THE CLIFF NEWS

Amidst chants of “Har Har Gange” and “Har Har Mahadev”, thousands of sadhus from seven major Akhadas took the sacred “Amrit Snan” at the Sangam in Prayagraj on Monday, marking the final holy dip of the Maha Kumbh 2025 on the occasion of Basant Panchami. Led by Mahamandaleshwars in decorated chariots, ascetics—some covered in ashes, others holding trishuls, swords, and damrus—walked barefoot or rode horses toward the Sangam. Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani, Atal, Niranjani, Anand, Juna, Awahan, and Panchagin were among the participating Akharas, completing their dip by 9:30 AM. This marks the third and final Amrit Snan, following the ones on January 14 (Makar Sankranti) and January 29 (Mauni Amavasya)—the latter witnessing a stampede that claimed 30 lives. As the Akharas moved from their Sector 20 camps, 20 quintals of flower petals were showered on them by helicopters. The first snan began at 5:40 AM, with all 13 Akharas expected to complete their ritual by 3 PM. Over 62 lakh devotees had already bathed by 8 AM, with the total expected to reach 5 crore by day’s end. The Maha Kumbh will continue until February 26, Maha Shivratri. “Today marks the final ‘Amrit Snan’ of the Maha Kumbh. After this, we will proceed to Varanasi. Devotees are advised to avoid the Sangam ghat unless necessary,” said Mahant Ravindra Puri, President of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad.

Rahul Gandhi Slams Arvind Kejriwal, Challenges Him to Drink Yamuna Water In a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday criticized the former Delhi Chief Minister for failing to clean the Yamuna River, a promise made years ago. Addressing a rally at Hauz Qazi Chowk, Gandhi mockingly challenged Kejriwal to take a dip in the Yamuna and even sip its water, saying, “We will meet in the hospital after that.” Gandhi also took aim at AAP’s “core team”, naming leaders like Manish Sisodia, Atishi, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha, and Satyendra Jain, questioning the lack of representation from Dalit, OBC, and Muslim communities. He likened Kejriwal’s leadership to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that both follow similar political tactics. Declaring that the electoral battle is between two opposing ideologies—“unity” (Congress) and “hatred” (BJP-RSS)—Gandhi asserted that while Modi holds power today, “no one will remember him once he steps down.” The Delhi Assembly elections are set for February 5, with results to be announced on February 8.

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa clinched the Tata Steel Masters chess title on Sunday in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, overcoming reigning world champion D. Gukesh in a dramatic 2-1 tiebreaker. After both players finished the 13th and final round tied at 8.5 points, the stage was set for an intense tiebreak showdown. Both had suffered unexpected losses in the final round—Praggnanandhaa to Germany’s Vincent Keymer and Gukesh to Arjun Erigaisi—yet remained joint leaders. The tiebreaker unfolded with high tension: With flawless endgame technique, Praggnanandhaa secured his first-ever Masters title, while Gukesh suffered heartbreak in the tiebreaker for the second consecutive year, having lost to Wei Yi in 2024. The victory marks another milestone for Praggnanandhaa, reinforcing his status among the world’s elite chess players.

India’s manufacturing sector saw its strongest growth in six months in January, driven by a surge in new orders and record-breaking export growth, according to the HSBC India Manufacturing PMI released on Monday. The PMI climbed to 57.7, up from 56.4 in December, signaling a sharp improvement in industrial activity. New orders rose at the fastest pace since July, fueled by strong domestic demand and a nearly 14-year high in export growth. With international sales gaining momentum, manufacturers reported demand spikes from multiple global markets. “India’s final manufacturing PMI marked a six-month high in January. Domestic and export demand were both strong, supporting new orders growth. The employment PMI hit its highest level since the series was created,” said Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC. Despite easing input costs—the weakest in 11 months—firms continued raising selling prices due to strong demand and improved business confidence. Hiring also saw a significant boost, with employment in the sector reaching its highest level since records began. With manufacturing activity accelerating and global demand on the rise, India’s industrial sector is poised for a strong start to 2025.

