Criticising the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, India said that the “unremitting hostility” against minorities in the country was concerning. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson also said that New Delhi “expects the perpetrators of the crime to be brought to justice”.

He was referring to the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a factory worker, on December 18. Das was beaten to death by a mob in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district after being accused of blasphemy. His body was allegedly tied to a tree and set on fire. Eighteen persons have been taken into custody for the lynching.

Jaiswal also claimed that independent sources had documented more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh during the four-month tenure of the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus. Read on.

Why West rushed to mourn the killing of an anti-India youth leader in Bangladesh

Amid strained diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Dhaka, a group of hoteliers in West Bengal’s Siliguri decided to stop providing accommodation to Bangladeshi citizens. A notice issued by the Greater Siliguri Hoteliers Welfare Association said that the decision was linked to provocative statements allegedly made by some Bangladeshi citizens and alleged disrespect towards the Indian national flag.

Siliguri, located close to the border with Bangladesh, is an important entry point for Bangladeshi citizens who travel to India on tourist, medical and student visas.

Ujjwal Ghosh, the joint secretary of the association, said that the decision was an extension of a ban that was first imposed in December 2024. He said that the association has 180 hotels in and around Siliguri, all of which are strictly following the ban. Read on.

The Union government told the Delhi High Court that reducing the Goods and Services Tax on air purifiers to 5% from 18% without following due process will open up a “Pandora’s box”. Seeking more time to offer a measured response, the Union government said that it will inform in its counter-affidavit when a GST Council meeting can be scheduled.

“It is a federal levy,” said the Centre’s counsel. “All states and Union ministry has to argue...If anything has to be voted, it can only be done physically.” The Union government also asked whether a public interest litigation could be filed in the matter, stating that the petitioner could instead make a representation before it.

On its part, the court maintained that something should be done to bring down the cost of air purifiers in light of the air pollution crisis in the national capital. This came as the Air Quality Index in the national capital plunged again to the “very poor” category. Read on.

How Delhi’s rich are escaping air pollution

The internet was suspended for 24 hours in the town of Chomu near Jaipur after four police personnel were injured due to stones being thrown at them during a protest. The protesters were objecting to the police removing iron railings erected along the road outside a mosque.

The dispute was linked to stones placed along the road outside the mosque. Representatives of the Muslim community held talks with the district administration on Thursday and agreed to remove the stones.

However, some persons allegedly began installing iron railings outside the mosque to create a boundary after the stones were removed, leading to the unrest. Read on.

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