. Pakistan described these attacks as actions against terrorist targets, but innocent people paid a heavy price. At least eight civilians, including women and children, were killed in this military operation.

The incident has escalated tensions between the two countries, and the Taliban termed it a direct violation of their sovereignty and launched a counter-offensive. The fighting, which erupted during the holy month of Ramadan, has wreaked havoc in the border areas, forcing thousands of families to flee their homes for their lives.

6. Ramadan begins and mourning on the border: Pakistani military strikes in Nangarhar-Paktika

In the early days of the holy month of Ramadan, as the world hoped for peace, Pakistan escalated tensions by launching another major military operation in the Nangarhar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan on February 22, 2026. Pakistan described these attacks as a necessary action against terrorism, but the civilian population paid a heavy price for this military operation.

This horrific attack claimed the lives of 17 Afghan civilians, further exacerbating the already bitter tensions between the two neighbouring countries. This bloody incident, occurring during these early days of prayer and prosperity, has shattered all hopes for peace and created an atmosphere of terror in the border areas.

7. Chaos in Karnataka, India: Stones pelted from a mosque on the Shivaji Jayanti procession

A disturbing incident of communal tension happened on February 20, 2026, in Bagalkot, Karnataka, raising serious questions about law and order. A procession commemorating the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was targeted as it passed in front of the Panka Mosque. It is alleged that fundamentalists present there suddenly began pelting the procession with slippers and stones, causing chaos in the area.

The attackers did not even spare the district’s Superintendent of Police (SP), Siddharth Goyal, who was on duty. He suffered injuries to his head and neck. The blood stains on his uniform testified to the fact that the attackers had neither fear of the administration nor respect for the law. This well-planned attack on a peaceful procession once again presents a worrying picture of growing Islamic extremism and deteriorating social harmony.

8. Tension in Jabalpur: Temple Aarti and fundamentalist attack

An alarming case of Islamic radicalisation emerged from the sensitive Sihora tehsil of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. On the night of February 19, 2026, while the Hindu community was performing the evening aarti at the Durga temple as per the tradition, it coincided with namaz at the nearby mosque. The peaceful atmosphere suddenly turned tense when a young man allegedly damaged the temple grill. This was not just a loss of property, but a direct attack on the faith and devotion of Hindus.

As residents protested against the act, the Islamist mob turned violent and began heavy stone-pelting. This sudden attack ignited communal tensions in the entire area. The vandalism of the temple complex and the ensuing violence posed a significant challenge to the local administration, clearly the result of a well-planned radicalisation.

9. Tension in Hyderabad: Huge uproar in Amberpet over Shivaji Jayanti slogans

A similar case came to light in Hyderabad’s Amberpet area, where a Shivaji Jayanti procession was targeted. The dispute began when the procession passed by a local mosque, where Islamists strongly objected to the music being played in the procession. The situation quickly escalated into heated arguments and violent scuffles, creating an atmosphere of fear in the area.

It’s often seen that attempts are made to suppress Hindu cultural and religious expression under the pretext of “disrupting prayer,” and the same pattern was evident here. Seeing the situation spiralling out of control, the administration immediately intervened, imposing Section 163, BNSS (a curfew-like restriction) in the area for the next four days. Police arrested eight rioters in connection with the incident.

10. Horrific incident in Mahbubnagar: Attempted mob lynching of a Hindu youth over a social media post

An incident of extremist violence has come to light from Telangana’s Mahbubnagar district. Here, a Hindu youth named Santosh was brutally attacked by a mob of about 20-25 people simply because he had shared a post on social media related to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This story, posted on March 1, 2026, went viral in local groups and enraged the extremists, who reached Santosh’s shop at around 9 pm and started beating him mercilessly with kicks and punches.

The victim, Santosh, said that the mob tried to crush him to the ground, and if another shopkeeper hadn’t shown courage and pulled him out, he could have lost his life. The attackers were so audacious that they continued to roam near his shop even after midnight, with the intent of attacking him again. Police identified 11 people in this case, nine of whom were arrested, though they were later granted bail.

11. Sensational incident in Bengaluru: Fiancee strangled to death during Ramadan

An incident came to light in Karnataka’s capital, Bengaluru, where 20-year-old Mohammed Sabeel brutally murdered his minor fiancée, Zoya, during the holy month of Ramadan. This horrific incident took place in the DJ Halli area on March 16, 2026, around 6 am. According to the police, despite Zoya being a minor, the two were engaged and were about to get married soon. On the day of the incident, Sabeel had taken Zoya to a relative’s house, where a heated argument broke out between the two over some issue.

The dispute escalated to the point where Sabeel lost his temper and, in a fit of rage, slit Zoya’s neck with a sharp weapon, killing her instantly. Sabeel immediately fled the scene. About an hour later, when Sabeel’s relatives returned home, they found Zoya’s body lying on the ground, covered in blood. Police, responding to the family’s information, began investigating the case and launched a frantic search for the absconding accused, Sabeel. This brutal murder, committed during the holy month of Ramadan, has sent shockwaves throughout the area.

12. Bloody Holi in Delhi: A young man beaten to death over a minor balloon dispute

A heartbreaking incident took place in Uttam Nagar (Hastasal Rehabilitation Colony) in Delhi, where the joy of Holi turned into mourning. The dispute began with a trivial incident when an 11-year-old girl from the family of the Hindu victim, Tarun, was playing Holi on the terrace of her house. She threw a water balloon at her father standing below, which accidentally fell onto the road, and the water splashed on a Muslim woman from the neighbourhood. The girl’s family said that they immediately apologised, but the Muslim woman and her family started a fight and called their relatives.

