Former President Ram Nath Kovind has highlighted the expansion of social and economic inclusion as a key feature of the Narendra Modi government, arguing that communities and regions that were historically left on the edges of India’s development story are now receiving greater attention. In an opinion article published by Hindustan Times on September 17, Kovind wrote that the lasting significance of the Modi era should be viewed through the expansion of what he described as the Indian mainstream. He linked this change to efforts aimed at reaching people and communities that, according to him, had remained underserved by governance for decades.
Kovind, who served as President between 2017 and 2022, said the approach was visible in a range of government programmes and infrastructure projects. Rather than focusing on a single scheme or reform, he presented inclusion across different regions and sections of society as a broader governance objective. The Northeast was one of the main examples cited in the article. Kovind said the region, which was frequently viewed as geographically distant from India's economic centres, has increasingly been presented as a gateway to Southeast Asia. He pointed to improvements in transport links, infrastructure, investment and peace initiatives as signs of the changing approach.
Among the projects mentioned were the Bogibeel Bridge and the Sela Tunnel, both of which have improved connectivity in difficult terrain. He also referred to the Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram, the first direct rail connection linking the state capital Aizawl with the wider Indian railway network, as well as the development of AIIMS Guwahati. He further pointed to the semiconductor manufacturing facility in Assam as an example of high-technology investment reaching the Northeast.
The former President also focused on remote settlements along India's international borders. He noted that the government's terminology has increasingly shifted from describing such locations as the country's "last villages" to calling them "first villages". The change, he argued, reflects a wider policy effort to improve roads, connectivity, livelihoods and basic services in border areas.
The Vibrant Villages Programme is part of that effort, while the Aspirational Districts Programme seeks to improve development outcomes in districts that have historically performed poorly across indicators such as health, education and infrastructure. Kovind also mentioned the Aspirational Blocks Programme, which extends the model to smaller administrative units.
Tribal communities were another major focus of the article. Kovind referred to programmes targeting Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups and other tribal populations, including the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, or PM-JANMAN. The programme is designed to improve access to essential services and infrastructure for 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups across the country, with areas such as housing, drinking water, roads, healthcare and connectivity among its priorities.
Financial inclusion, according to Kovind, has also helped broaden access to formal economic systems. He pointed to the expansion of Jan Dhan bank accounts and Direct Benefit Transfer as important elements of the government's strategy to connect previously underserved households with banking services and welfare payments. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana has now crossed 59 crore beneficiaries, according to government data.
The article also highlighted programmes covering electricity, cooking fuel and tap-water access. Kovind cited Saubhagya, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission as examples of schemes intended to extend basic services to households that previously had limited or no access to them. Women’s economic participation formed another part of his argument. Kovind pointed to initiatives such as MUDRA, PM SVANidhi and the Lakhpati Didi programme, saying that the policy focus has increasingly moved beyond viewing women only as recipients of welfare and towards encouraging entrepreneurship, income generation and greater economic participation.
The larger message of the former President's article is that development should not be limited to major cities or traditionally stronger regions. Instead, he argues, national growth becomes broader when remote communities, tribal populations, women, border residents and financially excluded households are able to participate in it.
Kovind's article comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi marks his birthday and looks ahead to the government's longer-term vision of a developed India by 2047. While the article presents the government's record from a supportive perspective, the effectiveness of individual programmes ultimately depends on implementation, access, regional differences and measurable outcomes on the ground.
The debate over India's development model is therefore likely to increasingly centre not only on headline economic growth, but also on how evenly the benefits of that growth reach different parts of society. The central transformation is a change in how the country's development map is viewed: communities once regarded as peripheral are increasingly being brought into the centre of policy attention.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from The Hindu.
A controversy over an alleged “purification” ritual at the Haldwani Ramlila Ground has brought renewed attention to how India’s Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, operates in cases involving alleged caste-based humiliation. The issue gained prominence after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public rally at the Haldwani venue on August 8. A ritual described as “shuddhikaran” was subsequently carried out at the same ground. Congress leaders alleged that the act was linked to Kharge’s caste identity and amounted to an expression of untouchability. Those associated with the episode have disputed that interpretation and offered a different explanation for the ritual.
The controversy later moved into the legal arena. Uttarakhand Police registered a case against unidentified persons after receiving several complaints concerning the alleged ritual, invoking provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A separate Zero FIR was also registered in Bengaluru following a complaint against Uttarakhand BJP leaders and others in connection with the episode.
The developments have also prompted a wider debate over the legal requirements that must be established before provisions of the Atrocities Act can apply. The discussion is particularly focused on Section 3(1)(r), which deals with intentional insult or intimidation of a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe with the intention of humiliating that person, provided the conduct takes place at a place within public view.
