US, India share a historic bond: President Trump in R-Day message
New Delhi (PTI): The United States and India share a historic bond as the world's oldest and largest democracies, US President Donald Trump said on Monday as he greeted India on its 77th Republic Day celebrations.
Trump's greetings came amid continuing strain in ties between the two countries over a range of issues, including Washington's policies on trade and tariffs.
"On behalf of the people of the United States, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the government and people of India as you celebrate your 77th Republic Day," the US president said.
"The United States and India share a historic bond as the world's oldest and largest democracies," he added.
Trump's message was put out on social media by the US embassy in New Delhi.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also extended greetings to India on the occasion of the Republic Day and said the two nations share a "historic bond".
"From our close cooperation on defense, energy, critical minerals, and emerging technologies to our multi-layered engagement through the Quad, the US-India relationship delivers real results for our two countries and for the Indo-Pacific region," he said.
"I look forward to working together to advance our shared objectives in the year ahead," Rubio said in a statement.
US ambassador to India Sergio Gor also greeted India after attending the Republic Day celebrations at the Kartavya Path.
"Happy Republic Day, India! Honored to attend the Republic Day Parade for the first time, a celebration of India’s Constitution and democratic spirit. Thrilled to see the US-made aircraft soaring in the Indian sky, a powerful symbol of the strength of the US-India strategic partnership," he said.
US-origin transport aircraft C-130J and Apache helicopters were among the aerial platforms that figured in the parade.
The India-US ties witnessed a major downturn after President Donald Trump slapped a whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent punitive levy over Russian oil purchases.
Both sides have held multiple rounds of negotiations last year to firm up the proposed bilateral trade deal. However, it could not be sealed yet, largely in view of Washington's demands to open up India's farm and dairy sectors.
Apart from the tariff issue, the relations came under strain on a number of other issues that included US President Donald Trump's claim of ending the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year and Washington's new immigration policy.
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Tweets by journalist Rana Ayyub derogatory, communal: Delhi HC
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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday termed certain tweets by journalist Rana Ayyub "highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal" as it sought her stand on a petition seeking removal of the allegedly objectionable content from social media.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, who was hearing a lawyer's petition alleging that Ayyub's tweets insulted Hindu Deities and "revered historical figures", observed that even an FIR was also directed to be registered against her in relation to the tweets and called upon the Centre, Delhi Police and X to "work in tandem" and "do the needful in 24 hours".
"Let the matter be called day after. Action is necessary in view of the highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal tweets by respondent no. 4 (Ayyub), pursuant to which FIR has also been directed against respondent no. 4 by a court of competent jurisdiction," the court ordered.
Observing that the "matter requires consideration", the court issued notice to the Centre, Ayyub as well as X on the petition seeking the immediate removal of the "highly derogatory, inflammatory, and communal tweets" by Ayyub.
The court also made Delhi Police a party to the case.
Petitioner Amita Sachdeva said she is a devout follower of the Sanatan Dharm, and on her complaint, a magisterial court had already directed the registration of an FIR while holding that the journalist's tweets prima facie disclose cognisable offences under the Indian Penal Code.
The plea said the petitioner approached X's resident grievance officer as well as the Grievance Appellate Committee for the removal of the content.
However, the committee declined to grant relief, stating the matter was sub-judice, it added.
The petitioner said the continued public availability of the tweets has caused continuing and direct injury to her religious sentiments and violated her fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 21 (Right to life and liberty) and 25 (Freedom of religion) of the Constitution.
In January 2025, a magisterial court directed Delhi Police to register an FIR against Ayyub for allegedly making derogatory posts in 2016-17 that included "insults to Hindu deities, spreading of anti-India sentiment and incitement of religious disharmony."
In an order dated January 25, 2025, it said, "From the facts of the case, prima facie cognisable offences are made out under sections 153 A (punishment for promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505 (statements conducing public mischief) of the IPC."
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