About an hour after the incident, 26-year-old Tarun was returning home on his bike after playing Holi with his friend when a mob of 15-20 Islamist militants ambushed him. The mob brutally attacked Tarun with iron rods, bricks, and stones. His grandfather, Man Singh, said through a choked voice that the attackers brutally beat him and, when he fell unconscious on the road, struck him in the chest with a heavy stone. Tarun died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. This dispute, which began over a small balloon, took the life of a cheerful young man due to a radical mindset.

13. Bloody Holi clash in Etah: Dalit youth beaten to death on the pretext of paint falling on him

A similar incident happened in the Etah district in Uttar Pradesh, where, amidst the festivities of Holi, Islamists targeted the family of a Dalit youth. On March 4, 2026, at around 8 p.m., 22-year-old Akash was playing Holi outside his home. Three brothers from the neighbourhood, Arbaaz, Shahbaaz, and Mustafa, happened to pass by and accidentally some colour got spilled on their clothes. Over this trivial matter, the three began abusing Akash’s mother and sister. When Akash resisted, the accused threw him to the ground and began brutally beating him with sticks.

Arbaaz struck Akash hard on the head with the butt of his pistol, causing him to collapse and start bleeding. When Akash’s sister Bina and sister-in-law Varsha ran to save him, Mustafa and Arbaaz assaulted them as well. As they left, the accused insulted the victim’s family with casteist slurs and threatened to kill them, saying, “We won’t let you live here.”

14. Delhi brutality: Innocents brutalised behind the shutters of a halal meat shop

A heinous incident came to light during Ramadan in the Dwarka area of ​​the country’s capital, Delhi. A 65-year-old Muslim man near Goyala Dairy targeted a Hindu girl aged 6 to 9 years. The incident took place on March 16, 2026, when the girl was playing with her younger sister near a school. The accused, who ran a Halal meat shop nearby, lured the girl on the pretext of giving her something and took her inside his Halal meat shop. There, he closed the shutter of the shop and committed brutality on the innocent girl.

This horrific incident came to light when the girl’s mother and a relative caught the accused red-handed, leading to communal tension in the area. The girl revealed that the Muslim man had also assaulted her on an earlier occasion. Following protests from residents, the police arrested him.

15. Chaos at Raisen Fort: Historic cannon fire, pro-Iran slogans raised

A controversial video from Raisen Fort in Madhya Pradesh went viral on social media recently. In the video, some Muslim men were seen standing on a hill above the historic fort, chanting “Allah-hu-Akbar” and saying things like “We support Iran“. The Muslim men, then, lit an ancient cannon in the fort with a matchstick. As soon as the fire broke out, a loud explosion occurred, filling the entire area with smoke.

The incident was presented as a particularly provocative message on social media, sparking outrage among locals. Based on a complaint from Brijesh Chawaria, a resident of Patel Nagar, Raisen, the police immediately took action and, given the seriousness of the matter, arrested four accused. The arrested Muslim men have been identified as Shadab Qureshi, Yusuf Sheikh, Wasim Mohammad, and Pappu alias Salman Qureshi. The desecration of historical heritage and the use of provocative slogans fueled communal tensions and security concerns in the area.

16. Raipur riot: Stone pelting at Marhi Mata Temple and bloody feud

The Maudhapara area of ​​Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, was engulfed by violence and stone-pelting on March 16, 2026. The dispute began with a confrontation between two groups, which quickly escalated into a violent brawl near the Marhi Mata Temple. According to claims circulating on social media, a mob of Islamic fundamentalists targeted the temple late at night and pelted stones, sparking widespread communal tension in the area. In protest, a large number of Bajrang Dal activists surrounded the Maudhapara police station and issued a clear warning that if strict action was not taken against the perpetrators of the attack, they would retaliate.

According to media reports, this wave of violence in Raipur wasn’t limited to stone-pelting; four separate incidents of stabbings were also reported around the same time. Police investigations revealed that the Maudhapura violence stems from an old rivalry. Last year, men named Altaf and Rashid had attacked Ravi Raksel, leading to a feud between the two groups.

17. Desecration of the Holy Ganga: ‘Biryani party’ on a moving boat in Varanasi, 14 arrested

An incident that deeply hurt thereligious sentiments of Hindus came to light from the religious city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. A viral video of the incident showed a group of Muslims holding an Iftar party on a boat in the middle of the holy river Ganga. The incident happened on March 16, 2026, when a group of Muslim men broke their fast by feasting on ‘Chicken Biryani’ kept in a large vessel on a moving boat. After eating non-vegetarian food, these Muslim men threw the leftover bones directly into the holy stream of the river Ganga, thereby hurting the religious sentiments of Sanatan Dharma and the purity of the river.

The incident sparked widespread outrage among residents and Hindu organisations. Given the sensitivity of the matter, Varanasi police acted swiftly, arresting 14 individuals involved in the “floating party.”

18. Kidnapping and conversion of a minor Hindu girl in Rampur

On February 22, 2026, in the Patwai area of ​​Rampur district in Uttar Pradesh, a minor Hindu girl was kidnapped, held hostage, and forcibly converted. The incident sparked widespread outrage among the victim’s family and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists. The organisation immediately reached the Patwai police station, filed a written complaint, and strongly demanded that the girl be rescued immediately.

