NEW DELHI: Bill Gates has cancelled a scheduled keynote address at a major artificial intelligence summit in India, his foundation confirmed on Wednesday, after the Microsoft co-founder was named in newly released documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement, the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation said the decision was made to ensure the focus of the event remained on its central themes. &ldquo;After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit&#39;s key priorities, Mr&nbsp;Gates will not be delivering his keynote address,&rdquo; the foundation said. It added that the president of its Africa and India offices would speak in his place. The cancellation comes after the US Justice Department released a new tranche of documents linked to investigations into Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Among the documents is a draft email in which Epstein allegedly claimed that Gates had engaged in extramarital affairs. The email, which was not sent, included unverified allegations about Gates&rsquo; personal conduct. Gates has strongly denied the claims. &ldquo;Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize,&rdquo; Gates told 9News Australia in a recent interview, referring to his past meetings with Epstein. &ldquo;That email was never sent. The email is false. I don&#39;t know what his thinking was there. Was he trying to attack me in some way?&rdquo; A spokesperson for Gates also rejected the allegations following the document release, saying the files demonstrate Epstein&rsquo;s &ldquo;frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.&rdquo; Gates&rsquo; former wife, Melinda French Gates, told US National Public Radio that the release of the documents revived painful memories from their marriage. &ldquo;Whatever questions remain there &mdash; I can&#39;t even begin to know all of it &mdash; those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;They need to answer to those things, not me.&rdquo; The couple divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. The Gates Foundation reiterated its commitment to its work in India, particularly in health and development initiatives, despite the controversy surrounding the document release.

India

'After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit's key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address,' the foundation said; it added that the president of its Africa and India offices would speak in his place.

Bill Gates cancels India summit speech to 'ensure focus' on AI

COLOMBO: Pakistan skipper Salman Agha said Saturday his team had been &quot;always ready&quot; to face India on Sunday at the T20 World Cup, despite only being given the green light a few days ago.&nbsp;The biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket has <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indiapakistan-hottest-ticket-in-cricket-sparks-t20-world-cup-fever" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">sold out</a> the 35,000-capacity R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with hundreds of millions more expected to watch on television.&nbsp;&quot;This is a very big game and the magnitude is huge,&quot; Agha said ahead of the team&#39;s practice at the stadium on Saturday.&nbsp;&quot;We were always ready for the game, whatever be the decision.&quot;&nbsp;Pakistan had a scrappy last over three-wicket win in their first match against the Netherlands before beating the United States by 32 runs. India have also won both their matches so far.&nbsp;&quot;We are in good momentum and I hope that being in Colombo since the start will help us in terms of conditions,&quot; said Agha.&nbsp;But he warned: &quot;We have to play good cricket to win the match.&quot;&nbsp;The hugely-anticipated match could be hit by bad weather, with rain forecast for Sunday evening.&nbsp;Agha believed spin would dominate, calling Tariq Usman his trump card against India&#39;s powerful batting line-up.&nbsp;&quot;Tariq has been bowling well and I am sure the mystery element will make him our trump card,&quot; Agha said, brushing aside doubts over the legality of Tariq&#39;s unique sling-arm action and the exaggerated pause in his delivery stride.&nbsp;&quot;He has been cleared twice so there are no worries.&quot;&nbsp;Agha hoped the players would shake hands, unlike during their three Asia Cup matches in Dubai last year.&nbsp;&quot;The game should be played in the true spirit of the game,&quot; said Agha.&nbsp;&quot;It has been the norm in cricket for years but whatever way they want, we will only know tomorrow.&quot;&nbsp;The winner will be guaranteed of their berth in the next Super Eights round.

Cricket

Pakistan captain Salman Agha expressed strong confidence ahead of the sold-out T20 World Cup clash against India at R. Premadasa Stadium, highlighting team momentum, spin strength, and readiness despite rain.

