Table of Contents
The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
Two More Arrested in Blast Case; University Faces Audit
- A medical professor and a medical student from Jammu and Kashmir have been held in Uttar Pradesh in connection with the Red Fort car blast. Police have also issued a Red Corner Notice for another doctor who is said to be in Dubai.
- Raids in Jammu & Kashmir have led to the detention of several people suspected of having links with terror groups. Haryana Police found two vehicles owned by Umar Nabi, the main suspect and the only person inside the car that exploded and killed thirteen people.
- Delhi Police collected forensic clues from a Jain temple and a nearby market. They found shops that had sold ammonium nitrate to the suspects, and the shopkeepers have been detained for questioning to find out how the blast materials were bought.
- The Union government has ordered a detailed financial audit of Al-Falah University in Faridabad, where many of the suspects had studied or worked. The Enforcement Directorate and other agencies have been asked to check the university’s financial records after a high-level review meeting.
- Farukh, an obstetrics assistant professor at GS Medical College Hapur, was detained by Delhi Police. Another student, Mohammad Arif Mir, a first-year cardiology student, was held by the U.P. ATS for suspected involvement.
- Officials believe Mir had been in touch with Dr. Shaheen Sayeed, a former GSVM professor arrested earlier for collecting explosives. Police searched Mir’s room, seized his devices, and took him to Delhi for more questioning.
- J&K Police are also looking for Dr. Muzaffar, who is believed to be in Dubai. He is the brother of Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather, who was arrested after an AK-47 rifle was found in his locker at the Anantnag medical college.
- Police are checking the travel details of relatives of the arrested doctors who may have gone to Turkey, Dubai, or Afghanistan, as they try to trace any foreign links connected to the case.
- Delhi Police recovered blast debris from the Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir near Red Fort and inspected the Lala Lajpat Rai market, where a severed body part was found after the explosion.
- Police in Delhi said they faced communication gaps with authorities in J&K and Haryana, claiming they were not informed about the movements of a major suspect. They said that if they had known earlier, they could have set up alerts at checkpoints and tracked the vehicle sooner.
- J&K Police have strengthened searches against terror groups in north and south Kashmir. They have conducted raids on Jamaat-e-Islami members and families with relatives in Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to uncover wider connections.
Trump Approves Bill Ending the Longest Government Shutdown Ever
- President Donald Trump signed a bill ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history after the House voted to restart food aid, pay federal employees, and restore the air-traffic control system this week.
- The House, controlled by Republicans, passed the funding bill 222–209. Trump’s support kept his party united even though Democrats strongly opposed the bill because it did not extend federal health insurance subsidies this time.
- With Trump’s signature, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will return to their jobs after 43 days of shutdown. Still, there is uncertainty about how quickly all services and departments will start working normally again.
- The bill will fund government operations only until January 30. It continues a spending path that adds around $1.8 trillion every year to the national debt, which is already close to $38 trillion now.
- The Senate approved the bill, raising hopes that the stressed air-travel system will recover before the busy Thanksgiving season. Restored food assistance will also help millions of families as they manage expenses during the Christmas shopping period.
- Government economic data will now resume, ending weeks in which investors, officials, and the public had no official updates on jobs, prices, spending, and national growth.
- Democrats won several important elections recently, and hope to renew health insurance subsidies that end this year. The Senate plans to vote in December, but Speaker Mike Johnson has not promised any similar move in the House.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 50% of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, while 47% blamed Democrats, showing that neither side gained a clear advantage from the long standoff.
EC ready for Bihar counting after record turnout, urges public to trust official portal
- The Election Commission will begin counting votes for Bihar’s 243 Assembly seats on Friday. Counting will start with postal ballots at 8 a.m., followed by EVM counting at 8:30 a.m.
- A record turnout of 67.13% was seen across the two voting phases — the highest in Bihar since 1951 — showing strong public participation this year.
- A total of 4,372 counting tables have been set up, each with a supervisor, an assistant, and a micro-observer. More than 18,000 counting agents appointed by candidates will monitor the counting closely.
- Counting will be carried out by 243 Returning Officers in the presence of 243 Counting Observers. Candidates or their authorised agents can be present to ensure that every step is transparent.
- Round-wise and seat-wise results will be prepared by Returning Officers and uploaded on the official EC results portal, which the public has been advised to trust and follow.
- The Commission stated that this year, after checking all reports, they found no problems or wrongdoing at any polling station — the first time in recent years that no repolls were needed anywhere in Bihar.
- In Rohtas, several candidates protested after a vehicle with a Uttar Pradesh registration number allegedly entered the strongroom area, and CCTV cameras were reportedly removed near the EVM storage spot on the Bazar Samiti Campus.
- Patna Cyber Police filed an FIR against RJD MLC Sunil Singh for a speech attacking the Election Commission and threatening protests similar to those recently seen in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
- Sunil Singh claimed that many of his party’s candidates were “defeated forcefully” in the 2020 election. He also accused exit polls of influencing voters by predicting an NDA majority during ongoing voting.
- He warned counting officials not to “go against the mandate,” saying that if winning candidates were shown as losing, major street protests would take place immediately in Bihar.
- He also criticised the Commission for problems in the voter list and said that without timely Supreme Court action, many genuine voters might have been removed, while names of dead people might have stayed on the rolls.
- The FIR includes Sections 174, 352, and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 125 of the Representation of People Act, and parts of the Information Technology Act.
- On the eve of counting, both ruling and opposition offices were buzzing with activity. The ruling alliance celebrated as nine exit polls predicted a clear NDA majority.
- Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav met their party teams, while supporters from both sides put up posters, increasing the political excitement.
- JD(U) leader Ranjit Singh put up a poster saying “Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai” with a photo of Nitish Kumar. In response, Samajwadi Party leader Dharmveer Yadav put up a poster outside the RJD office saying “Alvida Chacha.”
- An RJD supporter from Vaishali, Kedar Prasad Yadav, performed a 24-hour yagya praying for Tejashwi Yadav’s win, showing the emotional involvement of local supporters.
- For Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, counting day carries high personal meaning, as he has said he will quit politics if the JD(U) wins more than 25 seats.
Important Questions
- How did Delhi Police identify the ammonium nitrate shops linked to the Red Fort car blast during the forensic search?
- Why did the Union government order a forensic audit of Al-Falah University after the high-level review?
- How did the funding package passed by the House help restart government operations after the 43-day shutdown?
- Why did the Reuters/Ipsos poll show both Republicans and Democrats being blamed for the 43-day shutdown?
- Why did the Election Commission ask the public to trust only the official results portal during the Bihar vote counting?
- How did the exit polls create political pressure among party workers before the Bihar election results?
Important Vocabulary
- Detained – taken into police custody for questioning.
- Forensic – scientific tests used to study crime evidence.
- Suspected – believed to be involved but not yet proven.
- Overseas connections – links with people or places in foreign countries.
- Furloughed – workers sent home without pay.
- Subsidies – financial help given by the government.
- Uncertainty – not knowing what will happen next.
- Restored – brought back to normal working condition.
- Transparency – clear and open process that everyone can see.
- Discrepancies – mismatches or problems found in records.
- Authorised – officially allowed or approved.
- Anticipation – strong feeling of waiting for something to happen.
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