Shyam Plastic Industries Right

Parth Engineers & Consultant Right

Versatile Solution Bottom

Parth Engineers & Consultant Bottom

Shyam Plastic Industries Bottom

Versatile Solution Right

Benefit-top add-1

Benefit-top add-2

Benefit-top add-3

<p data-start="382" data-end="748">In a rare and emphatic disclosure, <a title="India Operation Sindoor" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/opinion/modi-s-security-doctrine-shapes-india-s-strategy/13837" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s</a> Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has confirmed that during <em data-start="486" data-end="505">Operation Sindoor</em>, the Indian Air Force (IAF) struck deep into <a title="Pakistan" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/geo-politics/pak-s-dar-india-hit-nur-khan-rafiqui-airbases-/14336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan&rsquo;s</a> skies, downing six fighter aircraft and crippling its air combat capability in what is now being called the largest recorded surface-to-air kill in modern South Asian military history.</p>
<p data-start="382" data-end="748"><video controls="controls" width="300" height="150">
<source src="https://ibp-benefits.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/prod/news/uploads/videos/1754730521541_ssstwitter.com_1754728621015.mp4.mp4" type="video/mp4"></video></p>
<p data-start="750" data-end="1267">The operation, executed in the shadow of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, was designed as a decisive punitive measure against cross-border terror infrastructure. Speaking in Bengaluru, the Air Chief revealed that the high-value kills included five fighter jets and a large Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&amp;C) aircraft &mdash; Pakistan&rsquo;s airborne &ldquo;eyes and ears&rdquo; &mdash; taken out at a range of nearly 300 kilometres. The loss of the AEW&amp;C, he said, was a devastating blow to Pakistan&rsquo;s aerial surveillance and coordination.</p>
<p data-start="1269" data-end="1731">At the heart of this success was India&rsquo;s recently inducted Russian-made <strong data-start="1341" data-end="1357">S-400 Triumf</strong> air defence system &mdash; described by the Air Chief as a <em data-start="1411" data-end="1425">game-changer</em>. Its long-range engagement envelope prevented Pakistani aircraft from deploying stand-off weapons such as glide bombs, forcing them to stay well outside strike range. &ldquo;They have not been able to penetrate the system,&rdquo; he stated, crediting the missile shield with neutralising Pakistan&rsquo;s offensive plans.</p>
<p data-start="1733" data-end="2068">The operation extended beyond aerial engagements. IAF strikes pounded the Shahbaz Jacobabad and Bholari airbases, destroying F-16s under maintenance and, according to operational intelligence, another AWACS aircraft on the ground. At Jacobabad, half of a key fighter hangar was obliterated, potentially damaging more aircraft inside.</p>
<p data-start="1733" data-end="2068">&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="1733" data-end="2068"><strong>ALSO READ: https://www.benefitnews24.com/defence/gen-chauhan-outcome-matters-not-jet-losses/12958</strong></p>
<p data-start="2070" data-end="2409">By May 7, Pakistan&rsquo;s losses &mdash; both in the air and on the ground &mdash; had eroded its operational tempo. The scale of destruction and the strategic impact of losing critical assets prompted Islamabad to seek a ceasefire. Hostilities ceased on May 10, with the IAF&rsquo;s success signalling a new era in India&rsquo;s integrated air defence capabilities.</p>
<p data-start="2411" data-end="2663">Operation Sindoor will be remembered not only as a tactical victory but as a statement of technological dominance, demonstrating that the IAF&rsquo;s networked air defence and strike capabilities can decisively tilt the balance in any future confrontation.</p>