Pakistan 'always ready' for India despite late green light: Agha

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun launched a fierce attack on the Indian government, accusing it of orchestrating a global campaign of assassinations and intimidation against Sikh activists on Western soil. His remarks come on the heels of a dramatic development in New York, where an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy charges tied to a plot to assassinate Pannun in Manhattan. US prosecutors alleged that Gupta coordinated with an Indian government employee in arranging the attempted hit. US Attorney Jay Clayton said following the plea, in what observers view as a pointed warning to New Delhi, &ldquo;Our message to nefarious foreign actors should be clear: steer clear of the United States and our people.&rdquo; According to court filings and statements by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the plot involved direction from an Indian official, raising serious concerns in Washington about foreign-sponsored violence targeting US citizens and residents. &ldquo;A state-sponsored killing machine&rdquo;In a blistering exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Pannun alleged that the evidence presented in US federal court &ldquo;speaks loudly&rdquo; and directly implicates the office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in authorising and funding assassination plots abroad. &ldquo;After making Punjab a killing field in the 1980s and 1990s, India is now exporting violence,&rdquo; Pannun said. &ldquo;They are sending hitmen to America, Canada, and the UK to silence the Khalistan referendum movement.&rdquo; He linked the New York plot to the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, describing it as part of what he called a coordinated campaign to eliminate prominent voices advocating Sikh self-determination. Canadian officials have previously acknowledged investigating credible allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar&rsquo;s death. Pannun further alleged that Khalistan activists in the United Kingdom, including Paramjit Singh Pamma, have also been targeted. Diplomatic backlash mountsThe guilty plea in New York has intensified scrutiny of India&rsquo;s actions abroad and fueled diplomatic unease across Western capitals. The idea that a foreign government could attempt to carry out assassinations in the United States has sparked bipartisan concern in Washington. Security analysts describe the alleged plot as part of a broader pattern of &ldquo;transnational repression,&rdquo; in which governments pursue critics beyond their borders. For Pannun, the case represents what he calls a turning point. &ldquo;They tried to label us terrorists. When we turned to ballots instead of bullets, they answered with bullets again,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But the world is watching now.&rdquo;

In a blistering exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Gurpatwant Singh points to Modi government’s direct involvement in targeting activists in the US, Canada and UK

Pro-Khalistan leader says India running global assassination campaign to kill Sikh activists on Western soil

MUMBAI: At least 18 people died Thursday after an explosion ripped through an illegal coal mine in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya, officials said.&nbsp;&quot;During the course of the rescue operation, a total of 18 dead bodies have been recovered from the site of the explosion,&quot; local police said in a statement.&nbsp;Eight other people were injured, said Manish Kumar, top official in East Jaintia Hills district where the explosion happened.&nbsp;Rescuers were digging through the rubble at the site to find out if more miners were trapped inside but the operations halted at sundown.&nbsp;Kumar said it was an &quot;illegal rat-hole mine&quot; and that authorities were awaiting personnel from state and federal disaster management agencies to resume the search on Friday morning.&nbsp;Rat-hole mines are deep vertical shafts dug mostly into hillsides that branch out into narrow tunnels to reach and retrieve coal and other minerals.&nbsp;A federal environment court banned rat-hole mining in Meghalaya in 2014 after local communities complained it was polluting water sources and putting lives at risk.&nbsp;But it&#39;s still widely practised across the state, especially in the East Jaintia Hills.&nbsp;District police chief Vikash Kumar told AFP that the explosion was likely due to a dynamite blast but added that further forensic investigation was underway.&nbsp;&quot;After the explosion, a fire happened. Lots of toxic gas has accumulated,&quot; Vikash Kumar said.&nbsp;Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma said a &quot;comprehensive inquiry&quot; had been ordered into the incident and promised accountability.&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was &quot;pained by the mishap&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest,&quot; he said in a statement on social media.&nbsp;The families of the deceased would receive 200,000 rupees ($2,216) compensation, the statement said.

Asia

At least 18 people were killed after an explosion at an illegal coal mine in India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya. Police said all bodies were recovered during rescue operations at the site on Thursday.

Explosion in illegal Indian coal mine kills 18: police

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Three sisters aged 12, 14, and 16 died after jumping from their apartment balcony in Ghaziabad district of India&#39;s&nbsp;Uttar Pradesh state in the early hours of Wednesday, in what police say is likely linked to an online Korean task-based game, Indian media reported.&nbsp;The girls, Pakhi (12), Prachi (14), and Vishika (16), had locked themselves inside their room at Bharat City, a residential township in Loni city, before jumping one by one from the balcony around 2:15 a.m., police said.&nbsp; The loud thud alerted residents and security staff, who rushed to the spot. By the time family members broke into the room, all three had already jumped, according to NDTV.&nbsp;They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead. According to the report, police recovered a handwritten note and a diary from the room. In a message, the girls urged their parents to read the diary fully, stressing that it contained the truth. &nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really sorry. Sorry, Papa,&rdquo; the note read, followed by a crying emoji. Investigators also found a message written on the wall of the room stating, &ldquo;I am very, very alone, my life is very very alone.&rdquo; According to the police and the girls&rsquo; father, the siblings were reportedly addicted to an online Korean task-based game, an obsession that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. They had allegedly adopted Korean names for themselves and followed tasks assigned through the game. The note also reportedly mentioned: &ldquo;We can&rsquo;t leave Korea. Korea is our life. You can&rsquo;t free us. We are ending our lives.&rdquo; Police say they are examining the&nbsp;girls&#39; diaries, digital devices, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-state-mulls-social-media-ban-for-children" target="_blank">online activity</a>&nbsp;to determine the exact nature of the game and whether any external involvement was involved. Further investigation is ongoing.

