To say, the grapes are sour if asked for the opposition, will not be wrong, because if the corridors of current power are highlighted, then it will be literally 100 percent true that in 65-70 years after independence in 2014, the country has come out of the beautiful dreams of Mungeri Lal, the reality of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, a government dedicated to public participation, an inclusive government, a government of equal people, has set its feet on the ground, yet the opposition is going into the abyss in its critical attitude and is unable to bring any change. Perhaps the result is that our nation, our India, and our Indians are leaving an indelible mark on the world, as well as the developmental agenda of the government, "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas," is now becoming a reality on the ground. 

On the one hand, the opposition parties are finding themselves helpless due to the style of working of 'Bharatiya Janata Party', its determination, will-power, strong leadership and the changes taking place in the country, or rather from the role of the opposition itself are absent. The people of the country lost faith in them and they could not get 54 Lok Sabha seats to be in the opposition. We are talking about the 2014 Lok Sabha, in which the Congress won only 40 seats, whereas a party has to get 10% (54) seats in the Lok Sabha to become the official opposition party in India.

The opposition has always been accusing the BJP that it is an anti-Muslim government and promotes Hindus more on the agenda of Hindutva, but they do not remember that the foundation of the Bharatiya Janata Party is associated with this issue. That is how to get rid of the second-class treatment meted out to Hindus in India. Due to BJP always being in minority, the opposition always considered the agenda of Hindutva to be negligible and the anti-India forces took advantage of this, but as soon as the BJP government was formed, it started working on its Hindutva, then some parties again caste Started politics, but the opposition, who put cotton in their ears, does not know that the people of the country have understood that by constructing 'Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya', they should bring back their lost identity.

It is not in the hands of the anti-Hindu opposition. At the same time, it is also necessary to say that Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and people of all religions have been living amicably in the Bharatiya Janata Party government, and no one has any kind of trouble. That is to say that the kind of fear the opposition has been showing to Muslims and has been doing politics, that Muslims have also seen that during the tenure of BJP, the interests of Muslims have not been ignored in any plan, but the opposition Those who always considered their vote bank, today the same Muslims have started considering BJP as their political party and as a result of this, they returned with full majority in the 2019 general elections.

Going beyond all these things, under the leadership of Hon'ble Modi ji, our country has emerged as a strong and influential country on the world stage - Our Prime Minister says that - "Whatever achievements are, it is not the government's but the government's". 125 crores belong to Indians only. The common people and the welfare of the country are at the root of all our plans. This government has done such works, which generations will remember. like -

you will miss the surgical strike

You Mangalyaan,

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana

Ayushman Bharat

50 crore people annually (500000) rupees

bank account in every household

electricity in every village

LPG (Ujjwala Yojana) in every household

Toilets in every government school, and in village-village, city-city

By giving international importance to Yoga, the UN declared June 21 as Yoga Day.

UN awarded 'Champion of Earth' to India.

If we talk about these above, then the great achievement of the government is that the people themselves gave up subsidies for the first time - be it gas or railways.

It will not be unreasonable to say that the opposition party is unable to play its meaningful role in the Indian democracy, because it does not have any concrete and basic issue, and if we talk about it, then the opposition is being 'leprosy'. The saying fits, because they do not have a solid issue, and the other is a lack of mutually acceptable leadership, which only exposes the irony and anomalies of the opposition. As the opposition did not have any concrete issue to hide their weaknesses, they created a slogan - 'First Modi ko Maat, Phir PM Par Baat', which reflects their failures. It can be said that today, instead of considering policies as the main issue, the opposition is emphasizing the leadership, or rather, the opposition has declared itself a weak negation by not considering policies as the main issue. The matter does not stop here, but their narrow selfishness is also becoming a hindrance to their solidarity. He has also declared himself an opportunistic politician by presenting his ideology.

If the matter has come out, then it will also go towards the government of Uttar Pradesh, and if we talk about the Uttar Pradesh government in this context, then four years of the government have been completed, during which the government has made the biggest ever 5 lakh 50 thousand 270 crore 78. With the passing of public welfare, development-oriented and all-inclusive budget of Rs. lakh from the Legislature, the state has taken a confident step toward a one trillion dollar economy. It was in the power of Yogi ji to effectively curb crime and crime with zero-tolerance policy against criminals by giving proper punishment to the criminals whose crime had become a stronghold in the governments of the opposition party. Compared to 2010, in 2020, 67.69% of dacoity cases are in robbery, 60% in murder, 25.70% in rebellion, 29.75% in road hold up, 100% in kidnapping for ransom, 41.51 in dowry death, 9.18 in rape cases There has been a reduction which could have been possible only in the present government. Be it sports, be it education, be it the case of saving a daughter, be it the passion to eliminate criminals, all this remained under the control of the BJP government, yet the opposition is criticizing Gandhiji only and only, not even this It is seen that the public has rejected it and denied its existence. And all this is the result of the dedicated government of the society, the result of the inclusive government.

What happened in Lakshadweep? 

An archipelago of 36 islands, Lakshadweep came as a blessing in disguise for India when the war with Pakistan was at its peak. Sprawling over an area of approximately 32 sq m, the isolated island has a plethora of cultural practices. Though most of its residents are Muslims, the practice of Islamism on this island is unlike any other country.

All of a sudden, the island has been reeling under the onslaught of disturbing new reforms introduced by the newly appointed administrator Praful Khoda Patel. An MLA from Gujarat and a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Patel has neither been a civil servant nor an administrator for any other UT earlier. He has been appointed by the BJP-led government in a pursuit to carry out their political activities at ease.

The contentious regulations have been witnessing public outrage on a widespread scale as they are unarguably a threat to their livelihoods and cultural practices. Without people’s consultation, three new reforms have been imposed on the islanders on development authority and animal preservation by the Goonda Act — a so-called way of the BJP to prevent anti-social activities on an island that has the lowest crime rate in the country.