India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh

IAF’s S-400 system delivers biggest ever surface-to-air kill against Pakistan

Operation Sindoor: Six PAF Jets Downed

<p data-start="177" data-end="451">In a major crackdown on illicit drug manufacturing and smuggling, the <strong data-start="247" data-end="291">Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Ahmedabad</strong>, with vital support from <strong data-start="317" data-end="337">Rajasthan Police</strong> and <strong data-start="342" data-end="364">Maharashtra Police</strong>, has dismantled a significant <strong data-start="395" data-end="419">mephedrone syndicate</strong>operating across western India.</p>
<p data-start="453" data-end="828">The operation kicked off on 6 August 2025 with the seizure of <strong data-start="515" data-end="558">4.5 kilograms of psychotropic substance</strong> near Pirojpur village on the Ahmedabad-Himmatnagar Highway. The contraband was traced to a syndicate based in <strong data-start="669" data-end="694">Pratapgarh, Rajasthan</strong>. Follow-up raids in July led to the arrest of suppliers from Pratapgarh and the recovery of drug sale proceeds totalling <strong data-start="816" data-end="827">₹6 lakh</strong>.</p>
<p data-start="830" data-end="1042">Interrogations revealed the existence of <strong data-start="871" data-end="891">clandestine labs</strong> producing mephedrone in Pratapgarh. The NCB identified <strong data-start="947" data-end="966">Siddik Khan Mev</strong>, a resident of Hathuniya village, as the key figure behind the operation.</p>
<p data-start="1044" data-end="1323">A joint raid on 22 July uncovered a hidden laboratory inside a buffalo barn in Barmer, Rajasthan, where large quantities of <strong data-start="1168" data-end="1191">precursor chemicals</strong> such as chloroform, ammonium chloride, toluene, and bromine were seized. The lab was equipped for illicit mephedrone manufacture.</p>
<p data-start="1325" data-end="1604">Further investigations led to a supplier in <strong data-start="1369" data-end="1392">Raigad, Maharashtra</strong>, who provided chemicals and lab instruments. On 23 July, Raigad Police seized <strong data-start="1471" data-end="1498">34 kg powdered ketamine</strong>, <strong data-start="1500" data-end="1532">12 litres of liquid ketamine</strong>, and related equipment, arresting four persons linked to the network.</p>
<p data-start="1606" data-end="1932">The operation culminated on 6 August with the arrest of Siddik Khan Mev and associates <strong data-start="1693" data-end="1709">Birju Shukla</strong> and <strong data-start="1714" data-end="1729">Ali Mohamad</strong>. The trio had operated a covert lab in an agricultural field at Hathuniya. To evade detection, they dismantled the lab and buried equipment and chemicals in three separate pits, about 8 to 10 feet deep.</p>
<p data-start="1934" data-end="2097">Acting on precise intelligence, the NCB and state police deployed JCB machinery to excavate the concealed materials, successfully recovering the hidden evidence.</p>
<p data-start="2099" data-end="2356">This <strong data-start="2104" data-end="2132">interstate collaboration</strong> underscores the determination of the NCB and allied forces to dismantle drug syndicates operating across state borders. The operation deals a significant blow to mephedrone manufacturing and distribution in western India.</p>
<p data-start="2358" data-end="2520">The NCB continues to track syndicate networks, providing critical support to state agencies under the <strong data-start="2460" data-end="2478">NDPS Act, 1985</strong> in the ongoing fight against narcotics.</p>
<hr data-start="2522" data-end="2525">
<p data-start="2527" data-end="2733">&nbsp;</p>

