India on Tuesday slammed Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s remarks on Jammu and Kashmir, terming the comments as “unworthy” to even respond to such “malicious and false propaganda”.

In her reply to Zardari’s comments on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj slammed the Pakistan foreign minister’s statement as “frivolous, baseless and politically motivated”, saying that the Indian delegation considers it “unworthy to even respond to such malicious and false propaganda.”

Kamboj was speaking at the UN Security Council open debate on ‘Women, Peace and Security.’

The diplomat said that she would rather focus on the topic at hand as it was critically important to strengthen our collective efforts to accelerate the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda…” we respect the topic of the debate and recognise the importance of time. As such, our focus shall remain on the topic.”

Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari referred to Jammu and Kashmir in his remarks to the Council debate held under Mozambique’s Presidency for this month, on the eve of International Women’s Day.

India-Pakistan ties have been at an all-time low since 2019 when the Centre abolished Article 370 which formerly bestowed special status upon the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Islamabad is seeking its restoration and considers the Kashmir issue, a burning point between the two nations.

Making matters worse, in December last year, Bilawal Bhutto sparked a row when he called PM Modi the “butcher of Gujarat”.

Earlier, before the revoking of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the Indian Air Force on February 26, 2019 launched targeted airstrikes inside Pakistan targeting terrorist training camps of terror outfit of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Balakot region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

India’s response came after 41 CRPF men were killed in a suicide bombing in Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14, 2019.

In a shameful and horrific incident, a 55-year-old man allegedly raped a 6-year-old girl in a village of Maharashtra’s Beed district, police said on Wednesday.

An official said that the alleged incident took place on March 3. Giving details, he said that the victim was playing with some friends when the man approached her and lured her to an old house on the pretext of offering her chocolates where he allegedly raped her.

The official said the accused also threatened the child with dire consequences if she disclosed the matter to anyone.

The incident came to the fore after the girl finally narrated the ordeal to her father as she was in pain. The victim’s father then filed a complaint and a case was registered against the accused on March 5 under section 376 (Punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official said, adding that the accused has been arrested and further investigation is underway.

In a similar incident, a 3-year-old toddler girl was raped and murdered, allegedly by her mother’s boyfriend in Bengaluru last month. The 26-year-old accused, who according to the police, was under the influence of marijuana while committing the heinous crime, was arrested.

According to the police, the victim was the daughter of a single mother who works in a garment factory and lives alone. The accused was in a relationship with victim’s mother for the past year and used to take care of the child when the mother was at work.

However, the 26-year-old man allegedly raped and murdered the toddler, while under the influence of marijuana on January 31 evening near Nandgokul government school of Kaveri Nagar under Kamaskshipalya police limits in South Bengaluru.

Police at the time had said that the accused was arrested a few hours later at around 7 pm and a case has been registered against him under Sections 376 and 402 of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Wednesday, alleged that senior party leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister has been denied the ‘Vipassana’ cell in Tihar jail and is being kept with “criminals”.

In a statement, AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that a request for Manish Sisodia to be lodged in the Vipassana cell of Tihar jail was approved by the court, however, despite the court’s approval, the former deputy CM of Delhi is being kept with “criminals” in jail number 1.

Bharadwaj demanded an answer from the Centre regarding the refusal to grant the Vipassana cell to Sisodia.

According to officials, Manish Sisodia, who was arrested in connection with the purported Delhi excise policy scam, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail Number-1—a special cell meant for a single inmate who is a senior citizen.

Sisodia was allowed to carry a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, spectacles and medicines to jail by the court. The court had also issued directions to the Tihar Jail authorities to consider the AAP leader’s request to allow him to do Vipassana meditation.

On Monday, a Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court sent Sisodia to 14-day judicial custody.

Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI after he was questioned by the probe agency in the now-reverted liquor policy last Sunday.

The CBI court on Saturday heard the bail application filled by Manish Sisodia where the former AAP Minister alleged that the probe agency was asking him the same questions over and over causing him mental harassment. The Rouse Avenue court had extended Sisodia’s custody till Monday, March 6.

Sisodia had also approached the Supreme Court for respite in the case, however, the Apex Court dismissed his plea noted that the AAP leader already had ample legal remedies available before approaching the Supreme Court.

As per reports, the Central Bureau of Investigation had also alleged AAP leader of not cooperating with the investigation and giving evasive replies during the investigation. Sisodia’s legal aid had also cited that the custody of AAP leader will serve no purpose as recoveries have already been made in the case.

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had called on the CBI to probe into the now-scrapped liquor policy last year after which Manish Sisodia was alleged to be the key accused for corruption in liquor policy scam by the probe agency in the case.

After being arrested by the CBI in the now-reverted liquor policy, Sisodia resigned from his ministerial post from Delhi cabinet.