To this day we don’t know the exact number of those who died at Prayagraj on January 29. The figures “30 dead and 60 injured” provided by the Uttar Pradesh Police were the ones that the mainstream media chose to run with. Some added, for abundant caution, terms like “at least” and “more than” because the police data somehow seemed too pat, especially as other journalists, less yoked to power, had counted at least double that number of dead bodies. Another piece of information that was intriguingly missing from the narrative was the number of those who were untraceable. https://thewire.in/media/backstory-ways-in-which-news-of-the-stampedes-has-been-made-to-vanish-in-double-time 

If the numbers were vaporised out of the reportage, so were the very sites of death and destruction. Before a proper forensic examination could be even conducted, bulldozers were brought in to carry away mangled human remains and personal effects of the dead, making it impossible to do a proper reconstruction of the sequence of events that had led to the calamity. News did come in of another stampede, albeit a smaller one, but here again the prompt cleaning up operations removed any evidence of it.

If the story goes against the establishment’s interests, place hurdles in reporters’ access 

By the time the New Delhi Railway Station stampede had occurred a fortnight later, it appeared that the Modi government had learnt several lessons from the Prayagraj events. Here you had pro-active attempts to keep all media attention at bay. As bodies were taken to the Lok Nayak Jaya Prakash Hospital, yellow police barricades quickly ringfenced it and police personnel stopped mediapersons in their tracks as they sought to go in.

If the story potentially ignites public outrage, neutralise public outrage through prompt and targeted action

Even as people were searching for their missing relatives, some post-mortems had been completed, and all evidence of the stampede removed.

Simultaneously, relatives were strongly discouraged from talking to the media. 

by Pamela Philipose

22/02/2025

'You made 500 million people bathe in polluted sewage water' — NGT's stern remarks on UPPCB raise safety concerns https://www.downtoearth.org.in/water/you-made-500-million-people-bathe-in-polluted-sewage-water-ngts-stern-remarks-on-uppcb-raises-safety-concerns.. 
Heavy presence of faecal coliform, particularly during the large crowds bathing at the Maha Kumbh.. in the river before the start of the fair. It was clearly visible that sewage was directly flowing into the rivers.

According to the CPCB’s report, the water quality at several monitoring sites was found to be sub-standard during inspections on January 12 and subsequently on Januay 23, 2025. ..The report stated that, especially on the auspicious bathing days, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels were found to be higher than the normal standard of three milligrams (mg) per litre at multiple locations,..

India’s Faustian deal with Tesla
https://themorningcontext.com/internet/indias-faustian-deal-with-tesla  Ashish K. Mishra 22 February, 2025 In paving the way for Tesla to sell its cars in the country with reduced duties, India comes across as partisan and a country that can be bullied into acting against its own interests. 

One car is changing the market sentiment on Maruti. Will it be worth it? https://themorningcontext.com/business/one-car-is-changing-the-market-sentiment-on-maruti-will-it-be-worth-it  India's largest carmaker has solidified its hold in the domestic market on the back of its multi-fuel strategy. With the e Vitara, albeit a late entry to electric vehicles, it hopes to grab a bigger slice of the global auto pie. Azman Usmani 19 February, 2025

https://www.globalsign.com/en/blog/electronic-signatures-vs-digital-signatures  What's the Difference Between Electronic Signatures and Digital Signatures?
There are number of differences between electronic signatures and digital signatures, from the technology and infrastructure used to deploy and the level of security and authentication, to legal frameworks and compliance requirements across and, use cases and industry adoption.

 five types of signatures:

Simple Electronic Signatures (SES) – the most basic type of signature and is the least secure type as it doesn’t provide any verification of the signer’s identity.
Electronic Seal (eSeal) – is a digital equivalent of a corporate seal used to verify the integrity and origin of an electronic document. eSeals hold the same weight as an
Advanced Electronic Signatures (AES) – is a type of electronic signature that offers a higher level of security and authentication by using cryptography through a digital certificate issued by a Trust Service Provider.
Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) – is the most secure form of electronic signature that meets specific legal requirements and is backed by a qualified digital certificate, again issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP).
Qualified eSeals – are verified with a qualified certificate, issued by a QTSP, meaning the owner of the seal has been vetted and verified to provide a strong level of digital trust.
Qualified Trust Seals (QTSeals) - A Type of electronic seal which is generated with a qualified digital certificate. Issued by a QTSP, it provides a quantified level of trust and can be used to sign documents at scale.

