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Giriraj Singh rules out restoring Article 370 in J&K on Aap Ki Adalat
Mumbai: With the National Conference returning to power after assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, union minister Giriraj Singh has ruled out restoration of Article 370 in the Constitution which was abrogated on 5 August 2019 by Parliament.
The union minister, known for his hardliner Hindutva stance, told Rajat Sharma in the ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ show, telecasted at 10 pm on India TV on 12 October 2024, “Even if Rahul Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah offer Namaaz prayers every morning at top of their voice, Article 370 is not going to return”. (Rahul Gandhi Aur Farooq Abdullah Chilla-Chilla Karke Bhore Namaz Padh Len, Tab Bhi 370 Phir Se Nahin Aane Wala Hai)
Giriraj Singh said, “Prime minister Narendra Modi left no stone unturned for the development of Kashmir, and yet Muslim voters in the Valley did not vote for BJP.”
Rajat Sharma: You have to win their hearts..?
Giriraj Singh: “Tell me, how can we win their hearts? Should I tear open my chest like Hanuman Ji… Even if I do their ‘aarti’, they (Muslim voters) never voted for me. “
The union minister said, “There was a time not long back when people feared going to Kashmir Valley because of stone-throwing incidents and terrorists. After Modi Ji revoked Article 370, people can now freely move in Lal Chowk. Hotels have reopened, Modi’s policies brought peace and progress in Kashmir. Modi Ji removed stone throwers encouraged by Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Congress. I was hoping that Muslims would vote for us in the Valley. Now they will have to think. (Ab Unko Sochna Hai).”
99 PC OF TERRORISTS ARRESTED ARE MUSLIMS
The union minister said, “I am not saying that all Muslims are terrorists, but the question arises, why 99 per cent of all terrorists arrested are Muslims?”
When Rajat Sharma pointed out that terrorists have no religion, Giriraj Singh replied: “This is only for saying so. It’s religion which is the reason. What else is the reason? Why are there no more bomb blasts during Narendra Modi’s rule? Ten years ago, there used to be bomb blasts and modules were being busted. 99 per cent of terrorists arrested were Muslims. This begs a question.”
Rajat Sharma: You can at least loudly say that all Muslims are not terrorists. Only a handful are terrorists…
Giriraj Singh: I am saying the same thing. All Muslims are not terrorists, but 90 per cent of those arrested (on terror charges) are Muslims. Why shouldn’t I say this?
Rajat Sharma: At least you can praise those Muslims who are doing good work.
Giriraj Singh: I do praise. I pay my respects to those who do good work
The union minister alleged that madarsas and mosques are being used to encourage terrorists. He said, “In 1947, there were hardly 3,000 mosques in India, and now there are more than 3 lakh mosques. They illegally occupy land on the Nepal and Bangladesh border. Yogi Ji (UP CM) carried out a probe and found that more than 500 madarsas were being illegally run….Madarsas and mosques have become home of terrorism (Aatank Ka Ghar). Instead of educating kids to become good human beings, they are being taught to tread the wrong path.”
Rajat Sharma: You had once described Deoband as the ‘gangotri’ of terrorism?
Giriraj Singh: Who is Masood Azhar? He was a product of Deoband (Darul Uloom). Tell me, should I call him a ‘dharmatma'(pious soul) or a terrorist? There are dozens of terrorists from Deoband. Some are dead, some are alive.
Partition was on religious lines, India belongs to Hindus
The Union Textile Minister minced no words in declaring that India, post-Partition, belongs to Hindus. “Main Danke Ki Chot Par Kehta Hoon (I am saying this emphatically). India was partitioned in 1947 on religious lines. If the country was partitioned on religious lines and had Pandit Nehru sent all Muslims (to Pakistan), neither would we have a Waqf Board, Owaisi would have emerged, nor Burhan Wani. Nasrallah (Hezbollah chief) dies in Lebanon, and our Bhais here in Delhi and Mumbai have stomach ache. Why?..If you display your affection for Nasrallah, then we will have difficulty. You eat here and sing songs for those people? Yeh Nahin Chalega, Nahin Chalega.”
Rajat Sharma: It is because of your remarks that men like Maulana Arshad Madani say, you cannot send back 20 crore Muslims from India and those who say this are zaahil (uncivilised)?
Giriraj Singh: “Let any Muslim in India tell me, whether any Hindu threw stones at their ‘taazia’ (Muharram processions) from 1947 till now. We never stoned. When their population is 5 per cent, they say ‘kaka’ and ‘chacha’, when it is 10 per cent, they roll up their sleeves, when they reach 15 per cent, they do Love Jihad, and do not allow Ramnavami, Hanuman Jayanti processions or Kanwad yatra through their localities. It is only then that I feel pain and I start thinking it would been better had they left India in 1947. ….Look at what’s happening in Kerala. They are promoting Love Jihad as part of a plan for achieving Gazwa-e-Hind. Had all of them been sent to Pakistan in 1947, these things would not have happened now.”
Congress cheated voters during LS polls
Asked how BJP came up with a surprise hat-trick victory in Haryana, Giriraj Singh replied: “You can’t fool people forever (Kaath Ki Haandi Baar Baar Nahin Chadhti) During the parliamentary elections, they showed the Constitution and cheated voters by saying BJP is going to end caste reservation. In Haryana, the voters decided to punish them for this, and the people punished the Congress….Sometimes those who spread lies and confusion, succeed. Narendra Modi worked for caste reservation like no other Prime Minister in the past. He gave 10 pc reservations to economically weaker sections in the general category. He gave constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes. This is Modi’s commitment towards reservation…and they (Congress) are only chanting ‘caste, caste’. They are also looking for castes at Miss World beauty pageants… …I challenge Rahul Ji to declare his caste, his father’s and his grandfather’s caste. Instead of asking others, let him reveal his own caste.”
Giriraj Singh said: “Congress could only win up to 99 seats in Lok Sabha after its third attempt, but it tried to create an atmosphere as if Rahul Gandhi has defeated Modi. He is a fool (Moorkh), who is celebrating even after failing to win 100 seats after the third attempt…He has this misunderstanding like the ‘titihari’ bird (sandpiper) which sleeps with its feet up thinking it is holding up the sky. “
Rajat Sharma: But Kharge Ji (Congress President) says, I will not take my last breath until I remove Modi Ji from power?
Giriraj Singh: “I wish him a long life. Modi will stay for 100 years. Kharge will have to wait like Bhishma Pitamah (of Mahabharat).”
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Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