However, even after 24 hours of the incident, no trace of the girl was found, prompting Hindu organisations to issue a strict ultimatum to the police. According to the complaint, two Muslim youths abducted the girl and pressured her to convert to Islam. The police detained the village head and began questioning him.

19. Identity-based brutality: Mohammad Javed poses as Rahul Patel and blackmails people in Mehsana

A case of exploitation of a Hindu girl by concealing identity came to light from Khedalu town in Mehsana district, Gujarat. The incident occurred on February 22, 2026, when a man named Mohammad Javed posed as Rahul Patel, befriended the Hindu girl and deceived her. The accused gained her trust and took private photographs of her, which he later used to blackmail her.

The victim alleged that Javed lured her to a guest house, where he attempted to rape her. Upon receiving information about this heinous act, family members and villagers immediately rushed to the scene and caught the accused red-handed. Police swung into action, and based on the victim’s complaint, a case was registered against Mohammad Javed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and he was taken into custody.

20. A Hindu man attacked in his house by a Muslim mob with a hammer for playing the Hanuman Chalisa in Ghaziabad

On March 10, 2026, a Hindu family was attacked by a violent mob for playing the Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker in the Nandgram area of ​​Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. According to victim Hrithik Singh, the dispute began when some Muslim families in the neighbourhood objected to the Hanuman Chalisa being played on a DJ. This minor altercation quickly escalated into a conflict when Tahir, Rashid, and Salman, along with several unidentified associates, forcibly entered Hrithik’s home.

Pooja, a member of the victim’s family, said the attackers first targeted her husband while he was at a nearby shop, and then stormed the house. The attackers, crossing all limits of brutality, attacked Pooja’s innocent daughter with a hammer, leaving her bleeding. The family claims they were also publicly threatened with death. Station House Officer (SHO) of Nandgram police station, Umesh Kumar, took the main accused, Tahir, Rashid, and Salman, into police custody.

21. Radicalisation in Hyderabad: Cab driver brutally beaten for ‘Jai Shri Ram’ sticker

A disturbing incident of religious intolerance happened in the JB Nagar area of ​​Hyderabad, Telangana. Late on the night of February 26, 2026, Suresh Gaur, a Hindu cab driver, was targeted simply because he had a ‘Jai Shri Ram’ sticker on the back of his car. According to reports, a violent group of Muslims stopped his cab and started an argument over the sticker, which quickly escalated into a violent attack.

The mob of around 25-30 Islamic fundamentalists surrounded Suresh Gaur, forcibly pulled him out of his vehicle, and assaulted him. The attackers not only injured the driver but also vandalised his cab, shattering the windows and causing significant damage to the vehicle.

22. Communal clash in Kodagu: Hindu youth attacked during religious announcement

On March 3, 2026, in Napoklu town, Kodagu district, Karnataka, the announcement of a religious event led to violence. The incident occurred when some Hindu men announced an upcoming religious event through a loudspeaker on a vehicle. Local Muslim youths objected, leading to a minor altercation that quickly escalated into a violent fight. A Hindu youth named Gautam was seriously injured in the attack.

Following the incident, Hindu organisations demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. Recognising the gravity of the situation, the police acted swiftly and registered an FIR against Rashid, Siddique, Suhail, and Rafi. Suhail, one of the main accused, was taken into custody.

23. Chhindwara audacity: A Hindu woman was threatened with rape by a man posing as a ‘Pathan’ on Instagram

A case of mental harassment via social media was reported in the Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh. The incident took place on February 24, 2026, when a 22-year-old Hindu woman shared a statement by a Hindu leader on Instagram. Enraged by this post, three Muslim men named Bilal, Dilawar, and Salman targeted the Hindu woman. They not only pressured her to remove the post through phone calls, but also crossed all limits of decency to intimidate her.

The accused used extremely offensive and violent language to mentally break the Hindu woman. One of the accused flaunted his identity and said, “I am a Pathan, I can actually commit a rape,” while the other, in an attempt to humiliate the girl, claimed that four girls from her community were his “girlfriends.” Instead of being intimidated by these horrific threats, the Hindu woman showed courage and immediately informed her family and filed a police complaint. Chhindwara police arrested all of them.

24. Dehradun Holi riot: Hindu youth attacked in a dispute over a burst balloon.

A disturbing incident of extremist violence happened amid the Holi celebrations in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. On March 2, 2026, Chirag Anand and his friend Anand were playing Holi near RGM Plaza on Chakrata Road when a water balloon got stuck on an electrical wire and burst. The water from the balloon splashed onto the clothes of Sahil Dhiman, who was standing nearby, leading to a clash.

Sahil got enraged and called his friends, and within moments, a mob of over 20 Muslims attacked Chirag with sticks and rods. The attackers brutally inflicted severe injuries on Chirag’s head and back, forcing him to hide in a nearby alley. It is alleged that the mob did not stop there; after pelting him with stones and bricks, they went to the victim’s home, where they also pushed and abused his mother.

25. Riots at Holika Dahan in Rajkot: Stunts and indecency towards women during the puja

On March 2, 2026, in the Bhagwatipara area of ​​Rajkot, Gujarat, tensions erupted during the sacred Holika Dahan celebrations when an attempt was made to disrupt the atmosphere of devotion and faith. At the time of the incident, a large number of local women and children were worshipping and circumambulating Holika. Meanwhile, two Muslim youths on a motorcycle suddenly arrived and began performing dangerous stunts in the crowd, causing panic.

