Kharge Says 'Fog Of War Is Clearing'

NEW DELHI, May 31: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday demanded the government to hold a special session of Parliament immediately, following Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan's acknowledgement of aircraft loss in the hostilities.

In a post on X, Mr Kharge said his party demands a comprehensive review of India's defence preparedness by an independent expert committee, on the lines of the survey done by the Kargil Review Committee.

"In the wake of the remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in Singapore in an interview, there are some very important questions that need to be asked. These can only be done if a special session of the Parliament is immediately convened," he said.

"The fog of war is now clearing," he wrote. The Congress chief said the IAF pilots risked their lives fighting the enemy, and "suffered some losses, but our pilots were safe".

He was referring to General Chauhan's interview in which the CDS said that "we made, remedy it, rectify it, and then implement it again after two days and flew all our jets again, targeting at long range".

The Congress president said his party salutes their resolute courage and bravery. However, a comprehensive strategic review is the need of the hour, he asserted.

"The Congress party demands a Comprehensive Review of our Defence Preparedness by an independent expert committee, on the lines of the Kargil Review Committee," he said.

Citing Donald Trump's statements, Kharge said the US president has again repeated his claim about "brokering a ceasefire".

"This is a direct affront to the Shimla Agreement. Instead of clarifying Trump's repeated assertions, and the affidavit filed by the US Secretary of Commerce in the United States Court of International Trade, Modi is on an election blitz," Kharge noted in his post.

"Is India and Pakistan now again hyphenated? What are the conditions of the ceasefire agreement? The 140 crore patriotic Indians deserve to know this," the Congress chief said.

In a separate post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also asked, "It is an extraordinary and telling commentary on Emergency@11 that the PM will not chair all-party meetings and will not take Parliament into confidence but the nation gets to know of the first phase of Operation Sindoor through the CDS's interview in Singapore." "Couldn't opposition leaders have been taken into confidence by the PM earlier?" he asked.

Uttarakhand receptionist murder: Ex-BJP leader's son, two others get life term

KOTDWAR, May 30: An Uttarakhand court on Friday sentenced Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP leader, and two others -- Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta -- to life imprisonment for the 2022 murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari.

The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kotdwar also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on all three, who were convicted earlier today of killing Ankita, who worked at the Vanantara Resort owned by Pulkit Arya in the Yamkeshwar area of Pauri district.

Ankita had gone missing on September 18, 2022. Days later, her body was recovered from the Chilla canal, and the incident rapidly turned into a national flashpoint over women’s safety, political influence, and justice delivery. Allegations of a botched early investigation and political shielding further inflamed public anger.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) had filed a 500-page chargesheet, naming 97 witnesses, 47 of whom were deposed during the trial that began on March 28, 2023.

Pulkit Arya and two other accused were charged under Bharat Naya Sanhita sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 354A (sexual harassment), and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Later, Gangster Act was also invoked against the three accused.

Pulkit Arya, the son of now-suspended BJP leader Vinod Arya, is accused of pressuring Ankita Bhandari to provide 'special service' to clients at the resort.

No loose talk: PM to NDA leaders at Delhi meet after recent controversies

NEW DELHI, May 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the NDA leaders meeting held in Delhi on Sunday, advised leaders to maintain restraint in their public statements, according to sources. The meeting, which focused on Good Governance, was attended by Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from NDA-ruled states.

Sources revealed that the Prime Minister expressed concern over unnecessary statements made by party leaders, urging them to refrain from making indiscreet remarks. “Avoid speaking anything, anywhere,” he reportedly said, emphasising the need for disciplined communication.

This advisory comes in the wake of controversial remarks made by BJP leaders from Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, which reportedly caused embarrassment to the party.

On the issue of "Operation Sindoor," the Prime Minister clarified that there was no involvement of any third party. He said that the decision for a ceasefire was taken following a request from Pakistan.

Recently, some BJP leaders made controversial remarks on Operation Sindoor and the Army, which landed the party in trouble.

BJP MLA Vijay Shah from Madhya Pradesh made insulting remarks against Colonel Sofia Qureshi, who was among the officials representing the armed forces during the briefing on Operation Sindoor, causing a huge uproar.

While speaking at a government event, Shah said that the Prime Minister had sent a “sister from the same community” as those in Pakistan to avenge the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

Similarly, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda sparked a political row by suggesting that the armed forces should bow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi distanced himself from Shah’s remarks, calling him a "fool" who had become a “laughing stock.”

These statements from BJP ministers drew sharp criticism from the opposition parties. Congress called these remarks shameful and announced statewide protests.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers in New Delhi on Sunday. The conclave focused on key governance issues, including Operation Sindoor, caste-based enumeration, and good governance practices.

