PSLV rocket with X-Ray polarimeter and 10 other satellites lifts off from Sriharikota
Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) (PTI): A PSLV rocket carrying a total of 11 satellites including ISRO's X-Ray polarimeter satellite lifted off from a spaceport here on Monday.
ISRO's maiden X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite would offer insights into celestial objects like black holes.
The PSLV-C58 rocket, in its 60th mission, carried primary payload XPoSat and 10 other satellites to be deployed in low earth orbits.
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AAP's Sanjay Singh alleges Centre 'relaxed' border security norms to help Adani set up energy park
New Delhi (PTI): Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Wednesday alleged that the Centre "relaxed" border security norms to help Adani set up an energy park at the Pakistan border in Gujarat.
During discussion on the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said that the Centre controls 50 kilometres of international border across states and still blames state governments for illegal immigrant entry from those borders.
He alleged that the government has "played" with the security of the country by "relaxing" security norms for setting up an energy park in Gujarat at the Pakistan border to benefit a "friend".
"To benefit Adani you have relaxed border security rules. How shameful it is! You compromise on the nation's security for a friend," Singh said.
He questioned the Border Security Force's (BSF) failure to check entry of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh border.
"50 km security is with the BSF in Bengal… You are unable to stop for 50 km. You are not able to speak about your failure. The responsibility of the border in Assam, Tripura, Bengal is with you and you have messed up with its security. You are blaming the state government for your fault," Singh said.
Singh also raised the issue of fugitives Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Nitin Sandesara and Vijay Mallya.
"Dacoits of India, Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi after looting Rs 20,000 crore are sitting outside the country. They are teasing this nation. Why have you not been able to catch those dacoits? Why didn't you freeze their passport?" Singh said.
He alleged that the ruling party members helped Lalit Modi escape from the country.
He said Vijay Mallya is "teasing" the government from overseas after looting Rs 9000 crore of Indian banks and the common man.
Minister of State Nityanand Rai wanted to intervene in the speech but Singh refused to yield. Singh said that TV channels ran news that Mallya would come to India, stay in Tihar barrack and he would be punished.
"They were also talking about bringing Vijay Mallya back. After Rs 9,000 crore loot, Vijay Mallya is teasing from overseas. Nitin Sandesara looted Rs 6,000 crore of India and is teasing you from overseas. I am a respected member of this House. I am a member of the country's highest House but with great pain and agony, I am sharing with you that these cheaters who have looted thousands of crores of India are being treated with luxury in foreign countries and my passport is seized," Singh said.
He said that if the government has a clear intent then it should seize passports of everyone who owes more than Rs 50 crore, so that no one is able to escape from India.
He asked the government to share the number of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants that have been deported from the country.
"You have had a government in the state for the last 11 years, a government in the Centre for the last 11 years and you are unable to tell the number of Bangladeshi intruders that you have chased them out of India...You do only politics. The Bengal election is coming up, politics have started. The Bihar election is coming up, politics have started. Move beyond this," Singh said.
CPI(M)'s V Sivadasan said that giving immigration officers to make final decisions on entry of foreigners means there will be no appeal and therefore it needs to be changed.
“People should have the right to be heard..This government had an infamous history of sending back academics and activists from foreign countries. They were given all permissions yet they were sent back from the airport in an extremely humiliating manner. They were speaking against the politics of hatred which the ruling classes are using to divide the people,” Sivadasan said.
He said that the Bill states any foreigner causing threat to India’s integrity will be denied entry into the country, however, there is a lack of clarity on the threat which the Bill refers to.
BJP member Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchade alleged that illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants are in thousands. He alleged that illegal immigrants do "bogus voting" and are enjoying the benefits of India’s hospitals, schools, ration shops and government schemes for free.
YSR Congress Party's S Niranjan Reddy said that the Bill has stringent provision to curb mischief-mongers which are about 1-2 per cent and those provisions should not create inconvenience for the rest of 98 per cent.
He said that certain countries with whom India shares good relations can be exempted from some of the provisions in the Bill.
BJP members Shmabhu Sharan and Mahendra Bhatt, TDP member Masthan Rao Yadav Beedha and UPP (L) member Rwngwra Narzary also participated in the discussion.
