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Newsmakers of the Week                                           SEPTEMBER 26, 2025        |  The Indian Eye 30




                         NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK




                   Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com



                    Badshah pays tribute                                                     Kash Patel faces


                  to flood-affected Punjab                                             congressional scrutiny





































             inger Badshah has sent out his strong support for Punjab, paying tribute   BI Director Kash Patel is preparing to face congressional scrutiny over
             to the victims as they continue to battle the devastating effects of the   his handling of the investigation into the killing of conservative com-
        Sflood crisis.                                                      Fmentator Charlie Kirk, amid early missteps including a mistaken social
            Heavy monsoon rains triggered severe floods across several districts of   media post claiming that “the subject” in the killing was in custody, Al Jazeera
        Punjab, causing extensive damage to crops and infrastructure.       reported.
            Addressing the matter, Badshah, during his live concert in Oakland, de-  Patel is scheduled to appear before the Senate and House judiciary com-
        livered a powerful homage to the state, reflecting his deep emotions during   mittees on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he is expected to answer questions
        the performance. Showing his faith in Punjab’s optimistic approach, Badshah   not only about the FBI’s management of the Kirk case but also about his abil-
        reminded his audience about the state’s history and courage.        ity to stabilise an agency reportedly divided by political conflicts and internal
            “Girkar Uthhte Hai... Uthenge... Kal Honsla Jabardast Hoga. Chardikala   upheaval since his appointment, Al Jazeera added.
        Kya Hai Mere Dost... Kehkar Nahin, Karkar Dikhayenge (We fall and rise   US President Donald Trump on Saturday praised Patel for the speed with
        again, will rise again. The courage will be bigger. Not by saying but we will do   which the FBI identified and captured Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson.
        and show it)” Badshah said at the concert.                              However, criticism has emerged even from conservative circles question-
            Noting that the state might need one or two years to stand back again, he   ing Patel’s qualifications to lead the country’s top law enforcement agency,
        went on to emphasise the message of “unity.”                        which oversees 38,000 employees, including 13,000 agents.
            “This is the spirit that makes Punjab eternal. No matter how deep the wa-  In a statement posted on X on Friday, Christopher F Rufo, a fellow at the
        ters rise, our people’s courage runs deeper. The farmers who feed our nation   conservative think tank Manhattan Institute, said it was “time for Republicans
        deserve nothing less than our complete support, and Punjab’s Chardikala will   to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI.”
        see us through this crisis stronger than before,” the singer said.      “He performed terribly in the last few days, and it’s not clear whether he
            Badshah also shared a clip from the concert and wrote, “United we stand.”  has the operational expertise to investigate, infiltrate, and disrupt the violent
            The singer is currently on ‘The Unfinished Tour, marking a return to the   movements -- of whatever ideology -- that threaten the peace in the United
        American audiences. He kicked off the tour earlier this month and is set to   States,” Rufo added.
        perform across major US cities.                                         “I’ve been on the phone the last few days with many conservative leaders,
            Meanwhile, the Punjab government has launched an extensive flood re-  all of whom wholeheartedly support the Trump Administration and none of
        lief and rehabilitation programme in the rural areas, alongside financial relief.   whom are confident that the current structure of the FBI is up to this task,” he
        Compensation worth Rs 2 crore has been disbursed to 50 families who lost   further said, Al Jazeera reported.
        their loved ones in the recent floods.                                  Conservative commentator Erick Erickson also weighed in on X, stating,
            In total, 56 people lost their lives in the calamity, and the remaining six   “The FBI situation is concerning.”
        families are also set to receive their compensation soon. The administration   Earlier, The Guardian reported that Patel was mocked by far-right groups
        has been working around the clock to provide relief, restore agricultural land,   for his “clumsy response” to Kirk’s killing. Hours after the killing, Patel had
        and protect the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities.                                                Continued on next page... >>


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