NS (Imagine blue tick here)

प्रतिकुल्तायह् शक्तिह

[Shashi Tharoor @ShashiTharoor]

The recent statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) - - on #PassportSevaDivas, no less! - - clarifying that an Indian passport is primarily a "travel document and not conclusive proof of citizenship" has triggered a predictable wave of public bewilderment and political sparring. 

While the government defends this as a long-standing legal position rooted in Section 20 of the Passports Act of 1967 (which technically allows the state to issue passports to non-citizens under rare, public-interest circumstances) this is a distinction without a difference, meaningless to the average citizen.

For decades, the passport has been considered the gold standard of identity. We navigate the gruelling bureaucratic maze of police verifications and document checks required to obtain one, precisely because the state demands concrete proof of citizenship before granting it. To turn around and declare that the very document born from this rigorous vetting does not actually prove citizenship creates an absurd legal paradox. If a passport does not establish domestic citizenship, then what does?

The Supreme Court has already ruled that the Aadhaar card is merely a proof of identity and residence, not citizenship. This leaves millions of Indians in a bizarre administrative limbo where they possess world-class biometric and state-issued documents, yet none are legally deemed "conclusive" proof of their nationality within their own borders. 

To end this fatuous controversy once and for all, a common-sense legislative overhaul is urgently required. The government should formally amend the legal framework to make both the passport and the Aadhaar card valid, conclusive proofs of Indian citizenship unless they are explicitly cancelled or withdrawn by the state.

Implementing this requires solving a critical administrative hurdle: because Aadhaar is currently issued based on 182 days of local residence rather than nationality, it is held by citizens and non-citizen residents alike. The solution is straightforward. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) should introduce a visually distinct Aadhaar card (featuring, say, a visible diagonal red stripe across the front), specifically designated for non-citizens living in India.

By clearly demarcating the two categories, the state can safely mandate that carrying either a standard citizen's Aadhaar or a valid passport is compulsory and sufficient proof of citizenship for all Indian nationals at all times. This dual-document policy would immediately streamline domestic verification, eliminate arbitrary bureaucratic challenges during electoral revisions, and provide every Indian with absolute, unquestionable legal certainty regarding their identity. End of story!

[Karnataka Portfolio @karnatakaportf]

Miscreants attack couple in road rage incident in Electronics City Bengaluru

In continuing instances of road rage incidents in Bengaluru, a couple was attacked by a group of miscreants at Bettadasanapura near Electronics City on Friday evening. The couple, Soumyadeep Sen and Vaidreemla Pradhan from West Bengal, were driving from Bettadasanapura towards Electronics City when they told a group of youths riding bikes recklessly and popping wheelies to slow down. That advice angered the youths.They blocked the couple’s car, smashed the car windows, and assaulted the couple. The incident was captured on the car’s dashboard camera. The injured couple have been admitted to a private hospital for treatment. A case has been registered at the Electronics City traffic police station in this regard.
#bangalore #bengaluru #roadrage #fight #electroniccity @BlrCityPolice @blrcitytraffic @CPBlr @Jointcptraffic @alokkumar6994 @DgpKarnataka @KarnatakaCops @Lolita_TNIE @ChristinMP_

[NS (Imagine blue tick here) @Nisheeth_S]

@indianmatrix @indianmatrix @nitin_gadkari @NHAI_Official

How can you travel 1386 km in 12 hours ?

115.5 kmph avg speed without break, without food, without toilet/ without refuel and all other ???

[THE SKIN DOCTOR @theskindoctor13]

Oracle fired 12,000 of its Indian workforce and is expected to sack more.

Another reminder of how fragile stability is in the private sector. One secures employment, income begins to flow, long-term plans take shape, home, car, loans, EMIs. And then, a single decision by the corporate to “rationalize” or “downsize,” and everything collapses overnight.

Unless you quickly re-enter the job market, fixed liabilities don’t pause; they compound stress and can upend an otherwise steady life.

While you earn, you must pay taxes. The moment you lose your job, you’re on your own. In fact, you even have to pay tax on the severance also.

Maybe it’s time to introduce reforms, such as mandating severance pay ranging from three months to one year based on an employee’s tenure, as is the norm in the West; allowing EMI pauses for a 3-6 months; and providing a time-bound monthly allowance from the govt for involuntary job losses.

If Ladla/Ladlis can get free money, free ration, free water, and electricity, without paying any income tax, why not support a worker who has been paying taxes and contributing?

[Piyush Rai @Benarasiyaa]

Got crores in compensation. Built palatial bunglows, bought Thars and iPhones. Now after exhausting all the compensation money, they don't have money to either fill petrol in their Thars or buy tempered glass on their iphones. Story of Noida/NCR.

[Kayezad E Adajania @kayezad]

Indians are putting serious money into global stocks.

Outward remittances have doubled from $14 billion to $29 billion in just six years.

Where's it going? Mostly individual US stocks. For every $100 invested globally, $68 goes into stocks like NVIDIA, Tesla, Meta, and Apple. Another $24 into ETFs. Only $7 sits in cash.

Nearly half the investors are under 35, coming from 145 cities across India. This isn't just metros anymore.

And they're not done. 38% plan to increase their global allocation within the year. Another 29% want to add a second or third global asset category.

