Hotmail founder writes to PM Modi raising concerns over racism, rise in violence against Muslims
New Delhi: Sabeer Bhatia, co-founder of Hotmail, has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing deep concern over what he described as the growing problem of racism and identity-based violence in India, including attacks on people from the North-East and minorities such as Muslims, Dalits and Christians.
The letter, addressed to the Prime Minister and shared by Bhatia on his X account, refers to the killing of 24-year-old MBA student Anjel Chakma from Tripura in Dehradun, which Bhatia said followed a racially motivated altercation. Calling the incident “a tragedy for India’s soul”, Bhatia said the young student lost his life “solely because he looked different”.
Writing as an Indian who has represented the country globally for over three decades, Bhatia said people from the North-East have long faced stereotyping and racism despite being “100% Indian in identity, history and sentiment”. He argued that Anjel Chakma’s death was not an isolated crime but a reflection of a deeper social problem that requires urgent national attention.
In the letter, Bhatia also flagged what he described as a sharp rise in violence against Dalits, Muslims and Christians in recent months. He said that hate-driven attacks on any community amount to an assault on the idea of India itself. “Whether the victim is from the North-East, a Dalit, a Muslim, a Christian, or any other community, the message must be loud and clear: communal hatred is wrong, racism is wrong, and targeting people because of their identity must stop,” he wrote.
Emphasising India’s diversity, Bhatia said the country’s strength lies in the fact that 1.4 billion people with different languages, cultures and faiths share a single national identity. He warned that if diversity becomes a trigger for violence, India risks losing its core values.
Bhatia urged the Prime Minister to take a series of steps, including making a clear national statement condemning racism and communal violence, ensuring a transparent and time-bound investigation into Anjel Chakma’s death, launching a nationwide sensitisation programme to address inter-community hatred, and strengthening legal protections against hate crimes.
“No parent in India, whether in Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala or Nagaland should fear for their child’s life because of their identity,” he wrote, adding that such fears have no place in a country aspiring to global leadership.
Concluding the letter, Bhatia said he could not remain silent as an Indian and a technologist who has spent his life building tools to connect people, while society risks drifting away from compassion and unity. He expressed hope that under the Prime Minister’s leadership, the country would confront the issue with “honesty and courage” so that Anjel Chakma’s death becomes a turning point for justice and social reform.
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Woman delivers baby girl in train near Faridabad station
Faridabad (PTI): A woman was forced to give birth to a girl on a moving train near Old Faridabad railway station on Saturday after she went into premature labour, officials said.
The train was stopped at Faridabad Old Railway Station and the mother and the newborn were rushed to a hospital. Authorities said both of them are "completely safe".
The delivery was carried out with the help of other women present in the train. The woman was returning from Katra, Jammu with her husband for the delivery which was due next month, police said.
"A woman delivered a baby on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Jabalpur Express going from Jammu and Kashmir to Madhya Pradesh. At present, both the mother and the newborn are completely safes" said DSP Rajesh Chechi.
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According to family members, the woman, Abhilasha and her husband, Jawaharlal were residents of Sitoli village in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh. The couple lived and worked in Jammu and Kashmir.
She felt a mild pain as the train arrived in Delhi on Friday afternoon. As the train passed Tughlakabad station, the pain intensified, and within a short time, her condition began to deteriorate, police said.
Seeing the woman's situation, other women in coach S-5 immediately rushed to her aid and cordoned off the area and passengers sitting nearby were moved to the other side.
The seats were covered with bed sheets and blankets and the women helped Abhilasha during the delivery, they said.
A passenger alerted the railway control room. The railway administration swung into action and the train was stopped at Faridabad Old Railway Station. The train remained stationary for approximately 26 minutes to ensure that the woman and the newborn were safe, they added.
Female railway medical staff reached the coach and conducted a preliminary examination of the mother and daughter.
With the help of women police personnel of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP, they were taken to BK Hospital in Faridabad by ambulance. Police said the woman and the child are both safe.