When bystanders protested this unsafe and offensive behaviour, the Muslim youth left but returned shortly afterwards, accompanied by a mob of Islamists. The dispute quickly escalated into a violent clash. The Muslim mob created a ruckus, hurled abuses and behaved indecently towards the women present there. Police acted swiftly and detained several suspects on charges of disturbing the peace.

26. Religious tradition violated in Rampur: Huge uproar over premature Holika Dahan

Tensions erupted in Bajidpur village, Rampur district, Uttar Pradesh, on March 2, 2026, during Holika Dahan, when a Muslim man disrupted the religious ceremony. As per tradition, hundreds of Hindu families, women, and children had gathered for Holika Dahan and Parikrama at the auspicious time after the lunar eclipse. While people were preparing for the puja, a Muslim man secretly set fire to Holika before the scheduled time.

This incident sparked widespread outrage among the Hindus present, who saw it as a direct violation of their centuries-old religious traditions. As the situation became extremely tense, the Police immediately detained the Muslim man.

27. Bloody Holi in Chandauli: E-rickshaw rider and his friends carried out a deadly attack over colouring

On March 5, 2026, the joy of Holi in Dudhari-Tenduhan village in the Chandauli district of Uttar Pradesh, turned to mourning when a trivial matter sparked a violent clash. Some Hindu men were dancing to traditional songs and applying colours to each other when some colour accidentally splashed onto a passing e-rickshaw driver named Khurshid. Khurshid got angry over this small incident and immediately called his friends to the scene.

The dispute turned violent, and the Muslim men, armed with sticks, hockey sticks, and sharp weapons, attacked the Hindu men playing Holi. The situation reached its peak when the attackers entered the home of a Hindu man and brutally assaulted those present. Nearly half a dozen people were seriously injured in this well-planned attack. Police acted swiftly and arrested the three main accused.

28. Stone pelting in Tonk on the eve of Holi: Violence after namaz left father and daughter bleeding

On the night of March 3, 2026, just a day before the festivities of Holi, communal tension and violence erupted in the Tonk district of Rajasthan, where an old dispute suddenly escalated into a violent incident. According to media reports, the dispute began when a Muslim family returned home after offering namaz and got into a fight with local Hindu families. The altercation escalated to the point where both sides resorted to lathi-charge and heavy stone-pelting, creating panic and chaos in the area.

A Hindu father and his daughter were seriously injured in this bloody clash and were immediately admitted to the Tonk District Hospital. Given the sensitivity of the situation, Tonk Deputy Superintendent of Police Mrityunjay Mishra deployed Rajasthan Armed Constabulary personnel, along with police from the City Kotwali, Purana Tonk, and Sadar police stations.

29. Barbarity in Bangladesh: A Hindu man beheaded and thrown near a brick kiln

Gopal Chandra Das, a 45-year-old Hindu man, was brutally murdered in the Pirojpur district of neighbouring Bangladesh. Gopal, who went missing on March 13, 2026, was found decapitated, and his body was found the next day on a riverbank near an abandoned brick kiln in Nesarabad subdistrict. The gruesome condition of the body sent shockwaves through the area and created widespread panic among the local Hindu community. According to police, the body was found near Mamun Miyan’s brick kiln premises, and the missing head of the body was evidence of the murderers’ extreme brutality.

The family named two individuals, Mohammad Samrat and Mohammad Raju, as suspects for this heinous murder. Initial investigations and family statements indicated that Gopal Chandra Das was first abducted and then taken to a secluded location and murdered. Police arrested the accused, Mohammad Samrat, while the other accused, Mohammad Raju, remained at large.

30. Holi riot in Munger: Stone pelting in a dispute over applying colours

On March 4, 2026, the joyous celebrations of Holi turned tense in the Jamalpur area of ​​Munger district, Bihar, when a violent clash broke out near the railway track connecting Sadar Bazaar and Rampur Colony. Locals were applying colour to each other with traditional fervour when a dispute arose between the Muslim community over the application of colour. The dispute escalated to the point where a mob of local Muslims pelted stones at the Hindus present.

One Hindu man sustained serious injuries in the sudden attack, while several others were also injured. Police took action, detaining five suspects and an investigation was launched to ensure the perpetrators receive the harshest punishment.

31. Ujjain riot: Stone pelting and attack on India’s World Cup victory celebrations

On the night of March 8, 2026, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu family celebrating India’s historic victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final was attacked. The incident occurred in Raj Royal Colony, under the jurisdiction of the Chimanganj Mandi police station, where Islamists caused violence during Ramadan. The Hindu family was celebrating the country’s victory by bursting firecrackers outside their home when some Muslim neighbours objected to the firecrackers and got into an argument.

The argument quickly escalated into a violent clash, and the Muslim mob brutally assaulted the family. Several family members of the Hindu family were injured in the attack. Immediate action was taken based on the victim’s complaint. Police detained Wahid Khan, Zakir, Sultan, Shadab, and other accused.

32. Ramadan terror in Rajasthan: Hindu family attacked for celebrating Bumrah’s wicket

On the night of March 8, 2026, in Badhoda Ghumakkad village under Kishangarh Bas police station of Alwar district (Khairthal-Tijara area) of Rajasthan, the excitement of cricket turned into a conflict when celebrating India’s victory proved costly for a Hindu family. This incident, which took place in the month of Ramadan, started when a Hindu family was enjoying the match between India and New Zealand on the terrace of their house. As soon as Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah took two consecutive wickets in an over, the family members expressed their happiness by clapping in excitement.