The island has been reeling under the onslaught of disturbing new reforms introduced by the newly appointed administrator Praful Khoda Patel. Representational image.

What came as a bolt from the blue is all these are expected to come into effect while the whole nation is neck-deep in sickness and trying to combat the curb of the raging pandemic. In conjunction with this, the new administrator is solely responsible for the surge in the number of Covid cases in a place that had little to no cases till January 2020. After the relaxation of Covid protocols announced by Patel, 7,000 cases have been reported so far, equivalent to one-tenth of the union territory’s population.

The very first regulation proposes the orderly and progressive development of the island that, in other words, means carrying out construction of buildings and running engineering or mining operations without the consent of the public. No matter what development the government proposes to do to transform the island into a better place will definitely leave a devastating effect on the sanctity and environment as the island is ecologically sensitive.

Secondly, there seems to be a remarkable change in the consumption of food as one of the reforms aims to ban beef and proposes to put offenders behind bars or impose fines. On the contrary, the sale of liquor has been given a clear nod on an island where most of the population practices Islam. This has deepened discontentment among the islanders, but the Centre seeks to enforce the laws for electoral gain and power.

In addition to these, islanders with more than two children will not be allowed to contest for Panchayat polls, which in turn seems to be an impediment for people. The most vexatious among all the laws is the so-called Goonda Act, which gives unlimited power to detain anyone without any legal notice for one year. And this has been brought in at a place where the crime rate is at its lowest in the whole country.

Widespread condemnation has been voiced all around as several leaders posted online, including Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan, who said that these new laws are a cause of serious concern and put a challenge on the heritage on the island. In retaliation, the BJP said that several parties have been spreading false propaganda against the Modi government, albeit eight leaders of the saffron party have resigned against the acrimonious imposition of the reforms.

It sets the alarm bells ringing in our heads as to why the islanders were not consulted before implying these laws and what was the need of such reforms where there seems to be no sign of unlawful activities. While these are to be answered, islanders might have to prepare to bear the brunt.

By Akshit Gupta: Views expressed are personal and self-generated content. 

Vaishnavism is one of the major forms of modern Hinduism, characterized by devotion to the god Vishnu and his incarnations. A devotee of Vishnu is called a Vaishnava. The Vaishnavite tradition is known for the loving devotion to an avatar of Vishnu, and as such was key to the spread of the Bhakti movement in South Asia in the 2nd millennium CE. For Vaishnava’s, absolute reality is manifested in Vishnu, who in turn is incarnated in Rama, Krishna, and other avatars. Through his avatars, Vishnu defends traditional righteousness in keeping with the moral law.

Vaishnavism is the worship and acceptance of Vishnu. The various sects of worshippers of Vishnu pray to him in different ways. For some, the goal of religious devotion to Vishnu is liberation from the cycle of birth and death. For others, it is health and prosperity in this life, good crops, success in business, or thriving children.

Vaishnavism comprises many sects and groups that differ in their interpretation of the relationship between the individual and God. It has four main categories of sub-schools: the medieval-era Vishishtadvaita school of Ramanuja, the Dvaita school of Madhvacharya, the Dvaitadvaita school of Nimbarkacharya, and the Pushtimarg of Vallabhacharya. The Srivaishnava sect, for example, emphasizes the doctrine of qualified non-dualism of Ramanuja, according to which, although the differentiated phenomenal world is illusory, it is nevertheless the medium through which devotees may gain access to God. Another group professes the dualism of the philosopher Madhva, the belief that God and the soul are separate entities and that the soul’s existence is dependent on God. The Pushtimarg sect maintains the pure non-dualism doctrine of the theologian Vallabhacharya, which does not declare the phenomenal world to be an illusion. The Gaudiya sect, founded by Chaitanya, teaches inconceivable duality and non-duality, the belief that the relation between God and the world is beyond the scope of human comprehension.

HDH Shashthpithadishwar Pujya Pad Goswami 108 Shree Dwarkeshlalji Maharajshree hails from the Pushtimarg tradition of Vaishnavism as the direct descendant of Jagadguru Shrimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji, the founder of Pushti Bhakti Marg and one of the five great Acharyas in Hinduism. His Divine Holiness is enthroned as the 14th Gadipathi of Shashthpeeth at Vadodara, one of the seven thrones of Shri Vitthalnathji Gusainji, the son of Shri Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji. He is not only the head at Kalyanraiji Mandir, Vadodara but also at several temples/Havelis in India, the UK, the USA, and Canada.

The first supreme omnipresent Jagad Guru Shrimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji established the Vaishnav religious system to grace upon the Universe, the Divine Grace, also known as Pushtimarg. Jagad Guru Vallabhacaryaji had two Divine Sons – Shri Gopinathji & Shri Viththalnathji-Gosainji. Shri Viththalnathji-Gosainji had seven sons. His sixth son was Shri Yadunathji. Shashthapithadhishwar Param Pujya Goswami 108 Shree Dwarkeshlalji Maharajshri is the 14th Generation of Shri Yadunathji. For the past 13 generations based on the traditions of Shashthapithadhishwar, he resides on every Gaadi-Pati (Throne) as Raj-Tilak. He is presently residing in Vadodara as Raj-Tilak in Seva of Mohini Swarup Shri Kalyanrayji. This is the same Swarup that Beloved Vallabhacharyaji served (Sevya).

Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shree Dwarkeshlalji Maharajshri is presently the Raj-Tilak Gaadi-Pati of Vadodara, Ahmedabad-Naroda (Shri Mahaprabhaji's Bethakji), Gondal, Baria, (Gujarat), Gokul (Uttar Pradesh), Dhanpur, Shergad (Rajasthan), Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh), Sikandarabad (Telangana). Likewise, in Atlanta-Gokuldham, Ocala-Pushtidham, Connecticut-Vallabhdham (All-USA) & Leceister-Shreeji Dham (UK). Moreover, he is serving various other religious establishments around the world as an Advisory.

