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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

External involvement in Chandranath’s murder

Political and Geopolitical forces behind the killing in West Bengal New Delhi: The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections have not only signaled a new trajectory in Indian politics but have also stirred ripples in global geopolitics. The unprecedented victory of the BJP in the state brought to light events that reveal how the long-standing cycle of political power struggles and violence is now emerging in a new form. The most alarming manifestation of this shift came late Wednesday night with...

External involvement in Chandranath’s murder

Political and Geopolitical forces behind the killing in West Bengal New Delhi: The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections have not only signaled a new trajectory in Indian politics but have also stirred ripples in global geopolitics. The unprecedented victory of the BJP in the state brought to light events that reveal how the long-standing cycle of political power struggles and violence is now emerging in a new form. The most alarming manifestation of this shift came late Wednesday night with the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal secretary to senior BJP leader Shuvendu Adhikari. Chandranath Rath, a veteran who served 15 years in the Indian Air Force, was closely working with his family friend and senior BJP leader, Shuvendu Adhikari. His killing is more than an isolated personal attack and it signals a disturbing new dimension of political violence. Historically, electoral violence in West Bengal has targeted the workers of losing parties. This time, however, even the leaders and workers of the winning side have fallen victim. The implications of this violence extend beyond the state's borders. Following the BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal, the activity of anti-India elements in neighboring countries has intensified. Bangladesh and Pakistan have expressed concern over the party's victory, while China and the United States are also closely monitoring its implications. This highlights that election results in border states now carry geopolitical significance far beyond local politics. For decades, West Bengal and Assam have been treated as strategic zones in broader geopolitical games, with external forces allegedly attempting to maintain unrest in these regions over the past seven decades, like Jammu-Kashmir. Investigations into Chandranath Rath's murder indicate a pre-meditated conspiracy. The assailants used advanced Glock 47X firearms, suggesting that the plot was not confined to local planning alone. The crime occurred just 60 kilometers from Basirhat, near the Bangladesh border, which strengthens the likelihood of external involvement. Violent History History shows that violence and muscle power have always been intertwined with West Bengal politics. From the "Khaddo Movement" of the 1960s to slogans like "Dam Dam Dawai," political action was often synonymous with coercion, intimidation and murder. During the Left Front era, strategies like "scientific rigging," booth capture, and leveraging local goons became commonplace. Later, the Trinamool Congress inherited these structures and kept them under its control. Today's events demonstrate that this system remains alive. Border Dynamics The complexity of border areas and communal dynamics further complicates the scenario. In constituencies along the West Bengal and Assam borders, Muslim candidates secured victories, while regions adjacent to West Bengal in Bangladesh are represented by members of Jamaat-e-Islami. Groups like Jamaat-e-Islami have long pursued anti-India agendas, and their influence can be seen in electoral outcomes across these areas. The BJP's recent victory, and the violence that ensued, draw attention to geopolitics. The President of the United States congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking an unprecedented acknowledgment of a state-level BJP win. In contrast, Pakistani and Bangladeshi media have reacted with alarm, while discussions in Bangladesh's parliament highlight concern for the Muslim communities in these regions. Local outbreaks of violence further underline that West Bengal is no longer merely a domestic political theatre, however, this is a hub of geopolitical activity, where external forces seek to keep unstable and chaotic. This cycle of political violence extends beyond individual acts. It has become a complex mix of administrative inefficiency, local political rivalry, and external interference. The immediate presence of DGP Siddh Nath Gupta and CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh at the crime scene underscores the gravity of the situation. Chandranath Rath's murder is not merely a personal tragedy but a broader political and societal security challenge. The events echo the 1970s when Naxalism emerged in West Bengal, eventually spreading across India's "Red Corridor." Rath's assassination makes it clear that politics in West Bengal is no longer limited to electoral competition or local governance. The incident lays bare the intertwined realities of political violence, international geopolitics, and social security concerns. If the current trends continue, West Bengal may evolve into a region sensitive not only to national politics but also to global strategic interests.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla set for space mission in May



Indian astronaut-designate Shubhanshu Shukla is expected to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as early as May this year, according to an update from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).

Group Captain Shukla has been designated as the astronaut and Mission Pilot for the mission.

Currently serving as an officer in the Indian Air Force, Shukla will become the second Indian to journey into space, nearly four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's historic flight in 1984. He will be joined by mission commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut; Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland; and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

His selection follows the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) identification of him as a key astronaut for India’s Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first human spaceflight program. Gaganyaan aims to send a three-member crew into a 400 km low-Earth orbit for up to three days. As part of this initiative, ISRO has partnered with NASA and Axiom Space.

India has also designated Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair as a backup astronaut for Ax-4, who will take Shukla’s place if needed.

Under an agreement between NASA and ISRO, India has secured a seat for its astronaut on this Axiom Space Inc. mission, a Houston-based company facilitating private space travel. The collaboration between the two space agencies may be exempt from the reciprocal tariffs imposed by former US President Donald Trump.

Ax-4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS, is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket. Once docked at the ISS, the crew is expected to spend up to 14 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. This mission also marks the first time astronauts from Poland and Hungary will stay aboard the space station.

NASA noted that the first private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 1, launched in April 2022 for a 17-day stay aboard the ISS. The second mission, Axiom Mission 2, took place in May 2023, with four private astronauts spending eight days in orbit. The most recent, Axiom Mission 3, lifted off in January 2024, with its crew spending 18 days at the station.

The anticipated May launch of Ax-4 comes just months after Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams returned to Earth following a 286-day space mission.

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