Local Muslims in the neighbourhood objected to this celebration of the match and began abusing. The dispute quickly escalated, and soon a mob of around 15 to 20 Islamists, armed with sticks and iron rods, attacked the Hindu family. They pelted stones at the house of the Hindu family. One of the attackers climbed onto the roof and opened fire. In the attack, 30-year-old Bhajano Baiwas suffered a serious head injury and was left bleeding.

33. ‘Nikah’ plot in Bhiwandi during Ramadan: Minor raped

In Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, 20-year-old Arman Shaikh was arrested for raping, blackmailing, and forcing a minor girl into Nikah. The incident occurred on March 6, 2026, during the holy month of Ramadan. Police investigations revealed that the accused contacted the victim through social media in 2024. At the time, the girl was a minor, and Arman was approximately 18 years old. It is alleged that Arman sexually exploited the victim repeatedly for the past two years.

When the girl turned 18, Armaan began pressuring her to marry him. Fearing the accused’s blackmail and threats, the girl travelled to Bhiwandi for the wedding, where all the preparations for the wedding ceremony were made by the accused. Everyone, from the Qazi to the witnesses, was present for the ceremony. However, members of a Hindu organisation reached there just in time after getting information from the girl’s family. They rescued the girl safely. The police arrested Armaan Sheikh.

34. Ramadan violence in Lucknow: A Hindu girl converted

A 23-year-old Hindu woman from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, was lured into a love trap. She was physically exploited and forced to convert to Islam. The incident happened during Ramadan. The victim made serious allegations against a young man named Farheen Khan, who first had physical relations with her under the pretext of marriage and then lied to her that if she performed Nikah first, he would marry her according to Hindu customs. He also forced the victim to sign a Nikahnama.

After the Nikah, instead of taking the Hindu girl to her home, Farheen kept her in a rented room and constantly pressured her to recite the Kalma and convert to Islam. The cruelty reached its peak when the girl became pregnant, and Farheen kicked her in the stomach, causing her to miscarry. When she protested, Farheen threatened to kill her and sell her away.

35. Conversions in Kerala during Ramadan: Hindu women and children pressured to convert to Islam

A 21-year-old Hindu woman in Kerala’s Kozhikode district levelled serious allegations against her husband, Shahul Hameed. The incident happened during the month of Ramadan. The woman said that she was first lured into a love affair by Hameed, who married her according to Hindu rituals at the Guruvayoor temple. After the wedding, the couple lived together, and the woman gave birth to a child.

The woman said there was no talk of conversion before the marriage, but as soon as they began living together, the true nature of Shahul and his family was exposed. She said that shortly after the marriage, she and her child were pressured to convert to Islam. Fearing for her and her child’s safety, the victim approached the police. Thiruvambady police detained Shahul Hameed.

36. Minor forced into ‘nikah’ during Ramadan in Maharashtra

A case of harassment of a 15-year-old minor girl, during the month of Ramadan, came to light from the Shirdi police station area of ​​Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. A Muslim man named Irfan Shaikh contacted the minor through Instagram and gradually began harassing her. Irfan stalked the Hindu girl on social media and pressured her to marry him.

The investigation revealed that Irfan was not alone in the conspiracy; some of his family members were also involved. Tormented with constant harassment, the minor told everything to her family, who filed a complaint at the police station. Police subsequently arrested the main accused, Irfan Sheikh.

37. Dalit Hindu teenager surrounded by Muslim mob in Chikkamagaluru during Ramadan

On February 26, 2026, during the month of Ramadan, a 17-year-old Dalit Hindu boy was surrounded by a Muslim mob in Malad Town in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka. The Hindu boy was riding a bike with his Muslim female friend when a group of Muslims noticed them and stopped them near Jyoti Circle on Market Road. The Islamist mob questioned the teenager about his Muslim friend and intimidated him. The situation calmed down at the time.

However, later in the night, some Muslim men forcibly entered the Dalit boy’s house and abused his entire family. They threatened to kill the boy and his family. Following the incident, police filed an FIR against eight people and detained three of the accused.

38. Stones pelted at a Hindu colony over a colour dispute in Shahjahanpur during Ramadan

In Mau Rasulpur village of the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, communal tensions flared up on Holi. On March 4, 2026, communal conflict erupted after a Hindu youth threw colour on a Muslim man while playing Holi. However, the police arrived at the scene and pacified both sides, but that did not end the conflict. An attack was planned by local Muslims at night in a secret meeting. The next morning, a large mob of Islamists attacked the Hindu colony.

The mob pelted stones at the houses of Hindus, seriously injuring several. Police filed charges under serious sections against around 100 rioters, including Zayed Ali, Shahid Ali, Aqeel Ahmed, Azim, Sohail, Amir, Mahkoo, and Hasrat.

39. Bloody clashes in Rudrapur during Ramadan: Muslim mobs pelted stones and opened fire during Holi celebrations.

Communal violence erupted during the Holi festival in Rudrapur, Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand. Late on the night of March 5, 2026, as locals in the Bhootbangla area were celebrating Holi with traditional fervour, a Muslim man disrupted the atmosphere. The Muslim man repeatedly tried to force his e-rickshaw through the crowd of Hindus taking part in Holi celebrations. When people present objected to his actions, he used abusive language and left.

