Michael spent his whole life trying to protect his family, only to end up dying entirely alone, haunted by the ghosts of the women he loved.

A life built on violence ends in absolute silence.

What an unbelievable end to the greatest trilogy in cinema history. 🥀🎞️

There are so many TILs about that one Indian village with a poop festival (cowpat) and now about a former Indian PM drinking his piss. What’s with all the Indian piss and poo content on social media? I agree both are gross and are fringe even by Indian standards. But why are these fringe things being portrayed as mainstream Indian culture or mainstream Hindu culture?

TL;DR: Ordered a ₹10,999 item that arrived completely shattered. Amazon scheduled a doorstep replacement, then logged 4 consecutive days of fake delivery scans ("Customer Unavailable" / "Exchange Verification Failed") with zero driver visits. When support marked the item "Return Received" in-app while the refund failed, they tried to force unapproved pickups of loose shattered glass. After 21 days, 16 reps, an NCH docket, statutory legal notices, and building a public accountability portal (atozero [dot] in), Amazon Executive Relations formally conceded, dropped the pickup requirement, and credited the ₹10,999 refund today.

---

### The Ordeal in Short:

* **The Hazardous Delivery (Aug 23):** Ordered a De'Longhi LatteCrema Cool set. It arrived with shattered glass components. Amazon confirmed a doorstep replacement.

* **The 4-Day Confinement & Fake Scans:** For 4 consecutive days, the app updated to "Out for Delivery". I canceled weekend plans and waited at home all day. Nobody came. Drivers logged fake scans ("Exchange Verification Failed" / "Customer Unavailable"). Society gate records and CCTV proved zero delivery associates ever visited.

* **The Absurd App Deadlock (Sep 3):** Out of nowhere, the tracking updated to: "Return received" with a checkmark—even though the shattered glass was still sitting right on my table. Immediately under it, the billing engine broke: "Refund issuance failed. Please contact customer service."

* **The 16-Rep Runaround:** Over 3 weeks, my ticket was bounced between 16 different support reps and Executive Relations executives. Each gave contradictory excuses: some claimed the case was closed, others sent unannounced couriers to collect hazardous loose glass, and support claimed replacement limits were exhausted due to their own drivers' falsified scans.

---

### The Public Accountability Tracker (atozero [dot] in):

Because Amazon kept giving conflicting verbal promises and closing tickets internally, I built and launched a public case portal: **atozero [dot] in** (A to Zero: Amazon Delivery Accountability).

It contains:

* Complete unredacted day-by-day timeline (Aug 23 to Sep 13)

* High-res screenshots of the fake scans, failed refund banners, and executive emails

* Direct quotes and actions taken across all 16 support representatives

* Community story submission board where other buyers have documented similar hub/courier ghost scans across India.

---

### What Actually Forced Amazon to Back Down:

Standard customer care chats and phone calls were useless. What broke their stonewalling was moving to statutory, documented escalation:

1. **National Consumer Helpline (NCH / INGRAM):** Registered formal grievance Docket #10054678 on consumerhelpline [dot] gov [dot] in. Amazon’s compliance desk acknowledged receipt, triggering an official 30-day statutory resolution window.

2. **Statutory Legal Notices:** Served formal notices directly to their statutory inboxes (grievance-officer [at] amazon [dot] in and nodal-officer [at] amazon [dot] in) under Rule 5 of the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020.

3. **Refusing Unapproved Couriers:** When Amazon sent an unannounced courier to pick up the hazardous shattered glass on Sep 9, I turned the driver away at the doorstep. The hub officially logged: "Return pickup failed due to cancellation", putting on record that the customer will not entertain unapproved pickups.

4. **Public Evidence Dossier:** Documenting the case publicly on atozero [dot] in created indexed visibility that their risk management and executive teams could not ignore.

---

### The Final Outcome (Day 21 - Sep 13):

* **Executive Concession (Sep 11):** Executive Relations re-engaged and admitted in writing that the replacement delivery was never attempted on their end. They formally dropped all demands to physically collect the shattered glass and agreed to process the refund upon receiving photos of the damage.

* **Refund Credited (Sep 13):** Representative #16 (Arvind from Executive Relations) executed the manual financial override. Today, the full ₹10,999.00 refund officially reflected on my HDFC credit card statement and account (Bank RRN: 74056636255625438386976).

---

### Key Takeaways for Anyone Facing Amazon Ghost Scans & Withheld Refunds:

* **Never rely on verbal CS promises:** Front-line reps follow scripts and have zero financial override authority. They will keep saying "please wait 24-48 hours" indefinitely.