NCB officers excavating buried drugs and lab equipment with machinery

Gujarat NCB, Rajasthan & Maharashtra police jointly crack huge drug ring

NCB Busts Major Mephedrone Lab Syndicate

<p class="MsoNormal">In a&nbsp;<strong>landmark breakthrough</strong>&nbsp;for a conflict that has scarred the&nbsp;<strong>South Caucasus</strong>&nbsp;for over three decades,&nbsp;<strong>Azerbaijan</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Armenia</strong>&nbsp;signed a&nbsp;<strong>historic peace treaty</strong>&nbsp;on Friday at the&nbsp;<strong>White House</strong>, witnessed by&nbsp;<strong>US President Donald Trump</strong>. This agreement marks a&nbsp;<strong>decisive step</strong>&nbsp;towards&nbsp;<strong>normalising relations</strong>&nbsp;between the two nations, whose bitter dispute over the&nbsp;<strong>Nagorno-Karabakh</strong>&nbsp;region triggered a prolonged&nbsp;<strong>war</strong>, displacement, and regional&nbsp;<strong>instability</strong>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://ibp-benefits.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/prod/news/uploads/images/1754709300831_GxzuNYNXcAA36Bz.jpeg" alt="GxzuNYNXcAA36Bz.jpeg" width="680" height="532"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The deal is significant not only for the Caucasus but also for&nbsp;<strong>global geopolitics</strong>, signalling a subtle shift in&nbsp;<strong>Moscow&rsquo;s traditional dominance</strong>&nbsp;over the area. The&nbsp;<strong>US administration&rsquo;s direct involvement</strong>, which led to the resolution of a key&nbsp;<strong>transit corridor dispute</strong>, was crucial in breaking the deadlock. Known informally as the&nbsp;<strong>&ldquo;Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,&rdquo;</strong>&nbsp;this corridor will connect Azerbaijan&rsquo;s mainland with its&nbsp;<strong>Nakhichevan exclave</strong>through Armenia&rsquo;s mountainous&nbsp;<strong>Zangezur region</strong>&mdash;once a major obstacle to peace talks.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>President Ilham Aliyev</strong>&nbsp;of Azerbaijan and&nbsp;<strong>Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan</strong>&nbsp;stood side by side, putting pen to paper in a ceremony that concluded decades of hostilities marked by&nbsp;<strong>war</strong>&nbsp;and deep-seated&nbsp;<strong>mistrust</strong>. Since the late 1980s, the conflict has centred on&nbsp;<strong>Nagorno-Karabakh</strong>, a region with an&nbsp;<strong>ethnic Armenian majority</strong>&nbsp;within Azerbaijan&rsquo;s borders. After Azerbaijan reclaimed full control of the area in&nbsp;<strong>2023</strong>, nearly all of its&nbsp;<strong>Armenian population fled</strong>, intensifying the&nbsp;<strong>humanitarian</strong>&nbsp;and political complexities.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This agreement not only sets the stage for&nbsp;<strong>peace</strong>&nbsp;but also unlocks new&nbsp;<strong>economic opportunities</strong>&nbsp;for the South Caucasus region. Both nations are expected to sign additional&nbsp;<strong>bilateral agreements</strong>&nbsp;with the United States aimed at fostering&nbsp;<strong>trade, infrastructure development,</strong>&nbsp;and broader&nbsp;<strong>cooperation</strong>. The resolution of the&nbsp;<strong>transit corridor dispute</strong> was pivotal &mdash; as one official remarked, &ldquo;unblocking this piece might cause the rest to fall into place.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While sceptics remain wary of the&nbsp;<strong>longevity of this peace</strong>, the&nbsp;<strong>symbolic value</strong>&nbsp;of two former adversaries coming together under&nbsp;<strong>US auspices</strong>&nbsp;cannot be overstated. For the Trump administration, this accords a&nbsp;<strong>diplomatic win</strong>&nbsp;that challenges&nbsp;<strong>Moscow&rsquo;s traditional influence</strong>, reflecting a renewed&nbsp;<strong>US engagement</strong>&nbsp;in a geopolitically vital region.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and US President Donald Trump sign the peace treaty accord (image source social media)

US-brokered peace treaty promises new economic ties and regional stability after decades

Historic Peace Deal Ends Azerbaijan-Armenia Rift

<p class="MsoNormal">It is not in Geneva, Helsinki, or any neutral capital. Alaska &mdash; America&rsquo;s northern frontier &mdash; will host a meeting on 15 August that could redefine the course of the Russia-Ukraine war and recast the balance of global power. <a title="US" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/geo-politics/trump-s-nuke-move-escalates-oil-war-with-russia/17308" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United States</a> President Donald Trump will welcome <a title="Russia" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/international/modi-putin-reaffirm-strong-india-russia-ties/17605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> President Vladimir Putin in what he calls a step towards ending a war that has raged since 2022. Whether it becomes a breakthrough or a dead end will depend on how far each side is willing to bend.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <img src="https://ibp-benefits.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/prod/news/uploads/images/1754705588406_Gx3QOSDbsAUk_BS.jpeg" alt="Gx3QOSDbsAUk_BS.jpeg" width="1069" height="776"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The announcement, made on Trump&rsquo;s social media account, follows a calculated show of leverage: steep new US tariffs on Indian products &mdash; a move Washington insiders say was designed to tighten economic pressure on Moscow by squeezing a key Russian trade partner. Trump later declared that the strategy &ldquo;is working,&rdquo; though he offered no evidence.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From the White House, flanked by leaders from Armenia and Azerbaijan, Trump teased the contours of a possible deal: &ldquo;swapping of territories&rdquo;. For many in Europe, the phrase was a diplomatic alarm bell. Ukraine has made it clear it will not surrender occupied regions such as Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. For Putin, however, territorial concessions are non-negotiable conditions for peace, alongside halting Western aid to Kyiv.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If it goes ahead, the Alaska summit will be the first face-to-face between American and Russian leaders since 2021. Holding it on US soil &mdash; rather than a neutral venue &mdash; is an unmistakable nod to Moscow&rsquo;s stature, even as Washington insists it seeks an end to the bloodshed. But with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy absent from the initial talks, European capitals fear Kyiv may be sidelined in the continent&rsquo;s largest war since the Second World War.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ: https://www.benefitnews24.com/opinion/trump-tariffs-india-but-is-putin-the-real-target-/17517</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Diplomacy or Strategic Gamble?</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Alaska summit is less a diplomatic meeting and more a strategic gamble. Trump&rsquo;s choice of location and the sequencing of talks signal his willingness to deal directly with Putin &mdash; even if it sidelines Ukraine at the outset. The proposed &ldquo;territory swap&rdquo; risks legitimising territorial conquest, a precedent that would unsettle Europe and embolden other revisionist powers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For Putin, the optics of standing alongside an American president on US soil are a public relations coup, countering years of Western attempts to cast him as a pariah. For Trump, it&rsquo;s a chance to brand himself as a peacemaker ahead of political milestones at home. Yet the entrenched positions of Moscow and Kyiv, coupled with NATO&rsquo;s strategic stake in the conflict, make any lasting ceasefire from this meeting a remote prospect.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>