Lalu Yadav Expels Son Tej Pratap From Party For 'Ignoring Moral Values'

PATNA, May 25: Amid a chatter over a now-deleted social media post about his relationship status, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav has been expelled from the party for six years. Announcing the decision to expel his elder son from the party, RJD founder and patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav said that "ignoring moral values" in personal life weakens the community's struggle for social justice.

"The elder son's activities, public behaviour and irresponsible conduct are not in line with our family's values. In the current circumstances, I remove him from the party and the family. From now on, he will have no role in the party and the family. He has been expelled from the party for six years," the veteran leader said.

Yadav said his son can make decisions regarding his personal life. "Whoever wants to keep in touch with him can decide independently. I have always advocated decorum in public life. The obedient members of the family have followed this," he said.

At the centre of the row that led to Tej Pratap's ouster is a now-deleted social media post. From Tej Pratap Yadav's Facebook profile, a photograph of him with a woman was shared yesterday. The post identified the woman as Anushka Yadav and said she and the RJD leader had been in a relationship for 12 years.

"I am Tej Pratap Yadav and the girl who is seen with me in this picture is Anushka Yadav. We both have known each other for the last 12 years and love each other deeply. We have been in a relationship throughout these years. I wanted to share this with all of you for a long time, but couldn't find the right words. Today, through this post, I am opening my heart to you. I hope you all will understand."

The post drew critical remarks as many asked why the RJD leader married former Bihar Minister Chandrika Rai's daughter Aishwarya in 2018 if he was already in a relationship. Tej Pratap and Aishwarya had separated months after the wedding.

Shortly after the Facebook post started a chatter, it was deleted as Tej Pratap claimed his profile had been hacked. "My social media platform was hacked and my photographs were edited wrongfully," Yadav wrote on X, referring to the viral post.

Tej Pratap's younger brother and RJD's face Tejashwi said as far as he was concerned, such things "cannot be tolerated". "We are doing our work, we are dedicated to Bihar and we are raising people's issues. As far as my elder brother is concerned, political life and personal life are different. He has the right to make his personal decisions. He is an adult and free to make decisions. Our party's chief has made it clear."

Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya said those who keep "family", "upbringing" and "decorum" in mind never face questions. "Those who renounce decency and cross the limits make themselves a subject of criticism," she said.

Tej Pratap's Facebook post and the chatter about his personal life left the RJD embarrassed amid its preparations for the Bihar Assembly election later this year

17 Killed In Massive Fire At Building Near Hyderabad's Iconic Charminar

HYDERABAD, May 18: At least 17 people have died after a massive fire broke out in a building near Hyderabad's iconic Charminar this morning. While the cause of the fire remains unknown, it is suspected that a short circuit may have led to the tragedy.

What turned into a tragedy was meant to be a family gathering during the summer break at schools and colleges. Among the casualties were visiting relatives - four daughters of the resident and their children.

On Sunday morning, when the fire erupted, they had little or no chance of escape. The building had only one entry point. The windows were closed, probably due to the use of air conditioners. With no outlet for the smoke, the building turned into a gas chamber.

Inhaling toxic smoke from the fire is suspected to have made those inside unconscious within minutes. The victims died due to smoke inhalation, and nobody had burn injuries, said Y Naggi Reddy, Director General of Telangana Disaster Response and Fire Services.

The police also blamed the single narrow entrance to the building for such a large number of deaths. Sneha Mehra, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South, said they had to break in and make another entry point for the firefighters to enter.

'Informing Pakistan at start of attack was crime': Rahul Gandhi on Jaishankar's remark on Operation Sindoor

NEW DELHI, May 17: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the government for "informing" Pakistan about targeting terror infrastructure as part of Operation Sindoor, saying it was a crime and asking who had authorised it.

In a post on X, Gandhi questioned External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar for publicly admitting that the government of India (GOI) had informed Pakistan of the action and asked how many aircraft the Indian Air Force lost as a result.

"Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?" said Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.

He also shared an undated video of Jaishankar saying India had informed Pakistan of the action against terror infrastructure on its soil.

Jaishankar can be heard saying in the video, “At the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan, saying, 'We are striking at terrorist infrastructure and we are not striking at the military.'”

"So the military has the option of standing out and not interfering in this process. They chose not to take that good advice," the minister can be heard saying in the clip.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB), however, has debunked claims that Jaishankar had said India informed Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor. In a post on X, the PIB's Fact Check Unit said the minister had not made any such statement and that he was being misquoted.

Operation Sindoor was the Indian offensive against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

Madhya Pradesh HC orders FIR against BJP minister over remarks on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi

BHOPAL, May 14: The Madhya Pradesh high court on Wednesday ordered registration of an FIR against BJP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his derogatory remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

The court directed the Director General of Police to register an FIR by 6 pm today, warning that failure to comply would lead to proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act.

The counsel for the minister argued that the court’s order was based solely on newspaper reports. In response, the court said it would now include video links in the official record.