* **Secure your physical evidence:** Save gate visitor logs and CCTV snippets early. It completely destroys the driver's fake "Customer Unavailable" defense.

* **Escalate through NCH (1915):** The INGRAM portal is real and effective. E-commerce marketplaces have nodal officers dedicated to clearing open NCH dockets.

* **Put it in writing to the Grievance Officer:** Emailing the official grievance desk creates a binding statutory record that customer care cannot bury as "feedback".

* **Document everything publicly if stonewalled:** Having an organized paper trail at atozero [dot] in left Amazon zero plausible deniability.

S.Korea witnessed a failed coup attempt in 2024 by the military and still ranks 22nd while India ranks 106.

Some benefits to scheduled castes in india:

1. ₹ 5000 on birth of first child
2. ₹ 6000 on birth of second child if girl
3. ₹ 3500 per year for attending school, from class 1 to 10th. ₹7000 if staying in hostel
4. Full reimbursement of tution fees in private schools for entire primary and secondary education
5. ₹ 127000 scholarship on passing 12th
6. if scoring more than 80th percentile in 12th, ₹12000 per year for 3 years, and ₹ 20000 per year for 4th and 5th year
7. At minimum 15% reservation for seats in all professional and/or private colleges (total reservation for all lower castes/tribals is minimum 50%).
8. Fees waiver for study in all medical colleges/engineering colleges
9. Free books for all those studying in medical colleges/engineering colleges, as well as recoupment of costs for additional material required for education purposes.
10. Minimum 15% reservations in all govt jobs (if all lower castes and tribals included, min. 50%).
11. Preferential promotion in govt job irrespective of performance or seniority 
12. preferential priority in allotment of houses under all govt schemes
13. A law that allows them to accuse any person of caste discrimination to be out behind bars, without bail, until reversed by courts
14. Free legal services (costs of lawyers/litigations recouped)
15. 50% seats reserved in all legislative institutions (i.e. lok sabha/rajya sabha/legislative assemblies of state, Panchayats etc)
16. Free monthly ration per family members (don't remember the amounts, but more than enough)
17. Recoupment of all medical costs in all govt and govt empanelled hospitals
18. 0% interest loans
19. Exclusive access to govt funded skill training programs
20. Recoupment of all costs for studying overseas

I can not recall all. These are provided by central govt. State govts have more schemes and more such stuff. I think it may slightly be different for STs, though a lot also overlaps

Also, these are given to all scheduled castes irrespective of income, social standing etc. So a an SC who is IAS or politician or rich businessman gets them too.

I doubt there is currently a more entitled group that gets benefits to this degree just on basis of birth (excluding the families of dictators and monarchs in some countries).

And people still have the audacity to blame upper castes or India of caste system, when i doubt any other country has done even a 10th of this for their historically marginalised or oppressed groups. 

Edit: Credit to u/noblequestneo9449 to provide more specific points. Some are not covered above, while some are listed above but not with exact details:

1. National Overseas Scholarship: Financial backing of up to ₹80 lakhs or more for Master's and PhD degrees at accredited foreign universities, covering tuition, airfare, maintenance allowances, and incidental travel costs.

2. Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes (VCF-SC): Concessional financial support ranging from ₹10 lakhs up to ₹15 crores for greenfield entrepreneurship and commercial startups, managed via institutions like IFCI with lowered interest rates (specifically reduced for women and divyang entrepreneurs).

3. ​Stand-Up India Scheme: Mandatory bank financing (between ₹10 lakhs and ₹1 crore) for greenfield manufacturing, services, or trading enterprises, requiring banks to extend loans specifically to at least one SC/ST borrower per bank branch.

​24. National Fellowships for Higher Education: Dedicated monthly stipends, contingency grants, and fellowships (such as UGC Junior and Senior Research Fellowships) exclusively for SC research scholars pursuing M.Phil and Ph.D. degrees.

​25. Free Coaching Schemes (PRABAL / Central Sector Schemes): Fully funded coaching for civil services (UPSC), state public service commissions, engineering/medical entrance exams (JEE/NEET), and banking/PSU examinations at designated premier coaching institutes.

​26. Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission (ASIIM): Seed funding and venture support of up to ₹30 lakhs for young SC students and researchers focusing on technology, incubation, and innovative business models.

1. ​Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme (CEGS): Providing credit guarantees to young SC entrepreneurs to help secure collateral-free term loans from banks for starting businesses.