US President Donald Trump in conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin – file photo

US-Russia Alaska summit may reshape war endgame and shift global power calculations

Trump-Putin Alaska Meet Raises Stakes

<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the first few months of life, a baby needs little more than their mother&rsquo;s milk. Breastfeeding has existed as long as humankind itself, an act so ancient and universal, yet paradoxically, one of the most taboo when done in public. From train stations in India to cafes in the West, breastfeeding mothers still encounter discomfort, judgment, and often, outright hostility.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The irony is glaring. In a world that commercialises motherhood and objectifies female bodies, the act of nourishing a child is seen by many as inappropriate, shameful, or even vulgar. Despite science, public health campaigns, and legal frameworks advocating for breastfeeding, public breastfeeding remains one of society&rsquo;s most persistent stigmas.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">So why is this basic, biologically necessary act still so controversial?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Social Taboo Around Public Breastfeeding</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In 2023, a young mother in Mumbai was asked to "cover up or leave" a mall food court while breastfeeding her 2-month-old baby. In 2021, a woman in Texas was publicly shamed by a stranger while feeding her infant at a park. These are not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader, global pattern where public breastfeeding is viewed through a lens of discomfort, sexuality, and cultural control.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">While India&rsquo;s Infant and Young Child Feeding Guidelines (2006) and various legal interpretations uphold a woman&rsquo;s right to breastfeed anywhere, society doesn&rsquo;t always follow suit. In the absence of dedicated nursing spaces in most public institutions, women are forced to feed in washrooms, stairwells, or under layers of clothing in the heat, all to protect the gaze and comfort of others.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Shobha, a new mom, says, &ldquo;Breastfeeding is one of the best things in the journey of motherhood. One must not feel shame in nursing a child in public. I have fed my son in public, in a car, too. No one should make her feel uncomfortable, and one must have that awareness that it is not obscene or shameful. Don&rsquo;t judge or disrespect that mother, be supportive to her.&rdquo;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">What underlies this discomfort? The answer lies in deep-seated cultural contradictions. Breasts are sexualized in media, commodified in advertising, yet when they fulfil their actual biological role, they are shamed and censored. For many, the issue isn't breastfeeding, it's visibility.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saloni, a mother to a 1.5-year-old girl, had a very similar opinion, &ldquo;Breastfeeding is not bad, it is important to feed a child at their comfort, would you like to eat your food in a bathroom, or a closed cell? No right!? A child needs it to grow and to avoid getting sick. It is not taboo, and one must not feel ashamed to feed their child anywhere and anytime.&rdquo;</span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Breastfeeding: More Than Just Nutrition</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">From a medical standpoint, breastfeeding is nothing short of a superpower. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and exclusively for the first six months is critical to an infant&rsquo;s survival.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Benefits for Babies:</span></h3>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Provides complete nutrition, perfectly adapted to the infant&rsquo;s needs.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Strengthens immunity with antibodies that protect against respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and other common illnesses.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reduces risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), obesity, and type 2 diabetes.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Promotes emotional bonding and cognitive development.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Benefits for Mothers:</span></h3>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aids in postpartum recovery and reduces uterine bleeding.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Strengthens emotional bonds with the baby.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Economically and environmentally sustainable.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite these overwhelming benefits, exclusive breastfeeding rates remain below target in many countries. According to India&rsquo;s National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019-21), only about 64% of Indian babies under six months are exclusively breastfed, below the global recommendation of 70&ndash;80%.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the main deterrents? Social stigma and lack of support for breastfeeding in public spaces.</span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Silent Saviours: Human Milk Banks</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">But what happens when a mother cannot breastfeed due to illness, complications, death, or adoption? Enter the human milk banks, a modern extension of the age-old practice of wet nursing, now rooted in medical safety and ethical regulation.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">What Are Human Milk Banks?</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">These are institutions that collect, screen, pasteurise, and store donated breastmilk from healthy, lactating mothers. The milk is then distributed to infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), premature babies, and others in need of life-saving nutrition.