Shortly afterwards, the Muslim man came back with a violent mob of dozens of Muslims and attacked unarmed Hindus celebrating Holi. The Islamic mob pelted stones and beat Hindus with sticks. According to eyewitnesses, gunfire was heard during the attack. More than a dozen people were injured in this sudden, well-planned attack.

40. Hindu families attacked over colour dispute in Barabanki during Ramadan

Communal violence broke out during Holi celebrations in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. On March 4, 2026, the joy of Holi in Tikaria village of Deva police station area turned sour when a minor dispute over playing with colours escalated into a violent clash. Several Hindu families in the village were playing Holi when a group of local Muslims objected and created a ruckus.

A mob of Islamists, armed with sticks, iron rods, and knives, attacked unarmed Hindus. Eleven people were seriously injured. The attackers entered homes and brutally beat Hindu families, targeting anyone who tried to intervene. Upon receiving information about the incident, the police registered an FIR.

41. Murder during Holi feast in Baghpat during Ramadan

On March 4, 2026, during the festival of Holi, a Hindu man named Amrit Sharma was brutally stabbed to death following a minor altercation in Titroda village, Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh. The incident happened when Amrit left home to attend a Holi feast at the invitation of his friend, Sameer. Amrit went to a chicken shop owned by a man named Sajid in the village, where he got into an argument with some Muslim men present there.

The dispute escalated to the point where Suhail, Anas, Shaukeen, and Chinku, who were present at the shop, attacked Amrit with knives. The attackers stabbed Amrit multiple times in the chest, abdomen, and waist, causing him to bleed profusely and die on the spot. The police filed a murder case against the four named accused.

42. Ramadan rampage in Lakhimpur: Meat thrown into temple

Communal fanaticism and violence in Mohammadpur village, Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, forced a Hindu family to flee their ancestral home. The incident occurred during the month of Ramadan on March 4, 2026, when the victim, Pradeep Verma, fled the village with his family, fed up with the oppression of his neighbours. Pradeep said that his neighbour, Ismail Ali, and his family had been mentally and physically abusing him for a long time.

As part of the conspiracy, the accused repeatedly threw pieces of flesh and bones into the local Shiva temple and the well in front of Pradeep’s house. On March 4, 2026, when the temple premises were desecrated, Pradeep strongly objected. When he protested, Ismail, Warish Ali, Tahban Ali, and Ishtiyak, along with the women in their families, attacked Pradeep Verma and brutally beat him. After the incident, Pradeep decided to leave the village with his family.

43. Ramadan riot in Gaya: Stones pelted at several people, including a pregnant Hindu woman, after a child was hit by a ball

On March 5, 2026, during Ramadan, a minor incident in the Belaganj area of ​​Gaya district, Bihar, escalated into a bloody clash when a ball accidentally hit a Muslim man while children were playing. The man strongly objected, sparking an argument. Soon, a large Muslim mob gathered at the spot and indiscriminately pelted stones at Hindus’ homes.

This sudden attack and stone-pelting created panic in the area and caused extensive damage to several houses. Several people were injured in the violence, including a 21-year-old pregnant woman, Lalita Devi. According to locals, the tension in the village had old roots; about a week earlier, a dispute had erupted between the two sides over a Kalash Yatra held during the Akhand Kirtan.

44. Brutality in Varanasi during Ramadan: A Hindu minor drugged and raped at Assi Ghat

A minor Hindu girl was subjected to ‘Love Jihad’ and brutality during the month of Ramadan at the famous Assi Ghat in the religious city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The teenager, a resident of Chandauli’s Baburi police station area, had gone to visit Assi Ghat with her brother on March 7, 2026, where she was kidnapped by a man named Nabi Rasool alias Javed. After the kidnapping, Javed called the Hindu girl’s father and not only admitted to having her in his custody, but also said that he would forcibly convert her and marry her.

The entire conspiracy was revealed when the accused fled, leaving the young woman unconscious near her village on the morning of March 8, 2026. The victim recounted her ordeal, stating that she was held captive, drugged, and repeatedly raped. Javed also captured obscene videos and photographs of her to blackmail her. Bhelupur police later arrested the accused.

45. Non-Muslim children are prohibited from eating at a Canadian school during Ramadan

In an attempt to be inclusive, the school administration at Fairview School in Calgary, Canada, made a decision that increased the difficulties of non-Muslim students. During the month of Ramadan, the school, in the name of showing respect to the students observing fast, banned them from eating food in its cafeteria. According to the school’s official email, the lunch area was declared a ‘food-free’ zone. Due to this arbitrary order, the students who were not observing fast also had to remain hungry during lunch time and had to find another place in the bitter cold.

The rule left young children (around 9 years old), studying in grades 4 to 6, hungry. The situation worsened for students in grades 7 to 9, who were completely prohibited from eating in the lunchroom during their one-hour break. Notably, fasting is generally mandatory in Islam from the age of 13 to 14, but the school, in its appeasing move, imposed fasting on even younger non-Muslim children.

46. ​​Terrorist attack in America during Ramadan: Gunfire accompanied by chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’

On March 12, 2026, a former military personnel entered a building at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia, USA, and opened fire indiscriminately. In this horrific incident, which occurred during the month of Ramadan, 36-year-old Mohammed Baylor Jalloh entered the classroom, shouting “Allahu Akbar” and opened fire. Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah was tragically killed in the attack, while two others were seriously injured.