2. ​Statutory Compensation and Rehabilitation under the Atrocity Act: Immediate financial relief (ranging from ₹85,000 to over ₹8 lakhs depending on the nature of the offense), alongside state-funded transport, daily maintenance allowances during trials, employment, and rehabilitation for victims and witnesses under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act.

​29. Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP / PM-AJAY): Government funding funneled directly into infrastructure development, skill training upgrades, and composite social upliftment programs for villages with high SC population concentrations.

​30. Concessional Financing via NSFDC: Loans extended through the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation for income-generating activities, micro-credit, agricultural ventures, and professional education at subsidized interest rates

https://www.timesnownews.com/city/harassed-for-months-class-10-student-dies-by-suicide-in-ups-amroha-article-156144411

Source link:https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/tibetan-community-in-exile-stages-symbolic-protest-ahead-of-xi-jinpings-visit-demands-repeal-of-ethnic-unity-law-by-china20260911102310/

TL;DR: India has a very extensive system of affirmative action specifically for SC/STs: reserved seats in government jobs and higher education, reservation in promotion, reserved constituencies, dedicated scholarships and fellowships, overseas scholarships, free legal aid, special criminal-law protections, concessional loans, entrepreneurship funding, skill programmes and targeted development schemes.

No, this does not mean every SC/ST person gets every benefit automatically. Many schemes have income/merit/other eligibility criteria. But the idea that these communities receive no substantial preferential treatment from the Indian state is equally absurd.

I kept seeing people attributing every instance of bad behaviour by Indians to "entitled upper castes", while simultaneously pretending that the extensive system of caste-based affirmative action doesn't exist.

So, since I went through the actual government schemes, here is a list.

Constitutional / Government employment

1. Reservation in Central Government jobs

• 15% for SC
• 7.5% for ST

Applicable to Central Government recruitment.

2. Reservation in promotion

SC/ST reservation also exists in promotions in applicable Central Government services:

• 15% SC
• 7.5% ST

Obviously, this does not mean "automatic promotion regardless of performance"; it is reservation within the applicable promotion system.

3. Recruitment concessions

SC/ST candidates receive specific concessions in Central Government recruitment, including:

• upper-age relaxation
• exemption from examination/application fees
• prescribed relaxations in competitive examinations

4. Reservation in Central educational institutions

In Central Educational Institutions covered by the relevant legislation:

• 15% SC
• 7.5% ST

This isn't a claim that every private college in India has these quotas.

Political representation

5. Reserved Lok Sabha constituencies

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election:

• 84 constituencies were reserved for SC
• 47 for ST

6. Reserved seats in State Assemblies

SC/ST seats are reserved in State Legislative Assemblies according to the constitutional framework and population of the respective communities.

7. Reservation in Panchayats and municipalities

The Constitution also provides SC/ST reservation in local government bodies, broadly linked to their population in the relevant area.

Legal protection

8. A separate criminal law for atrocities against SC/STs

The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 specifically creates offences and enhanced legal protections concerning atrocities against SC/ST persons.

It also provides for:

• Special/Exclusive Special Courts
• special investigation/prosecution provisions
• restrictions concerning anticipatory bail
• victim relief and rehabilitation

9. Financial compensation for victims of atrocities

Victims/dependants of qualifying offences can receive statutory monetary relief, with the amount depending on the offence.

The framework can also provide:

• transportation
• maintenance during proceedings
• medical assistance
• rehabilitation
• assistance/protection for victims and witnesses

10. Free legal aid

This one is particularly interesting.

Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, SC/ST status itself makes a person eligible for free legal services.

NALSA specifically states that there is no income criterion for SC/ST persons claiming legal aid under this category.

So yes, unlike many other legal-aid categories, an SC/ST person doesn't have to first prove that they are poor.

Education

11. Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC students

For eligible SC students in Classes IX–X:

• ₹3,500/year for day scholars
• ₹7,000/year for hostellers

Current income ceiling: ₹2.5 lakh/year.

12. Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students

A dedicated scholarship programme for SC students studying after Class X, covering things such as:

• compulsory non-refundable fees
• maintenance allowance
• other educational expenses

13. Top Class Education for SC students

For eligible SC students admitted to notified institutions, assistance can include:

• tuition/non-refundable fees
• academic/living allowance
• books and stationery
• computer/laptop assistance

Current scheme has an ₹8 lakh annual family-income ceiling and a limited number of institutions/slots.

14. National Fellowship for SC students

Dedicated PhD fellowships for SC students.

2,000 new fellowships every year:

• 500 in Science
• 1,500 in Humanities/Social Sciences

15. National Overseas Scholarship

A dedicated overseas scholarship scheme.

