In a significant development that affects millions of Indians, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has officially clarified that the Aadhaar card cannot be accepted as proof of date of birth for official purposes. This clarification comes after the Uttar Pradesh Planning Department issued a circular directing all state departments against using Aadhaar cards as birth proof documents.
Key Developments in National and International Affairs
The Aadhaar clarification follows observations that some government departments were still incorrectly using Aadhaar as proof of birth. Officials have specified that appropriate documents for establishing date of birth include birth certificates, high school marksheets, and other prescribed documents. This position was recently reinforced by the Supreme Court during a hearing related to the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision, where the court reiterated that while Aadhaar serves as an identity document, it does not constitute conclusive proof of citizenship.
International Political Developments
In international news, former US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States would permanently pause migration from all 'Third World Countries'. Trump's statement came in response to a shooting incident in Washington DC where an Afghan immigrant opened fire at two National Guard personnel, resulting in one fatality. The former president criticized the current administration's immigration policies and pledged to end all federal benefits and subsidies to non-citizens, vowing to "remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States."
Cultural and Diplomatic Highlights
On the cultural front, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a magnificent 77-foot-tall bronze statue of Lord Ram in South Goa on Friday. The installation forms part of the 550th-year celebrations of Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math in Partagali. This math, recognized as the first Gowd Saraswat Brahmin Vaishnava Math, follows the Dvaita order established by Jagadguru Madhvacharya in the 13th century. The celebrations also include the development of a 'Ramayana Theme Park Garden' surrounding the newly installed statue.
In concerning news from Pakistan, Kasim Khan, son of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has made serious allegations about his father's detention conditions. He claims that the imprisoned leader is being kept in solitary confinement in a death cell with complete lack of transparency. According to Kasim, Adiala Jail authorities are deliberately concealing his father's condition and denying visits and phone calls despite clear court orders permitting access. These allegations emerge amid intense social media speculation about Khan's health, who has been incarcerated since August 2023.
On the diplomatic front, Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit India on December 4-5 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit will mark Putin's attendance at the annual India-Russia summit, which began in 2000 and alternates between host countries. During the visit, both nations aim to finalize several bilateral agreements and announce new initiatives and projects that will strengthen their strategic partnership.
These developments occur against the backdrop of other significant news stories, including the rising death toll in the Hong Kong high-rise fire and India's second quarter GDP figures, which continue to dominate global headlines.
