Readers, check out Swarajya’s morning headlines roundup of the day’s must-read stories.
India to build 20 industrial parks to streamline manufacturing ecosystem
India is working on plans to emulate the successful model of China’s industrial giants and streamline its manufacturing ecosystem. The government plans to establish more than 20 large-scale industrial parks by 2030 to increase the country’s contribution to global manufacturing, with the aim of moving it from its current fifth place to third place. Various ministries such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, petroleum and commerce are collaborating in this effort.
The proposed park will focus on key sectors such as chemicals, textiles, leather, medical devices and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and provide dedicated space for companies in each industry. The goal is to address concerns about India’s sporadic industrial growth and create a well-planned, centralized manufacturing hub.
Trains to Kashmir Valley likely to start in January
The Railways has modified five AC sleeper trains and one Vande Bharat seating coach to cope with the harsh weather conditions on the Jammu-Kashmir route, ahead of commencing train services to the Kashmir Valley. To ensure the safety of passengers, security checks similar to those at airports will be conducted at stations. The final inspection of the Katra-Reasi section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line is scheduled for January 5, raising hopes that trains to the valley will be operational by next month. In addition to the train service, PM Modi also plans to inaugurate the Zu Morf Tunnel in Kashmir. There are also reports that the test run of a cargo-laden train between Katra and Reasi has been successful and the train may start running on January 12 or 26.
RSS Magazine defends investigation into disputed site after Bhagwat’s warning
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently criticized the daily focus on disputes over Islamic mosques and shrines, calling it “unacceptable”. However, an editorial in the RSS-affiliated magazine Organizer argued that uncovering the true history of disputed religious sites is essential to “civilized justice.” The magazine’s cover story focused on the Sambhar Mosque controversy, claiming that there was once a temple on the site of Shahi Jama Masjid, and detailing communal tensions in the town.
The editorial avoided direct reference to Bhagwat’s alarming remarks, but defended claims of historical truth about religious spaces that have been targets of past invasions. The magazine framed such research as necessary to address historical injustice.
Other developments
More than 260 Canadian universities involved in human trafficking
Three years ago, on January 19, 2022, a Gujarati family (Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishali, and their two children) tragically attempted to enter the United States illegally at the US-Canada border in Manitoba. I froze to death. An Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into the traffickers involved in the incident uncovered an international human trafficking syndicate.
The investigation revealed that at least 260 Canadian universities participated in a network that issued student visas to illegal immigrants and facilitated their illegal entry into the United States. The migrants, who paid the agents around 5 million to 6 million rupees, were enrolled in Canadian universities but never attended them, instead entering the US through the student visa route. ED investigations in Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar and Vadodara revealed that the two major agents alone send around 35,000 illegal immigrants abroad every year.
BJP gets Rs 2,244 crore, Congress gets Rs 289 crore in donations.
The BJP reported contributions of around Rs 2,244 crore in 2023-24 from donations of over Rs 20,000 crore, more than three times the inflows of the previous year, while the Congress received Rs 288.9 crore; This has increased from Rs 79.9 billion in 2022-23. The Prudent Electoral Trust was a major donor, contributing Rs 723.6 million to the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rs 156.4 million to the Congress, accounting for more than a third and half of the respective donations.
Major contributors to Prudent in 2022-23 include Mega Engineering, Serum Institute, ArcelorMittal, Bharti Airtel, etc. Notably, these figures do not include donations received through electoral bonds, which are disclosed in annual audit reports rather than donation reports. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to cancel the electoral bond system in February 2024, direct and trust-based donations became the main source of funding for political parties.
NDA leaders plan united response to opposition
NDA leaders, including BJP president JP Nadda and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, met in New Delhi on Wednesday, December 25 to discuss countering the opposition’s narrative on the Constitution and Dr BR Ambedkar. Ta. The TDP highlighted better coordination within the NDA, citing the effectiveness of the Indian bloc in targeting the government.
The conference focused on issues such as caste census and social justice politics after commemorating former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 100th birth anniversary. Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly criticized the Congress for spreading a “false narrative” and urged NDA leaders to unite in their response.
from america
Kejriwal goes all out to press charges against Bharatiya Janata Party
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of planning to arrest Atishi in a “fake” case to undermine the “free bus ride for women” initiative, securing votes for saffron. It was alleged that funds were being distributed to the New Delhi constituency for the purpose of party candidate. Kejriwal also claimed, citing “sources,” that the Bharatiya Janata Party plans to name former Congress leader Pervesh Verma as its candidate for the New Delhi seat and possibly as its candidate for prime minister. Meanwhile, two Delhi government ministries have issued public notices distancing themselves from AAP’s welfare schemes.
UP: Muslim groups protest against sale of The Satanic Verses
Several Islamic organizations have condemned the return of Salman Rushdie’s controversial book The Satanic Verses to bookshelves in India and called on the central government to reinstate the ban. The book was originally banned by Rajiv Gandhi’s government in 1988, but it has been revived after 36 years and is now available at Bahrisons Booksellers in Delhi, NCR. In November, the Delhi High Court ended proceedings on a petition challenging the ban, citing lack of relevant 1988 notifications from government officials. Maulana Qab Rashidi, legal adviser to Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind’s Uttar Pradesh unit, expressed concern over the book’s return to India. Islamic groups are calling on the government to take action against the sale.
Renowned Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nar dies
Renowned Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nar passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91 at a private hospital in Kozhikode due to heart failure. The Kerala government declared two days of national mourning in his honor. One of the most celebrated figures in the literary and film industries of Kerala, MT leaves behind a lasting legacy from a career spanning over seven decades. His work is often inspired by the agricultural life along the Nila River, where he was raised in an upper-caste Nile family. MT is widely known for his profound influence on both literature and cinema in Kerala.
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