From a very young age, Pujya Maharajshree has been an inspirational religious, social and cultural leader as well as a guiding force for the young and old alike and strong support for the disadvantaged members of society. He has motivated thousands of youngsters to embrace Pushtimarg through various religious, cultural, educational, and charitable institutions throughout India and the world. Over the years, HDH has been honored for His profound philosophical and poetic writings as well as for His religious, social, and humanitarian work.

He is a renowned PushtiMargiya Propagator, Philosopher and Teacher. He is an embodiment of Love, Compassion and Friendship. Along with these attributes, he is extremely practical and tolerant. He is a guiding leader in social welfare and is associated with various social organizations in the country & abroad. In his lectures, he motivates and inspires many individuals & Organizations and strives to find solutions to various problems faced by society. His inspired guidance is always for the people of the society for self-development and progress of the society.

He appreciates antique collections and art & artistry. He is very proficient in playing Mrudang (Pakhawaj) in Music Area. He is articulate in preparing and adorning jewelry for Shree Thakorjee. He has written several ongoing poetries in Gujarati, Hindi & Vraj Bhasha. He is the author of various religious and philosophical articles and texts. He has an interest in ancient & modern, known-unknown Gazals' collections. He displays a keen interest in national geographic and current affairs of past and present times...

He has received several accolades and awards including the prestigious "Glory of Gujarat" award in 2015 for promoting social well-being, Indian culture, and religion as well as for His valuable contributions to economics and religious research. Most recently in August 2021, His Divine Holiness was awarded an honorary doctorate by North American University, USA.

Pujya Maharajshree continues to travel tirelessly throughout the world with great enthusiasm and fervor to preserve, maintain and propagate Hinduism with the teachings of Pushtimarg through religious institutions, spiritual discourses, cultural programs, humanitarian projects, and education. In fact, the world has to learn a lot from the modern spiritual leader from India to structure the society in a harmonious way for peaceful living for all.  

Nepal's upcoming general elections later this year and the outcome will be crucial not only for South Asian geopolitics in the aftermath of Covid 19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, but the ramifications will be felt across the globe. Sources told India Narrative that China will play its cards and try to regain its hold over Kathmandu.

But this time Beijing may face resistance, especially after its refusal to back bankrupt Sri Lanka, once its reliable economic partner. "The image of China as a dependable ally has been dented. Before the pandemic it enjoyed an image of being the ultimate economic saviour for many countries through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) financing and other infrastructure projects but since then its reluctance to provide any financial support to its partners has become a global talking point," an analyst based in Kathmandu told India Narrative.

That apart, China is currently battling several challenges at home and this includes a sharp economic slowdown.

"The rising problems at home for China may not leave much room for Beijing to increase its thrust and focus on Nepal at this point," he added.

The Chinese Communist Party had worked hard at unifying and successfully bringing the Nepal Communist Party to power in 2018, Carnegie India noted in its report.

Nepali former Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli was considered "Beijing's man."

Nepal swayed away from India and leaned more on China. "Nepalis believed that Chinese promises of new connectivity and financial largesse would end their traditional dependence on India," the report said.

But in the last one year, Nepal's domestic politics has taken a sharp turn with the exit of Oli. With Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba taking over, Kathmandu's foreign policy has become more pragmatic.

The results of the local elections, in which the Nepali Congress emerged as the biggest gainer, will also influence trends for the general elections.

Nepal's growing ties with India

Meanwhile, foreign policy watchers said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Purnima was a "sentiment booster," and despite Deuba invoking the contentious issue of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani, India-Nepal ties are on the mend.

"The Nepal government is ready to defend its territories. The areas of Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh and Kalapani are Nepali and the government has a firm understanding of them. Issue of the border is sensitive and we understand that this can be resolved through dialogue and talks through diplomatic channels," Deuba said last week during his address to the parliament.

Analysts however said that both countries are now working towards resolving the border issues.

"The most important aspect of this relationship must centre on people to people relations and the galvanising effect this has on state to state relations," Bhaskar Koirala, Director of the Nepal Institute of International and Strategic Studies, told India Narrative earlier. "A modus operandi must be defined and then it is important to adhere to it," he said.

Koirala pointed out that Modi's presence in Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Purnima reflected a larger picture.

"By being present in Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, PM Modi has acknowledged to not just a Nepalese audience but globally as well, that the birthplace of the Buddha was indeed Nepal. This is very important for Nepalese sentiment and should have positive spin off for the larger bilateral relationship," he said.

Navita Srikant, foreign policy expert, said that India-Nepal relations today are aligned in commitments and spirit. "It has emerged clearly that India will be guided by the interest of the people and mutual prosperity," she said.

Nepal gets US-led MCC grant

In February, the Deuba government approved a $500 million loan from the US-led Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a sign that the Americans were staging a comeback in Nepal. In April, a 25-member strong bipartisan Congressional delegation from the US also visited Nepal.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's visit to Nepal in March was aimed at balancing power equations amid Kathmandu's not-so subtle shift in policy towards Washington but it failed to create any buzz.

A host of agreements between Nepal and China have been signed but those were more customary in nature.

Beijing's nudge to Nepal over acceptance of the US aid has further irked Kathmandu.

"The recent developments of growing US influence in Nepal is an area of concern for China. Where Nepal stands today, her economic growth necessitates her neutrality and the need to grow with the basket of multiple choices. Therefore China may not succeed with much political influence but will seek a share in economic investments in the country," Srikant said.

However, a word of caution: Though China's influence may be waning in Nepal, India needs to remain vigilant, consolidate its gains and share the fruits of prosperity with its civilisational neighbour.