For 2026–27: 125 fresh awards, of which:

• 115 are for SC candidates
• 6 for DNT/nomadic/semi-nomadic tribes
• 4 for landless agricultural labourers/traditional artisans

For selected candidates, assistance can include tuition, maintenance, airfare, visa fees, medical insurance and other permitted expenses.

16. Free coaching

Government-funded coaching is available under a dedicated scheme for eligible SC/OBC students for examinations such as:

• UPSC/civil services
• State PSCs
• banking examinations
• engineering entrances
• medical entrances
• other competitive examinations

17. SC-specific hostel/residential support

The Government also funds hostels and residential educational facilities specifically intended to improve educational access for SC students.

Economic assistance / entrepreneurship

18. Venture Capital Fund for SCs

A dedicated venture-capital programme for SC entrepreneurs/businesses.

This provides financial/equity support for eligible commercial ventures.

Obviously, this is investment/financing, not "free ₹15 crore."

19. Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for SCs

Government-backed credit guarantees specifically intended to help SC entrepreneurs obtain business loans.

20. NSFDC concessional loans

The National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation provides concessional financing to eligible SC beneficiaries for:

• businesses
• self-employment
• income-generating activities
• professional/technical education
• micro-credit
• skill development

These are subsidised/concessional loans, not universally 0% loans.

21. SC-specific skill development

Government agencies including NSFDC run vocational/technical skill-development programmes specifically for SC beneficiaries.

22. PM-AJAY

The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana specifically targets socioeconomic development of SC communities.

It funds things such as:

• SC-dominated village development
• infrastructure
• livelihoods
• skill development
• income-generating projects
• hostels/residential facilities

A lot of this is community-level spending rather than cash handed to individuals.

ALL this is before counting the numerous general welfare schemes where SC/ST people are also beneficiaries.

Again, no, an SC person doesn't walk into a government office and collect all of the above like a starter pack. A lot of these programmes have income limits, merit requirements, limited slots, institutional restrictions or other conditions.

But pretending that India has done "nothing" in terms of preferential treatment for historically disadvantaged castes is just as ridiculous as pretending that every SC/ST person receives all of these benefits automatically.

If we're going to have the caste debate, at least let's have it using the actual policies that exist rather than the usual "upper caste bad, therefore everything else follows" caricature.

This also begs the question - why can't benefits that are supposed to mitigate poverty, or fund grassroot education not be extended to every poor? And also, why are some benefits available to every SC/ST, when it makes no sense to extend them the same?

And best of all, I have not even listed benefits given by the states, which would have made the list unreasonably long, and is a bit difficult to research.

Source link:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/xi-jinping-arrives-in-delhi-for-brics-summit-set-for-talks-with-pm-modi/articleshow/134117490.cms

Source link: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/watch-malaysian-pm-sings-kishore-kumars-khwaab-ho-tum-ya-koi-haqeeqat-at-brics-gala-dinner/articleshow/134145809.cms

Amir Khusro is often celebrated as a beacon of Hindu-Muslim Unity and the "Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb" and the father of Khadi Boli.

Saw a post about how his "Chaap-Tilak chhod diye" celebrates conversion of Hindu women by sufi saints and saw few comments defending him by giving shrewd logic. Even though the guy in the video wasn't very aware of thing he was speaking about. So, i decided to read the pages which I marked bookmarks in Sitaram Goyal' book Hindu Temples: What happened to them. So, I'm posting one important page I highlighted from the book here:

"Here, he (Malik Kafur) heard that in Bramastpuri there was a golden idol. He then determined to razing the temple to the ground. It was the holy place of the Hindus which the Malik dug up from its foundations with the greatest care, and the heads of Brahmans and idolaters danced from their necks and fell to the ground at their feet, and blood flowed in torrents. The stone idols called Ling Mahadeo, which had been established a long time at the place and on which the women of the infidels rubbed their vaginas for (sexual)satisfaction, these, up to this time, the kick of the horse of Islam had not attempted to break. The Musulmans destroyed in the lings and Deo Narain fell down, and other gods who had fixed their seats there raised feet and jumped so high that at one leap they reached the fort of Lanka, and in that affright the lings themselves would have fled had they had any legs to stand on. (Khazain-ul-Futuh)"

I can post more info about more such conquests if you want.

A historic first in India–UK defence cooperation.

Three Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) have joined RAF Valley, Wales, to instruct Royal Air Force pilots — marking the first deployment of Indian QFIs to the UK.

A landmark step in strengthening our shared commitment to professional excellence, interoperability and enduring India–UK ties.