Surprisingly, the attacker, Jalloh, was no ordinary criminal. He was a former Army National Guard member convicted in 2016 of supporting the dreaded terrorist organisation ISIS. He was on surveillance after being released early. At the time of his attack, students were training to become military officers. These brave students fearlessly confronted the terrorist and captured him. According to the FBI, the students stabbed Jalloh to death in self-defence.

47. Ramadan carnage in Nigeria: 23 killed in Maiduguri suicide bombing

A deadly suicide attack took place in Maiduguri, Nigeria, during the month of Ramadan. On the night of March 16, 2026, suspected attackers carried out a series of bomb blasts targeting this major city in north-eastern Nigeria. According to the Nigerian police, these suicide blasts killed at least 23 innocent people, while more than 100 people were seriously injured. This attack in the capital of violence-hit Borno state is being considered one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in recent years. No terrorist group officially claimed responsibility for this attack, but some Islamic terrorist groups were suspected.

48. Radicalisation in London during Ramadan: Attack on a Holika Dahan event in Harrow

On March 4, 2026, during the month of Ramadan, in the Harrow area of ​​London, the capital of Britain, when the local Hindu community was celebrating the ‘Holika Dahan‘ with legal permission, the festive atmosphere was turned violent by Islamic fundamentalists. A large number of Hindu families, women and innocent children were participating in this event. According to eyewitnesses, some people from a nearby mosque suddenly disrupted the event. The attackers not only uprooted and threw away the sound system installed there, but also threatened the people participating in the celebration.

Surprisingly, after the initial altercation, the group briefly left but returned shortly after with about 20 other extremists and attacked again. This occurred despite the presence of the local mayor, representatives of Harrow Council, and senior Labour Party figures. Despite the presence of so many VIP figures, the attackers were able to create a ruckus.

49. Al-Qaeda rampages in Burkina Faso during Ramadan: 50+ killings

During the month of Ramadan in the African country of Burkina Faso, the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group JNIM carried out a horrific massacre, shaking the entire region. On February 27, 2026, in a major attack in the northern areas, the terrorists crossed all limits of barbarity, killing more than 50 soldiers and civilians.

This spate of Jihadist attacks is not new in the country, which has been under the military rule of Ibrahim Traore since September 2022. But this time, the terrorists displayed brutality, not only killing people but also setting grain stores on fire and looting food supplies, threatening starvation for the local population. The terrorist group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

50. Terrorist bombings in Moscow during Ramadan: fanatics’ brutality and innocent bloodshed

On February 24, 2026, during Ramadan, in Moscow, the capital of Russia, an ISIS-affiliated terrorist targeted a railway station and blew himself up, killing a police officer on duty on the spot and seriously injuring several others.

The irony is that while the fundamentalists who perpetrate these incidents tout this month as a time of “worship and purity,” the reality on the ground appears to be quite the opposite. The 50 incidents documented in this report are merely a sample, while there may be hundreds more that may never be exposed. The heinous rapes of women and minor girls, the murders of innocents, and the unrest unleashed by shedding the blood of innocent people expose the duplicity of these fundamentalists.

The list of other events is available here.

(The article is a translation of the original article published at OpIndia Hindi.)

The World Happiness Report 2026 has been unveiled, identifying the Nordic countries as the happiest globally, with Finland, Iceland and Denmark securing the first three spots. The survey, which is released every year around the United Nations (UN) International Day of Happiness, evaluates over 140 nations, based on how people assess their own lives. Interestingly, Pakistan occupies the 109th spot while India is positioned at 118th.

Notably, the Islamic Republic which has been grappling with a debilitating economy, characterised by long queues for depleting flour reserves that have led to violence, fatalities and injuries, a severe suppression of its alleged democracy with a former prime minister languishing in prison, relentless terror attacks from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Baloch rebels along with relentless border altercations with neighbours, is deemed happier than the fastest growing economy in the world. Their situation is increasingly dire as a result of the Middle East tensions.

This is a country that has faced global humiliation after suffering repeated defeats at the hands of India, both on the battlefield and on the cricket fields. Hence, the ranking can only be considered valid if Pakistanis are detached from their grim reality, living in a fantasy world where everything is perfect or if the report itself is flawed.

Of course, their blatant absurdity and impudence, where they win wars on social media and revel in these claims despite the contrasting truth, cannot be overlooked, but the reliability of the methodologies utilised in these surveys also brings forth significant doubts.

The craft of impaired methodology

According to WHR’s official website, the Cantril Ladder, a single life analysis question, serves as the basis for their happiness score, which is a culmination of five terms: well-being, subjective well-being, life evaluation and satisfaction, alongside affect in relation to a person’s feelings or emotional states.

It said that the Gallup World Poll has been gathering the data since 2005, and independent specialists determine this. “The Gallup World Poll collects data throughout the year, taking into account religious observances, weather patterns, pandemics, war, and other local factors,” the publication highlighted.

After the calculation procedure was outlined, it elaborated on the sample size, which should evoke special focus. “The number of people and countries surveyed varies year to year but, in general, more than 100,000 people in 140 countries and territories participate in the Gallup World Poll each year. In most countries, approximately 1,000 people are contacted by telephone or face-to-face each year,” it stated.

The outcome derived from such a small group, particularly in countries like India, which has the largest population in the world, generate skepticism about its authenticity. How can it mirror the voice or reality of more than 1.4 billion citizens and does this not hold true for any other nation as well? Local opinion polls in India cover more people to establish the credibility of their findings.