Put together by @Abhinavkaul @ET_Wealth
Source: Vested Finance

[Backpacking Daku @outofofficedaku]

Here's your master guide for all models of #iPhone16 pricing across major countries around the world so you know which friend/relative to bother or if you're traveling then if it's a viable option to buy from that country.

Green = Countries with easy/no visa for Indians + cheap flight fares 😉

#iPhone16ProMax

#iPhone16Pro

#iPhone16Plus

#iPhone16

Note:
- USD conversion to Rupee rate taken = 83.98
- Tax/VAT Refund is not calculated in final price
- Base versions of all models considered
- All prices are as shown on relevant country's websites. So subtract taxes etc as per choice of country.

Share | RT

#DakuKaGyaan

[NS (Imagine blue tick here) @Nisheeth_S]

@BBMPCOMM @BbmpZone @chairmanbwssb @BangaloreMirror @SosouthOfficial @IndianExpress @DeccanHerald @DrCNManjunath

[NS (Imagine blue tick here) @Nisheeth_S]

Illegal sewage discharge into the stormwater drain next to the gate of Prestige Bagamane Temple Bells RR Nagar. With dengue on the rise, it is a serious health risk to the community. We urge BBMP @bbmpcomm @bbmpzone to solve & BWSSB @chairmanbwssb to stop illegal sewage discharge

[NS (Imagine blue tick here) @Nisheeth_S]

@TOIBengaluru @BBMPCOMM @srinualavilli What is your take on this? BBMP responsibile for this apathy?

[TOI Bengaluru @TOIBengaluru]

Fed up with empty responses to repeated emails & complaints to @BBMPCOMM about poor condition of #Balagere Road, locals, mostly IT professionals, took things into their own hands on Sunday & staged a protest by cleaning the road under the slogan ‘Namma road, namma responsibility’

[Civic Opposition of India @CivicOp_india]

"Good and courageous cartoon by @satishacharya mocking anti-public #freebies in Karnataka. We don't want to be another Sri Lanka!"

[NS (Imagine blue tick here) @Nisheeth_S]

@nimeshgupta2000 @peakbengaluru 😂🤣 If only they had so much brain to fix the road first !!

[Anand Sankar @saybwala]

I am a south Indian living in north India for the last 15+ yrs. I am not a central government or armed/police forces employee, just a plain private citizen. I have lived and travelled India north of the Vindhyas extensively. Never once in all these years have I heard anyone in the north ever say anything disrespectful about a person from south India or the region in general. On the contrary you often get a degree more respect and infinite curiosity to know about the south, it's culture, geography and languages.

(OK, there used to be a tendency in Delhi to call any South Indian a 'madarasi', but that is a minor irritation, not a slur)

Thus it's been a matter of great shame for me to hear what the MP from the DMK said on the floor of Parliament and general discourse on social media after the recent election results. (Just a few minutes ago I read a tweet from an educated Kannadiga software engineer in Bangalore saying persons from 'Bimaru' states must not drive autos in Bangalore. Disgusting.)

Honestly, I have felt more welcomed in North India than I ever felt as a Tamilian who grew up in Bangalore.

A humble dhaba owner in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, once refused to take money from me for food because I am from the south. He said, Punjab can feed south India, why I need money from you. That is sign of a big heart, not him being boastful.

A mechanic in Madhya Pradesh and a bunch of spare parts shops opened up their shops during Rang Panchami to help a stranded south Indian biker.

Almost everywhere in those days riding through Rajasthan, Haryana and UP... People used to initially try making conversation with me in halting English seeing my 'KA' registration bike, till I assured them I spoke Hindi well. No one has ever forced me to speak or learn Hindi. Even if I acted like I didn't know Hindi, there would be no chauvinism.

I have lived in Delhi and Dehradun, where I have got 'preferential' treatment when I have had to rent homes, because I am a South Indian!

I am unable to comprehend what is this general hatred towards Indians living in North India that is emanating from the south. Right now the chauvinism stems from the fact that the south is a better economic engine than the north, literally it's that. Mark my words, that ain't forever. North India is waking up to its potential very soon.

(Btw this bakwaas about the United States of South India - first demonstrate that any two south Indian states can share a river's water without intervention from a central 'north Indian' agency!)

***

I am eternally grateful that I got to study and grow in Army Public School Bangalore. What I see in this bad discourse right now is a lack of exposure to other cultures and languages in India. My school provided me that 🙏

***

My one and only grouse with North Indians: Parathas are not breakfast. Sorry. 🙏

[NS (Imagine blue tick here) @Nisheeth_S]

@Vbhatnagar1206

[Aloke Bajpai @alokebajpai]

Here comes the 2023 moment. US Air Force officer and former intelligence official David Grusch testifies under oath that the US is in possession of UFOs and "non-human" bodies.

[Ron @ronmania2009]

@east_bengaluru @BlrCityPolice @blrcitytraffic . Incident occurred on the new road which is connecting from DSR rivera to Varthur. Goons on the street of Bangalore . Is there any action taken yet on it @DCPTrEastBCP

[Nithin Kamath @Nithin0dha]

Someone I know got scammed & lost money.

It started with a response to a part-time job offer on WhatsApp. The first few tasks were about leaving fake reviews for resorts & restaurants in random places like Peru. ~Rs 30k was transferred to the bank for the tasks completed. 1/8