When Khalistan flags were found fastened at the entrance of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly complex in Dharamshala earlier in May, the state police promptly sealed the borders and beefed up security. The Police were quick to book Canada-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, essentially an anti-terror law. SFJ is a proscribed outfit that with its strong virtual influence, is known for radicalising people, raking up bygone sentiments and reviving the movement for Khalistan.

Shortly after this episode, a Pakistan-crafted rocket-propelled grenade attack was made at the Punjab Police Intelligence headquarters in Mohali. A security alarm was sure to go off in the wake of these events, and more that followed.

A common understanding is that these occurrences gravely point to the efforts of pro-Khalistan elements to provoke disturbance and unrest in India, thereby creating a concern for India's security. But, "There's broader governance and political thinking," said A.S.Dulat, former Chief of both Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), while in conversation with IANS; "There is no security solution to everything," he says.

Dulat recounts that "There wasn't too much Khalistan even when Punjab was disturbed in the early 1980s, and remains so after Blue Star. This is only a fringe element-those who believed in Khalistan," he asserts, reiterating that "Security doesn't have all the answers."

As far as the den of the Khalistan movement goes, the state of Punjab is the epicentre of the possibility of this revived threat. But to what extent is this a genuine threat? Dulat says that "Punjab is a sensitive state and it needs to be handled sensitively. You can't take Punjab for granted," emphasising the importance of the border state, "Khalistan is not what worries me, but you can't run Punjab from Delhi."

It came as a shock when popular Punjabi singer and Congress leader, Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead recently, just a day after his security cover was withdrawn. After his murder was acknowledged as an outcome of local inter-gang rivalry, Canada-based SFJ chief Pannun issued a threat letter at Punjabi singers telling them to support the Khalistan movement. The letter read: "Death is imminent" and that it is time to support the "Khalistan Referendum" for the liberation of Punjab from India.

Pro-Khalistan elements operating in Canada are no secret. The "local" Punjabi gangs have their bases in Canada primarily and such is the reach of their inter-gang rivalries. The criminal gang members have dozens and scores of cases against them in India while they reside in Canada and elsewhere abroad.

The gangs are organised and networked overseas with terrorist intentions to threaten and exhort money from businessmen based in Punjab. Larger groups like Khalistan Liberation Force and Khalistan Tiger Force are also known to have carried out targeted killings and contributed to communal unrest in Punjab. Anti-India sentiments are known to be harboured in Canada and Khalistani groups such as SFJ contribute significantly to stoke the revival of pro-Khalistan sentiments.

For a movement that petered out in the 1980s and almost became a thing of the past, one might question the purpose of raking up Khalistan in present times. Might the splinter of Khalistan have any bearing on the larger canvas of nationalism?

A retired IPS officer who has served in various policing functions including counter-insurgency and security matters in different capacities, on condition of anonymity, told IANS that "Promoting a perception of rising pro-Khalistanti sentiment is seen as a way, by some political parties opposed to AAP, to accuse that party of ineptitude in maintaining law and order and in ensuring the security and integrity of a border state like Punjab. Whether it is capable in this regard or not is a matter yet to be seen."

Going beyond the local political dimension, he explains further that Pakistan "Obviously sees this as a situation that its ISI can exploit to its advantage, and there is no doubt that it will use every resource at its disposal to fish in troubled waters and create problems for India."

On December 23, 2021, a bomb explosion at a Ludhiana court claimed one life and injured six. Investigation revealed that this attack was planned and executed at the behest of ISI. Deployment of local gangsters as an instrument to perpetrate disturbance in Indian territory, and particularly in Punjab, is a tactic that cannot be ignored.

"Pakistan has always used every opportunity to harm India's interests. Hence it is a given that it will encourage and exploit any pro-Khalistanti sentiment, however nascent, and use all covert and overt means to stoke it," said the retired officer.

Pakistan has a square state policy to "bleed India with a thousand cuts", but despite its economic struggles at the moment and its preoccupation with Kashmir, the possibility of its greater involvement in stoking anti-India sentiments by way of Khalistan cannot be ruled out.

However, given that Pakistan is more than capable of disturbing India by means of terror funding or terror tactics or outright acts of terror, it is unlikely to create a Kashmir-like situation in Punjab. This is because of a very crucial difference between this two regions-the faith of people in the Indian system which is conspicuously absent in Kashmir.

Although there are attempts to radicalise the youth from both these regions, the new generation Sikhs in the 1980s were disillusioned with the notion of a separate Khalistan state and moved on from this dangerous political fantasy in time; but in Kashmir, the radicalisation of youth is far more deeply rooted and disenchantment for them seems still a long way away.

There is also a possibility of China contributing to the fomentation of Khalistan-like trouble to keep India engaged with internal unrest so as to divert its focus from other crucial concerns like the northern frontier and even the new ventures in the Indo-Pacific.

However, in the light of Moosewala's assassination and connecting the dots to furthering the militant cause of Khalistan and deploying local gangsters in this regard, Dulat says that it is a "wake-up call". Denying outrightly that the so-called Khalistan movement has any political value, he says that "it has a nuisance value, and if you don't understand Punjab, then this nuisance could become a bigger nuisance."

Vaishnavism is one of the major forms of modern Hinduism, characterized by devotion to the god Vishnu and his incarnations. A devotee of Vishnu is called a Vaishnava. The Vaishnavite tradition is known for the loving devotion to an avatar of Vishnu, and as such was key to the spread of the Bhakti movement in South Asia in the 2nd millennium CE. For Vaishnava, absolute reality is manifested in Vishnu, who in turn is incarnated in Rama, Krishna, and other avatars. Through his avatars, Vishnu defends traditional righteousness in keeping with the moral law.

Vaishnavism is the worship and acceptance of Vishnu. The various sects of worshippers of Vishnu pray to him in different ways. For some, the goal of religious devotion to Vishnu is liberation from the cycle of birth and death. For others, it is health and prosperity in this life, good crops, success in business, or thriving children.