The Supreme Court has previously clarified that not every insult involving a person belonging to an SC or ST community automatically constitutes an offence under the Act. In its 2024 judgment in Shajan Skaria v. State of Kerala, the court identified specific requirements, including intentional insult or intimidation, an intention to humiliate the victim because of their SC/ST identity, and the occurrence taking place within public view.
The same principle has continued to feature in judicial decisions this year. In January 2026, the Supreme Court held that abusive language alone would not be sufficient to attract the SC/ST Act unless the alleged conduct was connected to an intention to humiliate the person because of their caste. The court also noted that merely knowing the caste of the complainant does not by itself establish the offence.
Another important element is the phrase “within public view”. In a 2026 judgment, the Supreme Court reiterated that an alleged caste-based insult must occur in circumstances where it is within public gaze. The court explained that even when an incident occurs at a private location, the statutory requirement can be satisfied only where members of the public have access to observe what is happening.
These legal requirements have become central to the current discussion because cases involving symbolic actions, public demonstrations or disputed remarks can raise questions over both the meaning of the conduct and the intention behind it. Determining whether an action was specifically intended to humiliate someone because of their caste is therefore a factual and legal question that has to be assessed against the evidence. The Prevention of Atrocities Act was enacted in 1989 with the stated objective of preventing atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The legislation provides for special courts, punishment for specified offences and measures concerning the relief and rehabilitation of victims.
The law has also been shaped by subsequent amendments and judicial interpretation. Courts have stressed that its provisions should be applied when the ingredients of the particular offence are present, while the legislation continues to serve as an important part of the legal framework dealing with caste-based atrocities. The Haldwani controversy has therefore opened a wider public discussion about the balance between protecting communities from caste-based humiliation and applying criminal provisions according to the precise requirements laid down by Parliament and interpreted by the courts.
The police cases arising from the Haldwani episode remain at the investigative stage, while competing claims over the meaning and purpose of the alleged ritual continue to be made by the parties involved. Any final determination of whether the conduct amounted to an offence under the SC/ST Act will depend on the evidence and the findings of the competent authorities or courts.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.
Pakistan has increased the bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar to PKR 70 lakh and included him in the Federal Investigation Agency’s latest Red Book of most-wanted terrorists, bringing renewed attention to the long-running mystery surrounding his whereabouts. The move comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force’s next plenary in Paris from October 26 to 30.
The FIA had announced a reward of PKR 50 lakh for information leading to Azhar’s arrest in 2021. The latest increase comes five years later, with Pakistani authorities continuing to maintain that the JeM founder is not in the country. Pakistan has previously claimed that Azhar left for Afghanistan, while Indian intelligence sources have put forward a different assessment, saying he could still be hiding inside Pakistan. India Today reported that intelligence agencies have assessed that Azhar may be in Nawabshah in Sindh, although his location has not been independently established publicly.
The timing of the announcement has also drawn attention because of the upcoming FATF meeting. Pakistan was placed under increased monitoring by the international watchdog from 2018 until 2022, and its latest decision to raise the reward for a UN-designated terrorist comes amid renewed scrutiny of the country’s action against militant networks. Indian officials have argued that such listings need to be accompanied by verifiable enforcement measures. Those assessments reflect the Indian government’s position.
The development surrounding Azhar comes at the same time as fresh reports about the reconstruction of the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Markaz Subhanallah complex in Bahawalpur. The facility was targeted during India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025, and Indian authorities had described it as an important centre for JeM’s training, indoctrination and operational activities. Recent reports say substantial reconstruction work has since taken place at the site.
The rebuilding has added to questions about the continued presence and organisational infrastructure of Jaish-e-Mohammed. The group has long been associated with attacks against India, while Azhar himself has been wanted by Indian authorities in connection with several terror cases. The United Nations designated Jaish-e-Mohammed under its sanctions regime in 2001 and listed Masood Azhar individually in 2019. Pakistan’s latest Red Book contains 1,804 names, compared with 1,330 in the 2021 edition, according to India Today. The updated list also includes individuals accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The discrepancy between the headline figure and official reporting is also worth noting. An NDTV opinion article published on September 16 referred to a PKR 75 lakh bounty, while multiple reports on the FIA’s latest Red Book put the figure at PKR 70 lakh. The PKR 70 lakh figure is therefore the one supported by the more direct reporting on the FIA announcement.
Masood Azhar’s whereabouts remain publicly unresolved. Pakistan says he is no longer on its soil, while Indian intelligence assessments have disputed that claim. With the FIA’s updated wanted list, the higher bounty and reports of the rebuilding of JeM’s Bahawalpur complex arriving together, the issue is likely to remain under close scrutiny ahead of the October FATF meeting.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday outlined a series of welfare and public service programmes being held across the national capital to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday. Addressing the media, Gupta said a 108-Kundiya Hawan was organised at the Khatu Shyam Temple on GT Karnal Road, where prayers were offered for the Prime Minister’s health and long life.