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">India&rsquo;s first milk bank, SNEHA (Sion Hospital) in Mumbai, was set up in 1989. Today, India has over 90 milk banks, including public-private partnerships like the Amara Milk Bank in Delhi, and NGOs like Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) that work to educate and promote safe milk donation.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why Are They Important?</span></h3>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Preterm or low birth weight infants are often unable to suckle effectively.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The formula may be inaccessible, unaffordable, or nutritionally inadequate in such cases.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Donor milk has been shown to reduce neonatal infections, sepsis and improve survival rates.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A study published in the Indian Journal of Paediatrics (2020) found that infants fed with donor human milk had a significantly lower risk of necrotising enterocolitis (a deadly intestinal disease common in preterm infants) than those fed formula.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Still, myths and taboos persist. Concerns about "strangers&rsquo; milk," misconceptions around safety, and a general lack of awareness prevent many from embracing milk banks both as donors and recipients.</span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Breastmilk Jewellery: Sentiment Turned Symbol</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">While public and institutional attitudes slowly evolve, another movement is quietly gaining momentum in breastmilk jewellery.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mothers are turning a few millilitres of expressed milk into resin-based pendants, rings, and beads. The milk is preserved, solidified, and transformed into keepsakes, each unique in colour, texture, and story.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why Are Mothers Doing This?</span></h3>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a symbol of their breastfeeding journey, marked by pain, persistence, and pride.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">To memorialise time spent nursing a sick or premature child.</span></p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">As an empowering act of reclaiming their narrative after societal shaming or personal struggle.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In India, a growing number of artisan-led startups like Milk Charms and Mommymilkjewels are offering breastmilk jewellery, placenta beads, and even umbilical cord preservation. While critics may see it as odd or overly sentimental, for many mothers, it's deeply validating.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the same society that shames breastfeeding, breastmilk jewellery becomes a quiet rebellion, an artistic declaration that says: &ldquo;This is my story. This is my strength.&rdquo;</span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Roadblocks and the Road Ahead</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite policy-level encouragement, ground realities are stark. Few Indian airports, malls, or government offices have dedicated feeding rooms. While countries like Norway and New Zealand openly normalise public breastfeeding, India and others still struggle with cultural acceptance.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Legal Protection Exists: India has no law prohibiting public breastfeeding. Article 21 of the Constitution, which protects the right to life and dignity, includes maternal rights. But without public awareness and institutional support, laws alone aren&rsquo;t enough.</span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Steps Toward Change</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">To dismantle the stigma and promote breastfeeding as a public health priority, multi-level interventions are needed:</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Normalise Through Visibility</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Campaigns like #NormalizeBreastfeeding have helped destigmatise the act globally. Social media can be a powerful tool in making public breastfeeding less &ldquo;shocking&rdquo; and more normalised.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Better Infrastructure</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every mall, station, hospital, office, and public venue should include safe, hygienic nursing spaces, not hidden in restrooms, but accessible and respectful.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. Education and Male Inclusion</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fathers, employers, and community leaders need to be educated about the biological, emotional, and public importance of breastfeeding.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">4. Support Milk Banks</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Governments and private institutions must invest in awareness campaigns promoting milk donation, improve infrastructure, and ensure the ethical and hygienic handling of human milk.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">5. Celebrate the Journey</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Whether through campaigns or personal keepsakes, such as jewellery, honouring breastfeeding in all its forms, direct, donated, or remembered, empowers mothers to reclaim their narrative.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Breastfeeding is not just food, it&rsquo;s a right, a ritual, a relationship. It should not be hidden, shamed, or made inconvenient for the comfort of strangers. Whether on a public bench, in a NICU ward via donor milk, or cast into jewellery worn close to the heart, it&rsquo;s time we see breastmilk for what it truly is: power, not embarrassment.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">As we move forward, let us raise a society where no mother hesitates to feed her child in public, no infant is denied the best start due to myths, and no act of nourishment is turned into a source of shame.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