Vaishnavism comprises many sects and groups that differ in their interpretation of the relationship between the individual and God. It has four main categories of sub-schools: the medieval-era Vishishtadvaita school of Ramanuja, the Dvaita school of Madhvacharya, the Dvaitadvaita school of Nimbarkacharya, and the Pushtimarg of Vallabhacharya. The Srivaishnava sect, for example, emphasizes the doctrine of qualified non-dualism of Ramanuja, according to which, although the differentiated phenomenal world is illusory, it is nevertheless the medium through which devotees may gain access to God. Another group professes the dualism of the philosopher Madhva, the belief that God and the soul are separate entities and that the soul’s existence is dependent on God. The Pushtimarg sect maintains the pure non-dualism doctrine of the theologian Vallabhacharya, which does not declare the phenomenal world to be an illusion. The Gaudiya sect, founded by Chaitanya, teaches inconceivable duality and non-duality, the belief that the relation between God and the world is beyond the scope of human comprehension.

HDH Shashthpithadishwar Pujya Pad Goswami 108 Shree Dwarkeshlalji Maharajshree hails from the Pushtimarg tradition of Vaishnavism as the direct descendant of Jagadguru Shrimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji, the founder of Pushti Bhakti Marg and one of the five great Acharyas in Hinduism. His Divine Holiness is enthroned as the 14th Gadipathi of Shashthpeeth at Vadodara, one of the seven thrones of Shri Vitthalnathji Gusainji, the son of Shri Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji. He is not only the head at Kalyanraiji Mandir, Vadodara but also at several temples/Havelis in India, the UK, the USA, and Canada.

The first supreme omnipresent Jagad Guru Shrimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji established the Vaishnav religious system to grace upon the Universe, the Divine Grace, also known as Pushtimarg. Jagad Guru Vallabhacaryaji had two Divine Sons – Shri Gopinathji & Shri Viththalnathji-Gosainji. Shri Viththalnathji-Gosainji had seven sons. His sixth son was Shri Yadunathji. Shashthapithadhishwar Param Pujya Goswami 108 Shree Dwarkeshlalji Maharajshri is the 14th Generation of Shri Yadunathji. For the past 13 generations based on the traditions of Shashthapithadhishwar, he resides on every Gaadi-Pati (Throne) as Raj-Tilak. He is presently residing in Vadodara as Raj-Tilak in Seva of Mohini Swarup Shri Kalyanrayji. This is the same Swarup that Beloved Vallabhacharyaji served (Sevya).

Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shree Dwarkeshlalji Maharajshri is presently the Raj-Tilak Gaadi-Pati of Vadodara, Ahmedabad-Naroda (Shri Mahaprabhaji's Bethakji), Gondal, Baria, (Gujarat), Gokul (Uttar Pradesh), Dhanpur, Shergad (Rajasthan), Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh), Sikandarabad (Telangana). Likewise, in Atlanta-Gokuldham, Ocala-Pushtidham, Connecticut-Vallabhdham (All-USA) & Leceister-Shreeji Dham (UK). Moreover, he is serving various other religious establishments around the world as an Advisory.

From a very young age, Pujya Maharajshree has been an inspirational religious, social and cultural leader as well as a guiding force for the young and old alike and strong support for the disadvantaged members of society. He has motivated thousands of youngsters to embrace Pushtimarg through various religious, cultural, educational, and charitable institutions throughout India and the world. Over the years, HDH has been honored for His profound philosophical and poetic writings as well as for His religious, social, and humanitarian work.

He is a renowned PushtiMargiya Propagator, Philosopher and Teacher. He is an embodiment of Love, Compassion and Friendship. Along with these attributes, he is extremely practical and tolerant. He is a guiding leader in social welfare and is associated with various social organizations in the country & abroad. In his lectures, he motivates and inspires many individuals & Organizations and strives to find solutions to various problems faced by society. His inspired guidance is always for the people of the society for self-development and progress of the society.

He appreciates antique collections and art & artistry. He is very proficient in playing Mrudang (Pakhawaj) in Music Area. He is articulate in preparing and adorning jewelry for Shree Thakorjee. He has written several ongoing poetries in Gujarati, Hindi & Vraj Bhasha. He is the author of various religious and philosophical articles and texts. He has an interest in ancient & modern, known-unknown Gazals' collections. He displays a keen interest in national geographic and current affairs of past and present times...

He has received several accolades and awards including the prestigious "Glory of Gujarat" award in 2015 for promoting social well-being, Indian culture, and religion as well as for His valuable contributions to economics and religious research. Most recently in August 2021, His Divine Holiness was awarded an honorary doctorate by North American University, USA.

Pujya Maharajshree continues to travel tirelessly throughout the world with great enthusiasm and fervor to preserve, maintain and propagate Hinduism with the teachings of Pushtimarg through religious institutions, spiritual discourses, cultural programs, humanitarian projects, and education.

HDH Dwarkeshlalji Maharajshree enlightens the world on the specifics of terminology commonly used by followers of the Vaishnav cult. 

Who is a Vaishnav?

Anyone offering divine loving services to Lord Shree Krishna by dedicating and finding refuge in Him is called a Vaishnav. A Vaishnav does not harbor negative feelings of hatred, jealousy, envy, etc., and treats everyone with respect, equanimity, and equality.

What is Inner Faith?

Inner faith is the divine love one experiences after realizing Shri Krishna's true nature. It is the recognition of the all-pervading nature or Brahmavad essence of God within ourselves and in the world that gives a positive outlook and attitude towards life and creates respect, understanding, and awareness of oneself as well as others. Unyielding faith originating from one's experiences of God's omnipotent presence can lead to extraordinary experiences which are practical and liberating. In this state of liberation, one merges into Shri Krishna's blissful form and no caste, creed, color, sex, or age prevents one from attaining Shri Krishna's grace. It transcends all boundaries of identity, time, space, and place.