The Indian rupee fell to a record low on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, heightening fears of a global trade war. The rupee touched 87.28 per U.S. dollar before closing at 87.1850, marking its steepest single-day drop since January 13. Asian currencies weakened as the dollar surged, with the Mexican peso plummeting over 2% and the offshore Chinese yuan declining 0.3%. Global equity markets also tumbled, with Asian and European stocks in the red and U.S. equity futures pointing lower. Despite intermittent dollar sales by state-run banks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) refrained from heavy intervention, signaling a possible shift towards allowing the rupee to align with market trends. Analysts expect further currency adjustments amid persistent economic headwinds. With Trump’s tariffs set to take effect on Tuesday, market watchers anticipate continued volatility, with ING Bank noting that the dollar index (DXY) is likely to remain strong, having climbed over 1% to 109.7.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and his girlfriend, actress Dakota Johnson, recently surprised fans by attending the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. A viral Instagram video shared by a fan captured the duo taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam, embracing Indian traditions with deep respect. Chris and Dakota Participate in Kumbh Rituals In the clip, Bharat Chaudhary and his partner were seen performing rituals when they spotted Chris and Dakota nearby. While Chris wore black shorts, Dakota was dressed in a kurta and trousers. The Coldplay singer was seen greeting Bharat’s partner with folded hands and later offering prayers with his eyes closed. The video’s text read: “When you chose Kumbh over Coldplay but Mahadev has different plans and Coldplay comes to you!! Chris Martin wins for his respect to Triveni Sangam and Kumbh!” Sharing the video, Bharat captioned it: “When you can’t go to the concert, the artist comes to you—at Kumbh Mela! Took a Sangam Snan with none other than Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Dakota, who followed every ritual with deep respect. Music unites, but faith transcends. Har Har Mahadev!” Internet Reacts to the Unexpected Crossover Fans were thrilled by the unexpected presence of the global music icon at the spiritual gathering. Coldplay’s India Tour & Their Kumbh Visit Chris and Dakota were spotted in Prayagraj on January 27, dressed in saffron-colored outfits while traveling in a car. The couple arrived in India on January 16 for Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour, performing in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Their final concert in India took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Republic Day. Their visit to the Maha Kumbh Mela has further deepened fans’ admiration for Chris Martin’s cultural curiosity and humility.

Bollywood is set to welcome a new pair of fresh faces as Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor team up for Nadaaniyan, an upcoming romantic drama produced by Karan Johar under Dharmatic Entertainment. The film, directed by debutant Shauna Gautam, will release directly on Netflix. First Look and Poster Reveal The first poster of Nadaaniyan was unveiled on Saturday morning, featuring Ibrahim and Khushi in a casual, intimate pose on a green field. The reveal came just days after Karan Johar officially announced Ibrahim’s launch, with Khushi teasing her involvement through a cryptic Instagram post. A Tale of Young Love Netflix describes Nadaaniyan as a heartfelt coming-of-age romance that captures the magic, excitement, and innocence of first love. The story follows Piya, a bold and spirited girl from South Delhi, and Arjun, a determined middle-class boy from Noida. Their vastly different worlds collide, leading to a journey filled with mischief, heart, and the messy yet beautiful emotions of young love. Star-Studded Supporting Cast Apart from the lead pair, Nadaaniyan boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Mahima Chaudhary, Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza, and Jugal Hansraj. The film is backed by producers Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra. Ibrahim Ali Khan’s Bollywood Journey Ibrahim Ali Khan, son of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, follows in the footsteps of his sister Sara Ali Khan. Before making his acting debut, he worked as an assistant director on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023). Nadaaniyan marks his first film release, with Sarzameen, directed by Kayoze Irani and co-starring Kajol, lined up next. With its youthful charm and fresh pairing, Nadaaniyan is set to be a much-anticipated watch for Bollywood fans when it premieres on Netflix.