“Today is the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We have completed a 108-Kundiya Hawan here and, after seeking blessings at the feet of Baba Khatu Shyam, prayed for the Prime Minister’s long and healthy life and for his continued service to the nation,” Gupta said. Among the initiatives announced on the occasion, the Delhi government launched its first official organ donation portal and platform. Gupta said she became the first person to register as an organ donor through the new government initiative.
A large-scale blood donation drive was also organised across Delhi, with thousands of residents expected to participate. Gupta said the programmes were inspired by PM Modi’s repeated emphasis on public service. “Inspired by his constant message of serving the people, we have organised several programmes through the government today,” she said, adding that the mega blood donation campaign was one of the major initiatives.
The Delhi government also introduced the NaMo Shramik Kendra, aimed at helping workers and labourers access government welfare programmes more easily. According to Gupta, the centre will provide direct connectivity to various schemes and make it simpler for eligible workers to receive government assistance. Another programme to be launched on the occasion is a song prepared by school students, Gupta said.
She added that people across Delhi would participate in an evening lamp-lighting initiative, described as “Aashirwad ka Diya”, as a gesture of goodwill and prayers for the Prime Minister. BJP MP Yogender Chandolia said a large 108-kund Mahayagya was also held to mark Modi’s birthday. He said a nationwide Sankalp Abhiyan would be observed from September 17 to October 17, focusing on beneficiaries of government welfare programmes.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma extended birthday wishes to Modi on behalf of the people of Rajasthan. He said September 17 provided an opportunity to recognise a political leader whose public life, in his view, has been centred on service to the people and the country. Sharma said the nationwide celebrations were being held under a “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan” and described Modi’s political journey as one that began with his tenure as Gujarat chief minister and later expanded to national public service.
He also credited the Prime Minister’s leadership with accelerating development across both urban and rural areas. Sharma said government welfare measures had benefited large numbers of families and argued that India’s confidence on the international stage had grown in recent years. Referring to the “double-engine government” model, Sharma said policies aimed at young people had strengthened their confidence in the government and created new opportunities for empowerment. He further said that national security had become stronger under Modi’s leadership and that welfare and development programmes were reaching a wider section of society.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Pakistan and China have activated a joint mechanism to manage their shared border, with the first meeting held in Islamabad under the 2013 Boundary Management System agreement. India rejected the arrangement, saying the commission has no legal basis to make decisions concerning territory it considers illegally occupied. New Delhi has particularly objected to Pakistan’s 1963 transfer of the Shaksgam Valley to China and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan said the new mechanism will improve border security, trade and connectivity. The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in police training, artificial intelligence and modern security equipment.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Oil markets are coming under renewed strain after attacks disrupted Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, an important alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz. With Brent and WTI crude prices climbing above US$100 per barrel and fuel costs continuing to rise, concerns are growing over the resilience of global oil supplies. Susan Ng speaks with Jaime Brito, Executive Director of Refining and Oil Markets at Dow Jones Energy, about the potential impact of a prolonged disruption on Singapore and wider Asian markets.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
Singaporean rap pioneer and entertainer Sheikh Haikel looks back on his decades-long journey in the entertainment industry, recalling key moments that defined his career and discussing the legacy he wants to leave behind. After being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, Haikel also shares how deeply moved he has been by the support from fans, friends and fellow artists across the region. In this interview with Hairianto Diman and Elakeyaa Selvaraji, he speaks candidly about his career, personal journey and recent health battle.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
Donald Trump has organised a major political convention aimed at energising Republican supporters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. However, several Republican officials seeking re-election have chosen not to attend, instead focusing on campaigning in their home states and districts. Their absence raises questions about whether some Republicans are concerned that Trump’s current political standing and unpopularity could hurt their own chances at the polls. The discussion examines the growing tensions within the party as candidates weigh their loyalty to Trump against their own electoral prospects. This week, Jenna Amatulli hosts the discussion with Guardian US politics correspondent Rachel Leingang.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.
Singapore is set to increase the salaries of its political officeholders by as much as 9 per cent, marking the first adjustment to ministerial pay in 15 years. The move has renewed debate over how Singapore determines compensation for its political leaders, including whether salaries should continue to be linked to earnings among the country’s highest-paid private-sector professionals. Elakeyaa Selvaraji and Hairianto Diman explore the principles behind Singapore’s political pay framework and the broader question of how public service should be valued. They also discuss the issue with Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at Singapore Management University (SMU).
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