What does Pushtimargiya mean?

Pushtimarg is also known as "The Path of Grace" is a Vaishnav sect of Hinduism established by Jagadguru Shrimad Vallabacharya Mahaprabhuji, one of the great Acharyas of Hinduism. "Pushtimargiya" is spontaneous, selfless, motiveless love for Lord. 

Crypto is an emerging yet attractive asset class. It is a $1.25 trillion market globally. The India adoption story is no different with nearly 20 million unique users, over $6.6 billion in investments and more than a billion dollars in venture capital funding.

India is already the second-largest in terms of crypto adoption globally.

Crypto in India has come a long way but this is just the beginning -- Crypto is a billion people industry in the making.

Govind Soni, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, CoinSwitch, India's largest crypto investing app, told IANS that their priority is to make it transparent, trustworthy and secure, and to enable Indians to participate in this technology shift in a meaningful way.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: Why is Crypto important, and how can India benefit from it?

A: Crypto is the gateway to a decentralised internet. The computing power of the billions of devices around the world can be utilised and incentivised using Crypto to build a new internet, called Web3.

India has the opportunity to take the lead in this transformation. We have the talent, users and the startup ecosystem. And we are witnessing an upskilling and migration of India's large pool of engineers and developers to the cutting-edge and advanced field of blockchain and crypto.

All this puts India in a sweet spot. With an enabling regulatory environment, India can get a headstart and steer the direction of Web3 while it is built.

Q: Crypto has come a long way. Every day we hear the news that even Wall Street giants are adopting Crypto. Why is that?

A: Institutional adoption is a sign that Crypto has well and truly grown beyond white papers to be a smart investment class. The origin of Crypto may have been based on an idea of a digital currency, but now it has evolved to become an attractive, emerging asset class.

There are several interesting use-cases being built on this technology. That is the intrinsic value of Crypto: The confidence and uptake of the underlying blockchain technology. Institutional investors understand this and have done their due diligence.

While retail investors continue to be the early adopters and torchbearers of Cryptos, growing institutional adoption underlines the fact that this is an asset class that is here to stay.

Even traditional markets are adopting and gaining exposure to Cryptos. All of this bodes well for the growth of the asset class.

Q: What about India? There is regulatory uncertainty on Crypto here. Do you see this changing and Crypto becoming a mainstream asset class here?

A: Certainly. Cryptos are an emerging asset class that speaks to India's digital-savvy population.

With regulatory clarity, institutional investors too will find the confidence to invest in and benefit from Cryptos.

As we have seen globally, Cryptos can attract significant institutional and foreign investments if regulations can enable innovations and provide the necessary guardrails. India can benefit similarly.

Innovations such as decentralised finance, or DeFi, can be an effective and fast enabler of capital for small and medium-scale businesses in India. Crypto is also paving the way for interesting applications such as decentralized social media that Indians can greatly benefit from.

Q: How is CoinSwitch protecting investors on its platform?

A: At CoinSwitch, investor protection is of utmost importance to us. While we have been using various digital platforms to inform, educate and engage with new crypto enthusiasts, we are continuously updating our app to help users make informed investing decisions.

And, numbers tell the story. The average time a user spends on our app reading, buying, selling, or trading has gone up to 27 minutes from 13 minutes in January 2021.

In line with our ongoing product feature upgrades to tighten platform security, we have launched Riskometer -- our attempt to help users think twice before investing in a coin. The Riskometer provides a risk warning on coins that are highly volatile, or when the risk assessment suggests that users need to proceed with caution while investing.

We understand that ensuring compliance with relevant regulations is key to ensuring a safe, secure, and trustworthy user experience. Users on our platform can utilise their account balances (of Indian Rupees and crypto assets) to only transact on our platform or withdraw Indian Rupees. They can only deposit Indian Rupees from their verified bank account. Similarly, after selling crypto assets, users can withdraw Indian Rupees only to their verified bank account.

Q: What does cloud technology enable you to do better?

A: Amazon Web Services (AWS) allows to scale up on infrastructure and services without having any dependencies, or minimum usage commitments. AWS continues to make incremental improvements to its solutions and services, allowing us to easily deliver value to our customers. If we had to build these capabilities on our own it would have taken us significantly longer. With the shared responsibility model, the security of the cloud is addressed by AWS and this helps us considerably reduce our efforts towards security and compliance. AWS account team and Enterprise Support provide proactive guidance and support as we scale our platforms. AWS is the easy answer for any internet-based ecosystem that wants to scale faster.

CoinSwitch is trusted by over 18 million registered users, making it the largest crypto investing app in India. Ours is a built-to-scale platform developed on top of AWS. Among a host of things, AWS has improved our time to market, handle spikes in traffic, and manage risks more efficiently. All of these put together with help us provide a simplified and secure user experience on the app.

The latest international conference to discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan and also review the response of the neighbouring and regional countries to the latest Taliban decisions, took place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, last week.

National Security Advisors (NSA) from Tajikistan, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and China, with Pakistan abstaining as it currently has no NSA, attended the Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan.

It is believed that all the NSAs highlighted the need to find constructive ways to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan and combating risks from terrorism emanating from the region and particularly ensure that Afghanistan doesn't become a terror hub again.

This has been a primary concern for India since the Taliban took over the country, besides the rights of Afghan citizens, especially women and minorities. India has already closed down its diplomatic missions in Afghanistan, which the Taliban keenly wants to be reopened.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said at the meeting that certain countries in the region and beyond were transferring Takfiri terrorists to Afghanistan, adding that terrorism and extremism are among the main causes of insecurity in Afghanistan.

Talibani Diktats

However, what concerns the international community more are the series of Taliban diktats on social issues, targeting women and specific Muslim sects in particular.

On May 9, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) ordered women and older girls to cover their faces when in public. The order further said that punishments for violating the decree would be inflicted on their male family members. Taliban leaders responded to public outcry by insisting that the decree is not mandatory, but so far their own enforcement efforts contradict those statements.