Police recover a handwritten note and a diary from the room. In a message, the girls urged their parents to read the diary fully, stressing that it contained the truth.

Three Indian sisters die after roof jump following online gaming restrictions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning recent terrorist incidents in Balochistan and calling for an immediate, aggressive, and coordinated national response. The resolution was tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and passed in response to coordinated terrorist attacks across the south-western province. The country&rsquo;s lower house condemned the attacks&nbsp;&ldquo;in the strongest terms&rdquo; in which innocent civilians were targeted, and women were used as weapons through &ldquo;heinous and inhumane&rdquo; tactics. Lawmakers expressed deep sorrow that terrorist networks were exploiting women through coercion, mental pressure, and blackmail, adding that such actions were contrary to Islamic, Pakistani, and Baloch values. The resolution praised timely and effective measures by security forces, law enforcement agencies, the provincial government of Balochistan, and the civil administration. expressing full solidarity with the families of martyrs and the injured. It clarified that attacks on civilians, women, and children are unforgivable crimes, and the state will act with zero tolerance. The resolution stated that available evidence points to external sponsorship, raising serious concerns about India&rsquo;s role. It noted that some neighboring countries provide logistical and operational facilitation, financial assistance, training, treatment, transport, and propaganda support to terrorist networks. It stated that an effective national response be ensured on an immediate, aggressive, coordinated, and emergency basis against foreign sponsors and internal facilitators. This includes funding networks, smuggling routes, and propaganda hubs, with political, diplomatic, military, intelligence, legal, and rhetorical fronts united. The lower house declared that the fight against terrorism is the fight of the entire nation. Lawmakers called for national unity across political lines and said that the state will ensure the protection and security of its people in every way.

Security

Lower house declares fight against terrorism is the fight of the entire nation; Lawmakers call for national unity across political lines, say state will ensure the protection and security of its people in every way.

Balochistan attacks: Pakistan calls for immediate, aggressive, coordinated national response

ISLAMABAD: An IndiGo Airlines flight from Delhi to Bagdogra has been forced to land in Lucknow&nbsp;after a bomb threat was found, Indian media reported on Sunday. Indian security officials said a handwritten note on a tissue paper was recovered during checks, bearing the words &ldquo;Plane mein bomb&rdquo;&nbsp;(bomb on the plane), the report said. The note triggered a full security protocol at Lucknow airport, where the aircraft was shifted to a secure area and passengers were taken off the plane, reported The New Indian Express.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2012790749017018650&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8734299eaffa5aa6807a7925124cc0046a4c738c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Police and airport security teams treated the alert as credible until cleared. Security agencies and the bomb disposal squad conducted checks of the aircraft following standard operating procedures.&nbsp;After the search, authorities assessed the threat as a&nbsp;hoax and no explosive device was reported to have been found, with&nbsp;no injuries&nbsp;reported in the incident, according to &lsquo;The Quint&rsquo;. IndiGo, in its statement, described the incident as a &ldquo;security threat&rdquo; that led to the diversion and said it had informed authorities and was cooperating with the security process, reported Indian news channel NDTV.&nbsp;Fault lines in BJP&rsquo;s &lsquo;Strong Governance&rdquo; postureNetizens have been asking questions such as why the did the cleaning staff not find the note in the toilet? And all types of questions on who might be responsible saying that what the Indian security agencies are saying is &ldquo;not adding up&rdquo;.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2012802707053314346&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8734299eaffa5aa6807a7925124cc0046a4c738c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 878px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Indian newspaper &lsquo;Tribune India&rsquo; reported that under a BJP-led centre that sells &ldquo;strong governance,&rdquo; such scares expose weak deterrence as hoaxers gamble they&rsquo;ll get away, passengers lose hours, and security resources shift from real threats.

