Dark days of emergency cast their shadow
The days of dictatorial rule that haunted Germany have long started in India. Fascist administration has launched attack on journalists, poets, writers and lawyers etc. They have not killed anyone, they have not amassed wealth or assault anyone for eating beef, or they never garlanded the lynch mob members. These people took up the cause of women, minorities, and the exploited people including tribals and have been fighting for their causes.This is the reason poet Varavara Rao, journalist Gautam Navlakha, lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferira, Vernon Gonsalves and writer Anand Teltumbde have been arrested. They are accused of plotting for PM Modi’s murder. No sooner did Karnataka SIT unravel the murders and the common thread that joins the killings of Dabholkar, Pansare, Gauri Lankesh, the union has levelled allegations against the activists in a totally unexpected development.
Now is the time when political parties and rights-based organisations should speak up. Because their silence can be very dangerous in the given situation. Arresting people who worked to protect the interests of dalits, adivasis, backward class people, women and minorities, without tangible basis or proof or even a warrant is highly condemnable. A government that does not value democracy, is shameless enough to get down to this level to dissuade dissident voices that do not pay heed to their demands.
There is hardly any peace of mind to the people of this country ever since Narendra Modi assumed office. A conspiracy to displace a dalit student in Hyderabad Central University, the tragic death of Rohith Vemula, the conspiracy and concocted videos that surfaced from JNU, the attack on Umar Khalid, the assault on Swami Agnivesh and the violence that disrupted Bhima Koregaon, protecting those who fanned the flames of violence, arrest of thinkers Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raut and Marathi poet Sudhir Dhavale were arrested during that incident.
Now what led to the arrest of six thinkers all of a sudden? The rational thinker of Maharashtra and a staunch opponent of superstition Narendra Dabholkar, thinker Govind Pansare, well-known researcher Dr M M Kalburgi, journalist Gauri Lankesh cases of killing are being probed right now. The common thread indicated all these murders are connected as established by Karnataka SIT. One wonders whether the Modi government carried out these arrests to divert people’s attention from this issue to something else. Because the government has hardly fulfilled any promise assured to the people of this nation. Hence this could also be another way of keeping people’s attention off the topic. Whatever be the case, the activists have to be released at the earliest.
Industrialists such as Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya and other corporates who borrowed thousands of crores in loan are living it up in London. But normal people such as poets, lawyers and activists face threat in our country. Lawyers Bharadwaj, Varavara Rao, Anand Teltumbde and others have to be released soon. Sudha Bharadwaj has identified herself with Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha established by Shankar Guha Neogi. She started her career in law from the year 2000. Right from then, she has always taken up cases to defend the farmers, poor people, adivasis and labourers to ensure they have their right to forests and ecology wherever applicable. Sudha Bharadwaj is a visiting law professor in Law University in Delhi.
The intent of these arrests is very clear. All the activists who have defended the poor have done so against all threatening situations. They have worked within the framework of democracy. Their arrests are highly vicious attacks. Journalist Gautam Navlakha had brought to light the case of ‘Rafale deal’ that has caused much embarrassment to the government. He has also been arrested for obvious reasons.
Believers in democracy have to condemn this in the strongest manner possible since they have been branded as ‘Urban Naxals’ just because they work on human rights issues.
Ever since Modi government came into power, attempts have been on to silence the voice of dissidence in order to protect the interest of corporate companies. This attack s straightaway an assault on adivasis and dalits. Every person who understands the value of democracy, should not allow this government to turn this country into manu-vadi hindu nation, trying to implement the secret agenda of RSS. Every socially conscious person has to oppose this in its totality.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Iran Shocks World, Hits F-35
America's most advanced fighter jet, the F-35, was never hit in combat — not once, in its entire history. Countries spend over ₹900 crore to buy just one of these aircraft. The whole world believed this plane was untouchable. Then, on March 19, something happened over Iranian skies that shocked military experts across the globe.
Iran hit it. And nobody saw it coming.
America Was Too Confident — That Was the Problem
Before understanding how this happened, you need to understand what America believed going into this. The US had been bombing Iran since February 28. After roughly 20 days of heavy strikes, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Iran's air defences were completely destroyed — finished, flattened, gone.
US President Donald Trump even said proudly, "We can fly wherever we want, and no one is even firing at us."
Based on this confidence, America flew its prized F-35 deep into the heart of central Iran. That alone tells you how sure they were. You don't send your most expensive jet into enemy territory unless you believe there is zero danger.
But Iran, a country under heavy international sanctions, still had something left. And it used that something extremely well.
So How Did Iran Actually Hit a Stealth Jet?
Here is where it gets interesting for regular people to understand.
We have all heard the word "stealth" — it sounds like the plane is completely invisible. But India Today explained that stealth only means it is hard to detect by radar. Hard — not impossible. It does not mean the aircraft is totally invisible.
Think of it this way. Even if you cannot see someone in a dark room, you can still feel their body heat if they stand close enough. That is almost exactly what happened here.
The F-35's engines produce enormous heat. Iran's weapon likely used an infrared sensor — basically a heat-seeking system — to detect that heat, lock onto it, and follow the jet. No radar needed. The F-35's biggest advantage, its radar-invisibility, simply did not matter.
The weapon Iran likely used was the 358 missile — also called SA-67 — which is a loitering munition. Think of it as a slow, intelligent drone that flies around patiently waiting, scanning the sky for heat signals from aircraft engines. Once it finds one, it chases it down. Iran has used this exact weapon before against American MQ-9 Reaper drones — and since this war started, America has already lost more than 12 of those drones.
This Has Happened Before — In 1999
This is not the first time America's "invisible" aircraft was brought down by a smarter enemy.
In 1999, during NATO's bombing campaign over Serbia, the US flew its F-117 Nighthawk — which was then considered the world's most advanced stealth aircraft. Serbian forces shot it down using an old Soviet missile system from the 1960s. Not with new technology — with clever thinking. They briefly switched on their radar, caught the jet at the right moment when its stealth was less effective, and fired.
The lesson both then and now is the same — no aircraft is completely invincible. Smart tactics can beat expensive technology.
Why This Changes Everything in the Iran War
Here is the bigger picture that really matters.
America and Israel had told the world that Iran's air defences were basically dead. Based on that, they sent massive B-1 and B-2 bombers — aircraft that are normally used only when a country is 100% sure it controls the enemy's sky. That is a huge military risk to take.
But if an F-35 — the most advanced aircraft in the sky — can still be hit, then Iran's defences are clearly not dead. Some pieces are still very much alive and working.
This means the US and Israel may now be forced to completely rethink their war plan. Their jets may need to fly higher, use longer-range weapons, and spend far more time and money finding where Iran's remaining defence systems are hiding underground.
Around 15 countries use the F-35 today. Even India was offered this jet by Trump during PM Modi's White House visit — though India has not shown interest so far.
Geopolitical expert Adam summed it up simply — a heavily sanctioned country just tracked, chased, and hit the world's most expensive stealth jet. That is not a small thing.
Sometimes, one moment changes everything.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or position of the publication, its editors, or its management. The publication is not responsible for the accuracy of any information, statements, or opinions presented in this piece.
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