Further, on May 21, the IEA's Ministry of Vice and Virtue ordered all women television presenters to cover their faces, stating "the decision was final and that there was no room for discussion".

Heather Barr of the Human Rights Watch described these new diktats as blatantly violating women's rights to freedom of expression, as well as personal autonomy and religious belief.

In response to the order, male presenters at several major news channels in Afghanistan started wearing face masks on-air in solidarity with their female colleagues, an act that prompted the #FreeHerFace campaign on social media. As one women's rights activist wrote, "Afghan men showing up for Afghan women is not just a gesture. It's a turn in the story that will change everything. Brave brothers".

This latest order is part of a steady flow of Taliban factions that have blocked girls' secondary education, pushed women out of most employment, curtailed women's freedom of movement, obstructed women's access to health care, and abolished the system designed to protect women and girls from violence.

They have gradually imposed more restrictions on Afghan women and Shia community. After banning them from acquiring certain government jobs, getting an education, and travelling alone outside their cities, they have now ordered them to wear the burqa or to cover themselves from head to toe in public.

Taliban rationale

All these developments preplexes one to wonder as to why the Taliban-led IEA is hell-bent on imposing those restrictions, which were introduced in its earlier stint also and to which they had vowed not to revert again.

It seems that the Taliban have no intentions of transforming itself into a modern-day political entity and changing its views. In fact, they have slowly started implementing their real agenda, based on skewed political motives and controversial ideological beliefs.

Afghanistan the present might become a nation with contradictory notions of personal freedom as viewed by them in contrast to the internationally recognised definition of personal freedom. They very well understand that international recognition will bind them to certain western norms and obligations, on human rights in particular, and as those would completely contradict their self-defined ideology or interpretation of Islam, they are ready to ignore it for the time being.

They might have thought that they would be able to deceive the international community by making shallow promises regarding female education and introducing an inclusive political structure. With US unfreezing their sovereign funds and after some key Islamic states formally recognised them, they would go about enforcing their actual agenda.

The international observers' hope was that the members of the Afghan delegation based in Doha might be able to influence their counterparts in Afghanistan, to follow the international demands. But in reality, these moderate elements were sidelined in the new government and the hawks amongst them took control based on their ideological beliefs. Justifying their initial actions, some supporters pointed out that their conservative mindset would take time to adjust to global realities. But the truth is that they have even failed to address the security concerns of their immediate neighbours.

So far they have even been unable to control the militant Islamic organisations like IS-Khorasan, which is present in some key Afghan provinces. This inaction on their behalf gives goosebumps to their immediate and regional neighbours,. Similarly, they have been unable to reign-in Tehreek-i Taliban Pakistan, which in fact enjoys the full support of the IEA regime.

The irony is that Taliban's supporters, who were sincerely ready to offer them a second chance are dismayed by the double meaning actions or inactions by the IEA, as it puts the future of a vast majority of common Afghani on the block and does not bode well for the country's future. Besides pushing those supporters into a tight corner.

There is no fight for Kashi and Mathura because a fight is when there is equal share between two sides. These places (Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi) are the centre stage for millions of Hindus' faith, like Makka-Madina for Muslims and the Vatican City for Christians, said former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti in an exclusive interview with IANS.

Bharti, who was among the BJP leaders who led the Ram Janmabhoomi movement of the 1990s in Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) and never hesitated in claiming that she was one of those who carried out the demolition of the Babri Masjid, spoke with IANS on the ongoing controversy over Varanasi's Gyanvapi Masjid and some similar issues which have erupted in Madhya Pradesh too.

Bharti said like in Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi issue in the 1990s, she has a direct involvement with Kashi's Gyanvapi. "I was in Parliament in 1991 and had mentioned not to leave Kashi and Mathura unresolved, it's all on record, so luckily I am associated with the Gyanvapi issue also," she said.

Bharti asserted that there has always been an expectation of liberalism from Hindus despite the fact their (Hindus) places of worship were destroyed. "I accept that goodwill is a need of the society, but it will be possible only when both sides will have the same thought. On one side Hindus' places of worship are destroyed and on the other side you expect liberalism from Hindus. How can it be possible," she added.

She said Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi have never been important shrines for Muslims like Makka-Madina or some others, they were just ordinary places for them to pray. But for Hindus, these places were always the centre stage of their belief. "It is their wrong (Muslim) tenacity to make claim on these places. It is a well planned process to blame the Hindu community for creating animosity in society. These issues should be resolved to maintain the goodwill in the society," she added.

When asked that a similar controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after some Hindu unions questioned Bhopal's Jama Masjid and demanded a survey of Dhara's Bhojshala, Bharti said, "There is no controversy in Dhara's Bhojshala. It has two parts. On one side, Hindus perform puja on the premises every Tuesday, while Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays. There is only conflict of arrangement when Vagdevi (Saraswati) puja and namaz time come together."

She stated that the idol of Goddess Saraswati will be brought from the museum in London and re-established within the Bhojshala complex. "Idgah is situated outside and Hindus pray for Goddess Saraswati's place inside the Bhojshala premises. If they (Muslims) make any kind of claim on it, they are wrong," she said.

Speaking on Bhopal's Jama Masjid issue, Bharti justified the Sanskriti Bachao Manch (a Hindu wing) claim that Chowk Bazar's Jama Masjid (Bhopal) was built in the 19th century on a Shiva temple.

"I am not commenting on any individual's claim or any survey but it is a fact that Nandi Baba is looking toward there (mosque side) only and I don't think I should explain why Nandi's statue is present at the gate of each Shiva temple. I believe that today's Muslim youth is educated and they understand that social and cultural unity is needed in society. Today's educated Muslim youth also understand that religious faith is very personal."