Best Practices for Implementing Digital Signatures 
Once you’ve assessed your organization's specific needs and goals, implementing digital signatures effectively requires implementing best practices.

Develop policies and procedures around signature processes, and educate employees.
Prioritize security by selecting a solution that employs robust encryption and authentication.
To maximize efficiency, integrate the solution seamlessly into existing workflows .
Regularly review and update your processes to stay compliant with relevant requirements and regulations.
Provide adequate training and support to ensure smooth adoption and usage across the organization.

 Modi's India Cedes its Stature in BRICS to Become a US Ally https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkljQD0e8AU 
Force Magazine

With Trump at the helm, global politics is undergoing a seismic shift, where conflicts, hyper-nationalism, and a disregard for international norms increasingly overshadow the idea of diplomacy. As threats, wars and regional disputes dominate headlines, power struggles, rather than cooperative engagements, are shaping the global order. Trump’s return to the White House only amplifies uncertainty, making the coming years in international politics highly unpredictable. His recent rhetoric – marked by incendiary nationalism and unilateral assertions of power – signals an era of escalating tensions and declining diplomatic efforts. https://thewire.in/world/the-trump-storm-and-rising-anarchy-of-global-politics 

If we examine Trump’s recent pronouncements closely, we find a leader who thrives in chaos, a disruptor who challenges the existing orders. His concept of “national interest” – driven by a transactional and coercive approach – disregards conventional diplomatic norms.

His worldview aligns with the idea that the international system is anarchic, where international laws exist but lack enforceability, allowing powerful states to act with impunity.

by Amal Chandra and Anmol Kumar

19/02/2025

The government of India by not caring about its very own chained people being dropped down by a foreign military plane can pretend it is an ostrich, but the picture of an India shrivelled and grovelling and further trying to 'normalise Indian hate' tells its own story.

https://thewire.in/rights/three-things-about-india-that-shackled-indians-returning-home-tell-us

The images of chained Indians, accounts of them being beaten and kept hungry for days in the US, despite engagement at the highest level, gives away the pecking order of where India stands in the Trumpian world. Modi’s readiness to concede everything has shown up the drastic fall in the place that India commands, globally. Other smaller countries have stood up for their citizens, notably when on January 26, 2025, Columbian President Gustavo Petro refused to allow the two C-17 military transport aircraft carrying Colombian undocumented nationals back from the US. Trump had then announced that he would impose 25% customs duties on imports from Colombia. But after Pedro sent his presidential aircraft to bring back his people, Trump suspended his tariff threats in a statement.

In sharp contrast, India has tried to make common cause about ‘illegal immigration’. The craven ‘MEGA’ coined by Modi to chime with Trump’s MAGA, is not only misplaced, and contestable, but reflective of the sheer inability of Modi’s India to project power, either as a ‘middle’ power or as an alternative leader of the Global Majority. The Modi government has mounted a shameful defence of the US policy of chaining people when deported. India’s deflections on ‘agents’ taking people out of India and trying to be seen as in the Trump camp, have yielded little and Trump has disdainfully continued to threaten tariff hikes against India.

by Seema Chishti

18/02/2025

Why India's Start-up Boom Is Crumbling Under Poor Governance
Saurabh Chandra 14 February 2025  https://www.moneylife.in/article/why-indias-startup-boom-is-crumbling-under-poor-governance/76386.html

 Hate speech in India ‘not spontaneous’, BJP leaders top the list  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfHouy3Va7E
The News Minute

@HemantSharma-h1f ..
So calling someone Andhbhakt is not hateful but condemning Terrorists and anti nationals is hate Speech?? This is all we need to understand who is actual hate Monger 
@pizzalot
The hatred, misogyny, and discrimination seen in Indian society today aren’t just random. ... The Rig Veda itself portrays Indra as a warlord, celebrating the destruction of enemies, looting of cattle, and the subjugation of weaker groups. Women, in particular, were gradually pushed into subordinate roles, with later texts like the Manusmriti codifying their oppression.

The varna system, which evolved into caste-based discrimination, ensured that those who worked the hardest—Shudras, Dalits, and laborers—were treated as lesser beings. ..Tamil traditions, in contrast, had a more balanced societal structure, where women, poets, and warriors were respected, and skin color wasn’t a measure of worth. But later Brahmanical influence corrupted this, imposing Vedic hierarchy on Tamil society.