An IndiGo Delhi–Bagdogra flight diverted to Lucknow after a handwritten note triggered a full security protocol; the episode has fueled criticism of the BJP’s so-called 'strong governance'.

Bomb hoax forces plane diversion in India 

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s approval of the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in the Kishtwar district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir marks a shift in South Asia&rsquo;s water politics and underscores growing strain on the Indus Waters Treaty, according to a report published by The National Interest on Friday. The report, titled &ldquo;India&rsquo;s Indus Gamble: How Water Is Becoming a Strategic Weapon in South Asia,&rdquo; authored by Saima Afzal, says the project goes beyond routine infrastructure expansion and reflects &ldquo;a deeper transformation in South Asia&rsquo;s water politics&rdquo; following India&rsquo;s April 2025 decision to place the treaty in abeyance. India&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-approves-hydropower-project-on-chenab-in-violation-of-indus-waters-treaty" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dulhasti Stage-II project</a>, approved at an estimated cost of $395 million, will be developed by Indian public-sector company NHPC Limited and will use existing infrastructure from the 390-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-I plant commissioned in 2007, the report stated.&nbsp; Indian officials have maintained that the project qualifies as a run-of-the-river scheme permissible under the treaty, the journal reported. However, the report argues that treaty compliance &ldquo;cannot be evaluated in isolation from cumulative hydrological impact, strategic intent, or the concurrent erosion of dispute-resolution mechanisms that have governed Indus waters for more than six decades.&rdquo; Signed in 1960 under World Bank mediation, the Indus Waters Treaty allocated control of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers to India, while granting Pakistan rights over the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, with limited non-consumptive use allowed to India under strict conditions. The report notes that the treaty contains no provision for unilateral suspension or termination. Despite this, the report says India halted hydrological data sharing after the April 2025 Pahalgam incident, questioned dispute-resolution mechanisms and accelerated several long-contested projects, including Ratle, Pakal Dul, Bursar, Sawalkot, Kiru, Kwar and Kirthai-I and II. &quot;Let flow&quot; In August, the Permanent Court of Arbitration reaffirmed that India is obligated to &ldquo;let flow&rdquo; the waters of the western rivers for Pakistan&rsquo;s unrestricted use, confirming that treaty obligations remain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/treat-to-remain-fully-enforced-until-modified-terminated-by-both-parties-pakistans-iwt-commissioner" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">legally binding</a>, the report said. The Chenab River is described as &ldquo;a major contributor to Pakistan&rsquo;s agricultural and economic stability,&rdquo; supporting irrigation for wheat, rice and sugarcane. The report notes that more than 80 percent of Pakistan&rsquo;s agriculture depends on the Indus Basin and that even limited disruptions in water timing or volume can have significant economic and humanitarian effects. Altering river morphology&nbsp; According to the report, Dulhasti Stage-II will draw additional water from the Marusudar River through the Pakal Dul project.&nbsp; The report highlights how the &ldquo;Indian environmental clearance documents themselves acknowledge that this reconfiguration will alter river morphology and ecology,&rdquo; affecting a 25-kilometer stretch downstream. &ldquo;Effectively weaponized water&rdquo; Citing a US-based Eurasia Group assessment of global risks for 2026, the report states that India has &ldquo;effectively weaponized water&rdquo; by suspending treaty obligations and withholding hydrological data, warning that such actions threaten agriculture, food security and rural livelihoods in Pakistan. &ldquo;Dulhasti Stage-II is therefore more than a hydropower project,&rdquo; the report said. &ldquo;It is a test case for whether the Indus Waters Treaty remains a living framework or becomes an eroded relic.&rdquo;

File Photo - Indus river from karakouram highway (WikiMedia Commons)

India’s Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project marks a shift in South Asia’s water politics; it underscores the growing strain on the Indus Waters Treaty.