From public shaming to milk banks, breaking taboos around breastfeeding and its true value

Breastfeeding in Public: End the Stigma

Gujarat HC Strikes Down CRPF HIV+ Promotion Rule

Court Calls Rule 5 and Standing Order 04/2008 Unconstitutional, Orders Pay Revision

SIT set to finish excavation at final 3 suspected burial sites in Karnataka’s temple town

Mass Grave Probe Nears End in Dharmasthala

US nuclear submarine (image courtesy US defence)

Tensions rise as US responds to Russia's counter-threat over vital oil routes and CPC pipe

Trump’s Nuke Move Escalates Oil War With Russia

Second Earthquake Strikes Pakistan After 5.4 Jolt

5.1-magnitude quake hits Islamabad, Rawalpindi, follows 5.4 quake a day earlier

₹630 Cr Unreported Crypto Income Found by CBDT

Govt detects ₹630 crore in undeclared VDA income over two fiscals, cracks down on crypto t

B.Sc Student Missing in K'taka; 'Love Jihad' blame

Kalaburagi student vanishes after exam; family suspects 'love jihad', probe underway

ED questions Anil Ambani on loan diversion, shell firms, political links in mega fraud

Anil Ambani Grilled by ED in ₹17,000 Cr Loan Fraud

New Delhi balances historic trust with Moscow against Washington’s strategic pressure

India, Russia, US: A Delicate Power Triangle

MPC unanimously maintains status quo amid stable inflation, festive demand expectations

RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.5% Retains Neutral Stance

<div>Haresh Jhala&nbsp;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>Ahmedabad:</strong> Journalist Mahesh Langa has been arrested by Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch, for his alleged involvement in a case pertaining to Goods &amp; Services Tax (GST) evasion and creation of fake companies to avail credit.&nbsp;</div>
<div><br>According to the CGST intelligence wing, over 200 fake companies were created in the scam. Along with Langa, Bharatiya Janata Party&rsquo;s (BJP) sitting MLA Bhaga Barad&rsquo;s son Ajay has been named in the First Information Report (FIR) filed by police.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>Since Monday evening, there had been buzz that Langa was summoned by the police, and officials confirmed queries and informed media persons that Langa was being questioned.</div>
<div><br>On Tuesday, fellow journalist Satish Jha broke the news of Langa&rsquo;s arrest on &lsquo;X&rsquo;. &ldquo;Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch has arrested journalist Mahesh Langa along with other suspects in an alleged GST scam,&rdquo; he wrote.</div>
<div><br>This revelation witnessed a host of reactions from netizens on social media.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>Professor Layla Mehta commented, &ldquo;It is not easy to be an independent &amp; critical journalist in Gujarat,.........&rdquo;</div>
<div><br>@icaptann tweeted, &ldquo;Mahesh Langa has exposed many BJP&rsquo;s corruption, this is bound to happen in Amrit Kaal, this government is after everyone who questions them.&rdquo;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>With all due respect to those who feel that fearless journalism is next to impossible in Gujarat. I disagree.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>Mahesh Langa may have earned respect as a journalist through his professional conduct and knack for telling good stories. Exposing scams is the duty of a journalist, and nothing should hamper them in pursuit of this profession.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>The most unfortunate thing is there are many good journalists in Gujarat who have done stories far better than Mahesh. It seems that hardcore journalism has not reached the readers.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>I am talking about hardcore journalism, post October 2001.</div>
<div><br>Veteran journalist R K Misra often wrote pieces criticizing the Gujarat government, whether it was led by then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, or his successors.</div>
<div><br>Take for example Darshan Desai&rsquo;s work during the aftermath of the 2002 Godhra riots, he ran a campaign in the Indian Express &ldquo;Dial M for Murder&rdquo; with Joydeep Ray. Another journalist, Stavan Desai, did a series of stories on call data records during the 2002 riots and exposed the involvement of politicians in riots.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>Another example is the investigative journalism done by veteran journalist Prashant Dayal, who exposed fake encounters done by police in Ahmedabad and Gujarat. Most of his news articles were critical, he faced life threat, got slapped with six sedition court cases from the state government. Despite all the hindrances, he is still a committed hardcore journalist, fearlessly doing his job.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>Suresh Vanol, a journalist from Mehsana, exposed the Sujalam Sufalam irrigation scam. He broke the story even before the Public Account Committee, led by Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil, pointed it out in its 2006 report, which is yet to be tabled in the state Assembly. It is a different matter that the MB Shah Commission gave a clean chit to those involved in the scam allegation.</div>
<div><br>Nowadays, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Pracharak Sanjay Joshi is back in the news. It is not common knowledge, but at a BJP national executive committee meeting in Mumbai, a CD of his sexual encounter was circulated among BJP leaders. This act was used to&nbsp;tarnish the image of Sanjay Joshi.</div>
<div><br>Senior Journalist Dilip Patel uncovered the involvement of staffers at the Gujarat Chief Minister&rsquo;s Office (CMO) in production and distribution of the CDs. Having covered many such stories in his vast career, the only harm the system could do to him is to ensure that Dilip Patel never lands a job in mainstream media or with leading news banners.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>Dilip Singh Kshatriya, who has been practising journalism in Gujarat for the past 16 to 17 years, has never faced any harassment from the state government or machinery. He has put out a number of critical pieces exposing the state government&rsquo;s tall claims of &ldquo;all is well in Gujarat&rdquo; and also exposed holes in Gujarat&rsquo;s developmental model through his investigative stories.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>It is certainly not the first time that the ruling party in a state has harassed or taken action against journalists.</div>
<div><br>One of the most memorable examples of fearless journalism in the recent past, is that of seasoned journalist Late Charudutt Vyas. He bought an Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) bottle, and put it on the Ahmedabad police commissioner&rsquo;s table in the middle of a press conference, only to ask him about enforcement of the prohibition law in Gujarat.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>In the late 1980s, veteran journalist Nachiketa Desai exposed a deforestation scam in Surat district. Then state Chief Minister Amarsinh Chaudhary had turned a blind eye to the merciless deforestation of a dense forest area. Desai&rsquo;s story and subsequent public pressure led to the appointment of a Lokayukta in Gujarat to investigate the scam. Unfortunately, the report never saw the light of day.</div>
<div><br>Post the Babri Masjid demolition riots in Surat, veteran journalist Darshan Desai had reported about women&rsquo;s allegations that they were raped by rioters. The next day, then Chief Minister late Chimanbhai Patel had given him a call, but not to threaten him.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>There are several journalists in Gujarat who have and are presently practising fearless journalism in Gujarat. Be it exposing the past and/or present governments, political leaders&rsquo; nexus with criminal or illegal activities, threats to life or jobs have not put a dent in their determination to speak truth to power.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>The big question remains why none of these journalists were never booked or arrested. Maybe because all of them were only practising genuine and ethical journalism.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>If Mahesh Langa is innocent and was only discharging his duties as a journalist, I would be the first person to stand with him in his tough time and fight for justice. Like me, many other journalists from Gujarat would have joined the movement to seek his freedom. Unfortunately, that is not the case.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>According to sources from the power corridors of the state secretariat, Langa was more than a journalist, frequently hobnobbing with powerful people. Many of his so-called investigative stories were interpreted as bias and motivated by agenda.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>My journalistic experience of 37 years in Gujarat is proof that journalism against a weak system is encouraged. Such journalists are never harassed, they are only targeted, if their stories target individuals, and reporting is done with malafide intention.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>&ldquo;The pen is mightier than the sword&rdquo; is the saying that is often quoted when talking about journalism. But, when fighting against the system or exposing its weaknesses or failings, one should ensure that their slate is clean.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>Langa has allegations of being involved in a GST tax evasion scam and also, creating a fake firm. As the law states, &ldquo;Not guilty, until proven otherwise&rdquo;, Langa has to pass this test that he has been put to and come out scratch-free.</div>
<div>&nbsp;<br>However, one must not forget that even to cook up a story or a criminal case, some evidence is needed. It&rsquo;s how the saying goes, &ldquo;There is no smoke without fire.&rdquo;<br><br>(The views expressed by the writer are personal. Benefit News and its management do not subscribe to it)</div>

Allegations of GST tax evasion and involvement in creation of fake company profiles levelled against him

Leave a Comment :