“To provide a more precise estimate of the average life evaluation in each country, we combine the responses from the last three years. For example, our 2025 rankings are based on combined data from 2022 to 2024. Using a sample size of at least 3,000 reduces random sampling error and allows us to keep countries in the rankings in years when no survey was conducted,” the website declared.

However, the declarations fall short because of the limited number of approached individuals. Additionally, not everyone is interviewed face-to-face and answers are obtained over the phone, making it impossible to confirm the respondent’s identity, their comprehension of the inquiry, or the impact of their surroundings all of which play a key role in these exercises. More importantly, how can an opinion poll be a true indicator of factors that demand extensive calculations and details to measure happiness?

WHR indicated that some countries excel more than others based on six factors, which consist of “having someone to count on, log GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and freedom from corruption.” It goes without saying that India is miles ahead of Pakistan in these sectors, even when the intangible inquiries are disregarded.

India is the 4th largest economy while Pakistan has relied on financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, the United States and others for decades. Islamabad is ruled by its corrupt army, either directly or through a puppet government of politicians only keen to remain in power and fund personal bank accounts, while New Delhi is a thriving democracy.

The two societies are essentially polar opposites. India leans towards conservatism, while its neighbour is deeply rooted in a strict Islamic ideology, dictating all decisions related to life, which, if resisted, can lead to severe consequences. The liberty to make personal choices is primarily reserved for the upper class, similar to other resources in the country.

The figures of Pakistani citizens travelling to India for treatment of especially complicated diseases underscore the truth about the defective healthcare system in their country. They are obviously destined to have shorter lifespans than Indians in their doomed homeland. Thus, one might wonder: if Pakistan is lagging behind India in these important aspects, how can it be happier?

Why international indexes are a farce

The issue pertains not only to this instance but also to other international indices notorious for their bias against India. Although it is true that the country faces its own set of challenges that it must confront, these partial surveys have historically overlooked its achievements and improvements over the years, relegating it below some of the worst nations in the world.

The government outlined the same on 15th October 2022, when it dismissed the Global Hunger Report 2022, where India was named after Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, charging that the latter had significant methodological shortcomings and an incorrect estimation of hunger.

“Misinformation seems to be the hallmark of the annually released Global Hunger Index. It is an erroneous measure of hunger and suffers from serious methodological issues. Three out of the four indicators used for the calculation of the index are related to the health of Children and cannot be representative of the entire population. The fourth and most important indicator estimate of the Proportion of Undernourished (PoU) population is based on an opinion poll conducted on a very small sample size of 3000,” it observed.

According to the statement, the centre’s efforts to guarantee food security for the populace, specifically during the Covid pandemic, have been purposefully disregarded by the report, which is likewise detached from facts.

“Taking a one-dimensional view, the report lowers India’s rank based on the estimate of the PoU population for India at 16.3%. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate is based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) Survey Module conducted through Gallop World Poll, which is an opinion poll based on 8 questions with a sample size of 3000 respondents,” it added.

Biased analysts and their dubious reports

American sociologist Salvatore Babones also explored the topic in a paper from last year where he examined how the personal favouritism of the “experts” plays a crucial role in these results.

He wrote, “Clear evidence of this can be seen in the evaluations of Indian democracy published by the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute. The V-Dem ratings, first published in 2017, have rapidly become the standard reference point for evaluating the world’s democracies, completely eclipsing all other sources in analytical focus and the number of citations.”

“Although the V-Dem ratings rely on a highly sophisticated statistical methodology, they are ultimately based on expert evaluations. And there is strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that the experts who have been consulted by V-Dem have allowed their subjective preferences to shape evaluations that are meant to be objective,” Babones mentioned.

The institution is financed by the sinister George Soros and classified India as an “electoral autocracy,” lower than Nepal in its previous year’s review of democracies. Babones stated that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind were outlawed on the first day of the state of emergency imposed by late Indira Gandhi regime in 1975 until democratic elections were held in 1977. Thousands of their members and all leaders were also thrown behind bars.

“Yet throughout that period, the V-Dem historical database rates civil society repression in India at two points on a scale from 0 (severe) to 4 (none),” he pointed out, sharing the descriptor which alleged that “the government engages in minor legal harassment (detentions, short-term incarceration) to dissuade (civil society organisations) CSOs from acting or expressing themselves.”

The sociologist invoked the V-Dem codebook, which insists, “religiously inspired organisations (if they are engaged in civic or political activities” are part of the civil society outfits and the RSS and JIH and fit within this category. “Clearly and unambiguously, the correct V-Dem coding for India for 1976 should have been one (the government arrests, tries, and imprisons leaders of and participants in oppositional CSOs who have acted lawfully),” he conveyed.

Nevertheless, only one of its five coders provided this precise assessment. “The result is that democracy indices, like those published by V-Dem, inevitably incorporate moral judgments: after all, the judges are human and thus subjective beings,” he aptly concluded which is true for other such indexes as well.

Conclusion

The international indexes undoubtedly have no credibility and are primarily employed as a propaganda asset for preferred nations or governments. They disparage what they disagree with through bogus and misleading methods or outright denial, while bolstering what they support using similar tactics.

This has been particularly true for India since the Modi government took office in 2014. If it is performing exceptionally bad in all other indexes during his tenure, it may very well be among the unhappiest countries to sustain this trend. Who is bothered about trivialities like data and facts, after all?