India’s new hydropower project strains Indus Waters Treaty: Report

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&rsquo;s interim government has asserted its full preparedness for the upcoming national elections, even as questions over India&rsquo;s role and regional diplomacy dominate public debate ahead of the high-stakes polls. Speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV, Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, said the administration has taken extensive measures to ensure elections are free, fair, peaceful, and credible. Nearly one million security personnel will be deployed nationwide, vulnerable polling stations have been identified, and around 90 percent of voting centres are now connected to a digital monitoring app to ensure transparency. Alam expressed confidence that high voter turnout would reflect growing public trust in the interim setup. On Indian interference, Alam pushed back strongly, accusing sections of Indian media of spreading misinformation. He emphasized that the interim government has no political affiliations and is solely focused on conducting neutral elections, contrasting the process with polls held during former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s tenure, which he described as deeply flawed and restrictive. According to Alam, international scrutiny and public expectations have made electoral credibility a top priority for Dhaka. On Bangladesh-India relations, Alam stressed the need for ties based on mutual respect and equity. He said Bangladesh seeks balanced foreign relations while expanding trade, enhancing regional connectivity, and reviving South Asian cooperation under SAARC. Alam also highlighted warming Bangladesh-Pakistan ties, noting a significant rise in bilateral trade and the expected resumption of direct flights, which he said could further boost people-to-people contact and economic cooperation.

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, said the administration has taken extensive measures to ensure elections are free, fair, peaceful, and credible.

Beyond Borders

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, speaks exclusively to Pakistan TV on elections and regional cooperation.

Bangladesh’s interim government promises credible polls amid regional diplomacy focus

ISLAMABAD: Hate speech and incitement against religious minorities in India escalated sharply in 2025, with Muslims and Christians overwhelmingly targeted in public gatherings, political rallies, and religious processions, according to a new study by the United States&ndash;based Center for the Study of Organized Hate.&nbsp;The report documented 1,318 in-person hate speech incidents across India in 2025, marking a 13% increase from 2024 and nearly doubling the number recorded in 2023.&nbsp;Researchers said minorities were subjected to an average of four hate speech incidents per day, underscoring what they described as the normalization of extremist rhetoric in public life.&nbsp;&ldquo;Hate Lab (IHL) documented 1,318 hate speech events targeting religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in 2025 across 21 states, one union territory, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi,&rdquo; the report stated.&nbsp;States governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), either directly or through coalition arrangements, accounted for 88% of all recorded incidents, the study found. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi emerged as the most affected regions, with hundreds of speeches explicitly demonizing minorities.&nbsp;Muslims were targeted in 98% of the incidents, while anti-Christian hate speech rose by 41% compared to 2024. The report also recorded 120 instances of calls for economic and social boycotts of minorities and more than 270 appeals to demolish or remove mosques and churches, including prominent religious sites in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;The escalation extended beyond rhetoric. Researchers documented 308 speeches that openly encouraged violence against minorities and 136 instances calling for Hindus to arm themselves against what speakers described as &ldquo;perceived threats.&rdquo;&nbsp;The study warned that digital platforms played a central role in amplifying hate. More than 1,200 speeches were livestreamed or uploaded to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X, often reaching nationwide audiences within minutes.&nbsp;The report criticized technology companies for what it called &ldquo;systemic failure&rdquo; to enforce their own hate speech policies.&nbsp;Researchers concluded that the surge reflects more than isolated extremism. They warned that the growing frequency and acceptance of hate speech points to a deliberate political strategy.&nbsp;The report described 2025 as &ldquo;a new and dangerous phase&rdquo; in which anti-minority rhetoric has become &ldquo;fully embedded into India&rsquo;s political and social landscape,&rdquo; serving to polarize society and justify discriminatory policies.&nbsp;Minorities under attack nationwideBeyond hate speech, minority communities faced repeated incidents of violence and discrimination. In Karnataka, more than 200 Muslim homes were reportedly demolished in Bengaluru&rsquo;s Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony, displacing families during a government-led operation.&nbsp;In Bihar, a Muslim clothes vendor, Athar Hussain, was allegedly lynched by a mob in Nawada district after being questioned about his religious identity. Police later detained four suspects following a complaint filed by his wife. In a separate incident at the Bihar chief minister&rsquo;s secretariat, media reports said a Muslim woman&rsquo;s hijab was forcibly removed during an official appointment ceremony.&nbsp;Christian communities also reported growing intimidation. During the Christmas season, coordinated attempts were reported to disrupt celebrations in several regions. In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, a mob of 40 to 50 men reportedly entered a shopping mall, removed Christmas decorations, questioned visitors about their religion, and vandalized property.&nbsp;The report warned that without accountability and political restraint, India&rsquo;s minorities face an increasingly hostile environment where hate speech, violence, and state inaction reinforce one another under the guise of nationalism.

In a report, US researchers warn anti-minority hate speech in India intensifies under Modi, targeting Muslims and Christians, embedding violence and discrimination into politics, governance, and public life.

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