The leaders of the US, Australia, Japan and India, termed Quad, will be held in Tokyo on Tuesday. This is the first in-person summit of these leaders after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, worsening Sri Lankan economic crisis, and Australia getting a new Prime Minister.

The security situation in the Indo-Pacific region has changed significantly in the last decade and in the post-pandemic world, it becomes imperative for these partners to further commit to an open, inclusive and resilient region. The primary focus of this alliance is to thwart the increasing Chinese hegemony in the region and globally, both

The Modi-Biden meeting in Tokyo will be the second face-to-face meeting of both the leaders within a year; they met last in September 2021. The meeting assumes increased importance, as it will be the first time the two leaders meet in the midst of the on-going Russia-Ukraine crisis. The leaders are likely to focus on trade and defence opportunities in partnership with other countries in the Indo-Pacific, in the backdrop of the increasing Chinese belligerence; however, this time around Biden may focus more on trade than defence.

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework-IPEF

The new plan unveiled by Biden called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework-IPEF, which his aides refer to as IPEF, is not a trade agreement in the traditional sense. Though, it includes one 'pillar' related to trade, besides incorporating other key areas like forging more resilient supply chains, an initiative becoming rather the most important one after witnessing the chaos in the global supply chains during the Covid-pandemic, besides promoting clean energy and combating corruption and cyber security.

By focussing on the new framework, Biden has made clear his intention of not re-joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership-TPP, an Obama-era deal, which was not supported by a large number of US lawmakers. Since then the US has been without a defined plan to engage with the south Asian region economically. And in the meanwhile, China has secured several trade agreements with its neighbours, and has sought to wield its economic influence globally through its Belt and Road Initiative.

However, this may require delicately persuading countries to join, not only staunch partners like Japan and South Korea but smaller nations, particularly in Southeast Asia, who aren't as closely aligned with the US.

The IPEF rollout is expected to send across a strong signal that the US is focused on pushing forward a strong economic policy for the Indo-Pacific to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region. The Indian stand on the new initiative has not been made clear, but there are strong indications that India may join it along with Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and the Philippines.

Chinese response
The US-led Indo-Pacific strategy is causing more and more strife and concern not just globally, but especially among the countries in the Asia-Pacific region, said Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday.

He said, the Indo-Pacific Strategy concocted by the US is called "freedom and openness", but is keen on forming cliques; and aims to "change China's surrounding environment" in an attempt to contain China. Facts will prove that the so-called Indo-Pacific strategy is in essence a strategy to create division, to incite confrontation and to undermine peace, he added.

He stressed that like other countries in the region, China welcomes initiatives that are conducive to strengthening regional cooperation, but opposes attempts to create division and confrontation.

Which category does the US Indo-Pacific Economic Framework fall into, he questioned, saying further that in line with WTO rules, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) was launched, a regional cooperation platform with ASEAN at the centre, and it has greatly promoted regional trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation.

Indo-Japan ties
Modi held separate meetings on Monday with a number of leading Japanese corporate honchos, besides a roundtable with Japanese business leaders and an interaction with the Indian community.

Modi's pre-departure statement stressed focussing on issues, regional like China and global like ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. It will be the first time that both leaders will be able to discuss the Ukrainian crisis in person. Modi will also hold separate bilateral meetings with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida and newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Modi penned an op-ed on the vibrant relations between India and Japan, coinciding with his Japan visit. He wrote: "Ours is a partnership for peace, stability and prosperity. I trace the journey of our special friendship which completes 70 glorious years. Closer India-Japan cooperation is vital in the post-Covid world. Our nations are firmly committed to democratic values. Together, we are key pillars of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region. I am equally glad that we are working closely in various multilateral forums as well."

The meeting with Kishida will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to carry forward their conversations from the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit held in March when the Prime Minister visited India.

Though the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the Biden administration, released in February, is widely believed to intend to build a wall of containment around China, but this time around it may focus more on trade issues.

When you have more, you want even more. That is exactly what is happening to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJP retained power in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the recent Assembly elections, but the party is apparently not satisfied.

The upcoming elections in Gujarat and Himanchal Pradesh at the end of this year, as well as the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan in 2023, and, of course, the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, have forced the party to make every possible effort to cement its position among the voters.

The Ram temple in Ayodhya is likely to be ready by the end of 2023, but for the BJP this is apparently not enough.

"Our slogan was 'Ayodhya ki taiyyari hai, Kashi Mathura baki hai', and we are going by this. Ayodhya will be ready and we will keep our promise of liberating Kashi and Mathura from invaders. Our trinity of gods -- Ram, Shiv and Krishna -- will have grand temples dedicated to them," said a veteran BJP leader.

Party strategists feel that while mere governance can bring them back to power, it is the Hindu card that will give them an overwhelming majority in the elections.

The BJP is aware of the fact that the expected reactions from the Muslim community on Kashi and Mathura will only help consolidate Hindu votes in the party's favour.

"We have not spoken a word on Kashi or Mathura yet, and none of our responsible leaders have made any statement on them so far. But look at the Muslim leaders -- they are already reacting sharply. This will naturally consolidate Hindus on the issue," the BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.

He further said that in the UP Assembly elections, the party got about '200 seats' on good governance but the remaining seats came because of the 'bulldozer' campaign which was apparently targeted against the Muslim mafia.

"The bulldozer factor brought Hindus to our side and we went far ahead of the halfway mark," the BJP leader said.

Besides, he added, who does not want extra icing on the cake and said, "Kashi and Mathura have the strength of demolishing caste barriers and reinforcing the 'Hindu First' card. Ayodhya was a trump card in 2014 and 2019 and now in 2024, Kashi and Mathura will lead us back to power."

The BJP leaders also feel that religion is a glue that keeps the party together.

"When you have a winning card in your hand, petty differences get swept away. For the party workers, what matters is success in elections and no one talks if that is assured," said a senior BJP MLA.