Opposition unites against Modi’s plan to redefine constituencies
India’s opposition party politicians in the southern states met on Wednesday to protest plans by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to redraw constituencies based on the 2011 census, over concerns the northern states would dominate in parliament.
The protest, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, was backed by the Congress party and over a dozen others in five southern states, which are enjoying faster economic growth than northern counterparts while keeping a lid on population growth.
Mr Stalin tabled a resolution to ensure that the so-called delimitation exercise, or redrawing of boundaries, be based on 1971 population levels and retained till 2056 to ensure that densely populated northern states taper population growth. The 1971 census paved the way for the last redrawing of such boundaries and created 543 seats in parliament. Now, leaders from the south want the status quo retained, until a formula providing equal representation is drawn up.
Kamal says Central govt ‘trying to turn India into Hindia’
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government of attempting to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states, claiming it seeks to turn “India into Hindia”.
Speaking at a meeting of Tamil parties in Chennai on Wednesday, he criticised the government for allegedly pushing a Hindi-first agenda to secure electoral gains. The meeting resulted in a resolution opposing Hindi imposition and delimitation, which was later sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The Centre is trying to make all states speak Hindi and win elections with a majority. Our dream is India, theirs is Hindia,” said Kamal. His use of the term “Hindia” references a 2019 remark by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who had rebuked Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s claim that Hindi represents India’s global identity. At the time, Mr Stalin had firmly responded: “This is India, not Hindia.”
Kerala man shot dead in Jordan while trying to cross Israel border
A man from Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala was reportedly shot dead by security forces in Jordan while he was trying to illegally cross the Israel border, according to a letter sent to his family by the Indian Embassy in Amman, reported PTI.
The incident occurred on Feb 10, when Jordanian soldiers opened fire at the border, killing Thumba native Ani Thomas Gabriel, 47.
According to family sources, another person named Edison, who was with Gabriel, was also shot but survived and has since returned home with injuries.
Singer Kalpana Raghavendar found unconscious at home
Singer Kalpana Raghavendar was found unconscious at her residence in Nizampet, Hyderabad, on Tuesday.
According to the police, she had not opened her door for two days, raising concerns among apartment residents, who then alerted authorities. The police then made a forced entry into her apartment and discovered her in an unconscious state. She was taken to hospital where she is recovering.
Ms Kalpana later denied that she had attempted suicide by comsuming sleeping pills. She told the police that she took an overdose of insomnia tablets at home as she was unable to sleep due to differences with her daughter over her education.
Man booked for using ambulance to transport pet dog with sirens on
Police in Hyderabad have caught an ambulance driver for using the vehicle to ferry a pet dog – with its sirens on, to cut through traffic.
The driver, Lakshminarayana, has been booked for misuse of emergency services.
The incident occurred during a routine police check. The ambulance that was speeding from Himayatnagar to Madinaguda was stopped, and rather than a patient, officers were shocked to discover a dog caged in the vehicle.
India home to 191 billionaires, up from 7 in 2019
The number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) in India – those with assets exceeding US$10 million – rose by 6 per cent in 2024, reaching 85,698, according to global property consultant Knight Frank’s The Wealth Report 2025 released on Wednesday.
This marks an increase from 80,686 HNWIs in the previous year, highlighting India’s growing wealth base.
“India is now home to 191 billionaires, of whom 26 joined the ranks in just the last year, which was pegged at just 7 in 2019,” the consultant said. The combined wealth of Indian billionaires is estimated at US$950 billion, ranking the country third globally, behind the United States (US$5.7 trillion) and China (US$1.34 trillion).
BeerBiceps can resume shows ‘if moral standards met’
The Supreme Court has allowed a podcaster charged with obscenity to resume airing his shows on the condition they met standards of “morality and decency”, relenting on its previous order on Monday, that the programme should stop until further notice.
The popular fitness influencer and podcaster Ranveer Allahabadia, known by his moniker BeerBiceps, was accused of obscenity after he asked a contestant in a YouTube show about watching his parents having sex, drawing multiple police complaints.
New Delhi to host chess World Cup this year
The Fide Chess World Cup will be held in New Delhi later this year, the Hindustan Times reported.
The Oct 31 to Nov 27 event will mark the return of big-ticket chess to India, since the country hosted the Olympiad in 2022.
India previously hosted a Fide World Cup over two decades ago. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand won that edition held in Hyderabad in 2002.
One of Fide’s flagship competitions, it is a knockout tournament held once every two years and will have 206 players.