In a major anti-infiltration operation, two infiltrators were neutralized in the Pir Panjal valley’s Poonch sector on Friday (January 31, 2025), a day after a heavy exchange of fire erupted near the Line of Control (LoC). Army Engages Terrorists in Fierce Gunbattle According to an official statement from the Indian Army, terrorist movement was detected near the LoC in Poonch on Thursday night. Alert troops swiftly engaged the infiltrators, triggering an intense and prolonged firefight that lasted through the night. “The operation continued through the night, leading to the neutralization of two terrorists,” the Army confirmed. Weapons and War-Like Stores Recovered Following the encounter, security forces launched a thorough search operation in the area, resulting in the recovery of multiple weapons and war-like stores. The Army stated that operations are still ongoing in the region to ensure no further infiltration attempts. A team of doctors, police officers, and a magistrate later visited the forward posts to conduct postmortem examinations of the slain militants. Pakistani National Repatriated Amid Ongoing Operations Meanwhile, in a separate development, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), identified as Mohammad Faiz Yasir, was repatriated on Friday. Officials reported that Yasir was apprehended from a house in Salhotri village on January 25 night. Preliminary reports suggested that Yasir was mentally unstable and had crossed over unknowingly. He was handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Chakan Da Bagh gate in Poonch. With ongoing military operations and heightened security measures, the situation along the LoC remains tense, as security forces remain vigilant against cross-border infiltration attempts.

Key Highlights of India’s Union Budget 2025 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in Parliament on February 1, 2025. The budget focuses on tax relief, fiscal consolidation, and reforms to drive economic growth amid concerns over slowing demand and high food inflation. Income Tax Relief for Middle Class To boost spending power, the government raised the tax-free income threshold from ₹7 lakh to ₹12.8 lakh per year under the new tax regime. The revised tax slabs are expected to benefit millions of middle-class taxpayers and increase disposable incomes. The tax cuts will cost the government approximately ₹1 trillion in revenue. Fiscal Deficit Reduction Despite tax relief, the government remains committed to fiscal discipline, targeting a fiscal deficit of 4.4% of GDP for FY 2025-26, down from 4.8% in the current year. To finance the deficit, the government will borrow ₹14.82 trillion ($171 billion) through bond markets. Boost to Investment and Growth The budget includes measures to stimulate private investment and economic growth. Capital expenditure for FY 2025-26 has been increased to ₹11.21 trillion, compared to a revised ₹10.18 trillion this year. Reforms to Strengthen Key Sectors India’s Growth Outlook and Challenges The Chief Economic Adviser’s report, released a day before the budget, indicates that India’s GDP growth is expected to slow in FY 2025-26 due to weak urban demand and private investment. The report emphasizes the need for structural reforms in land, labor, and infrastructure to achieve a long-term growth target of 8%, essential for job creation and economic expansion. This budget underscores the government’s dual focus on taxpayer relief and fiscal discipline, while striving for long-term economic stability and job creation.

Veteran singer Udit Narayan, known for his evergreen Bollywood hits, has found himself in the midst of controversy after a viral video from one of his live concerts sparked outrage on social media. The Incident That Shocked Fans During a recent international live show, Udit Narayan was performing the iconic song Tip Tip Barsa Pani when a female fan approached the stage to take a selfie with him. In a surprising turn of events, the singer first kissed her on the cheek and then proceeded to kiss her on the lips. The video of this moment quickly spread online, leaving fans shocked and divided. Social Media Uproar As the video made rounds on social media, many users expressed disbelief, with some hoping it was AI-generated. “Tell me it’s AI… what a nightmare,” one user wrote. Others criticized the singer, stating that someone of his stature should be more mindful of his actions in public. One person commented, “Udit Narayan… no way… if this is real, his entire legacy is tainted.” Another added, “The crowd cheering makes it even worse.” Fan Reactions and Debate on Consent Interestingly, the female fan in question appeared comfortable with the situation, which led to further debate. Some users pointed out that while the singer’s actions were questionable, the fans themselves seemed to be participating willingly. “He’s definitely at fault, but these ladies are also going for it willingly. What can we even say?” one person noted. Others expressed their confusion over such fan behavior, with one saying, “Women are coming voluntarily. Why?” Another remarked, “The last woman approached him after seeing the previous kiss. She probably knew what was going to happen.” Trolling and Reputation Damage The incident has led to Udit Narayan being heavily trolled online, with many questioning his professionalism and respect for boundaries. While some fans continue to support him, others believe that this moment could potentially damage his long-standing legacy in the music industry. As the debate continues, the singer has yet to respond to the controversy.