When the advocate general requested more time, Justice Atul Sreedharan remarked, “I may not be alive tomorrow,” underscoring the urgency of the matter.

The court observed that Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which penalises speeches or actions inciting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion, is prima facie applicable in this case.

A political controversy broke out in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday after state tribal affairs minister Vijay Shah made remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the two women Army officers who briefed the media on Operation Sindoor.

The Congress slammed the minister, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge calling the comments “shameful and vulgar.”

The controversial remarks by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader were made during an event in Indore on Monday. Following widespread condemnation from the opposition and criticism within his own party, he issued an apology on Tuesday.

In an apparent reference to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Shah remarked, “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson.”

Qureshi, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had briefed the media several times since the commencement of Operation Sindoor.

The National Commission for Women has also strongly condemned the derogatory comments aimed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, calling on society to show respect and honour to women serving in the armed forces.

Although NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar did not mention any person, her comments follow a wave of public anger sparked by remarks from Madhya Pradesh minister against Colonel Qureshi.

“It is extremely unfortunate that such statements are being made by some responsible persons which are derogatory and unacceptable towards women. This not only hurts the dignity of women in our society but is also an insult to the daughters of the nation who are playing an important role in the security of the country,” she said on X.

Chief Justice BR Gavai Is India's First Buddhist To Head Country's Judiciary

NEW DELHI, May 14: Justice B.R. Gavai who was administered the oath of office by President Droupadi Murmu early on Wednesday as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI), is the first Buddhist to head the country's judiciary.

CJI Gavai, will have a tenure of over six months, and he will demit the highest judicial office of the country on November 23, 2025.

President Murmu, in exercise of powers under Article 124(2) of the Constitution, had appointed Justice Gavai, the senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, as Chief Justice of India, and the Ministry of Law and Justice had later notified his appointment on April 29.

Justice Gavai was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019.

Appointed as Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2003, he became a permanent Judge in November 2005.

Before elevation to the Bench, he practised in constitutional law and administrative law and acted as Standing Counsel for Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, Amravati Municipal Corporation, and Amravati University.

He was appointed as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench in August 1992 and served till July 1993.

He was appointed as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the Nagpur Bench on January 17, 2000.

Earlier, in an informal interaction with the media, Justice Gavai expressed sorrow over the tragic incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and said that the Supreme Court cannot remain untouched when the country is mourning.

Son of former Bihar Governor R.S. Gavai, Justice Gavai also took pride in the fact that he would be the first Buddhist CJI of the country.

"My father had embraced Buddhism along with Baba Saheb Ambedkar. I will become the first Buddhist Chief Justice of the country," he said.

Asserting that he believes in all religions, Justice Gavai said, "I go to temples, dargahs, Jain temples, gurudwaras everywhere."

In the Supreme court, Justice Gavai, a part of the 7-judge Constitution Bench dealing with the question of whether a sub-classification among reserved category groups for giving more beneficial treatment would be permissible under the Constitution, suggested the application of the "creamy layer" principle to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) for availing benefits of affirmative action.

In his detailed opinion, Justice Gavai said: "When the 9-Judge Bench in Indra Sawhney held that applicability of such a test (creamy layer test) insofar as Other Backward Classes are concerned would advance equality as enshrined in the Constitution, then why such a test should not also be made applicable to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes."

"Can a child of IAS/IPS or Civil Service officers be equated with a child of a disadvantaged member belonging to Scheduled Castes, studying in a Gram Panchayat/Zilla Parishad school in a village?" he asked.

Justice Gavai said putting the children of the parents from the SCs and STs who, on account of the benefit of reservation, have reached a high position and ceased to be socially, economically and educationally backward and the children of parents doing manual work in the villages in the same category would defeat the constitutional mandate.

4 Killed, Over 200 Flights Delayed After Heavy Rain, Dust Storm In Delhi-NCR

NEW DELHI, May 2: Strong winds, dust storms and heavy rains in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) led to around 200 flights being delayed this morning. In a rain-related accident, a woman and her three children were killed after strong winds led to a tree falling on their room in Delhi's Dwarka.

Three flights were diverted to Ahmedabad and Jaipur ahead of their arrival at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport. A Bangalore-Delhi and another Pune-Delhi flights were among those diverted to Jaipur. The Delhi airport witnessed average delays of 21 minutes for arrivals and 61 minutes for departures, per FlightRadar.

The Delhi airport assured efforts by the ground staff to ensure a seamless experience, while multiple airlines urged passengers to check the latest status of their flights before heading to the airport.

"Some of our flights to and from Delhi are being delayed or diverted, which is likely to impact our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to minimize disruptions," Air India said in its statement on X.

Around 15 to 20 trains were delayed after trees fell on wires due to strong winds, impacting railway operations in the Delhi division.

Waterlogging was reported in many parts of Delhi, with visuals emerging from areas like Dwarka, Khanpur, South Extension Ring Road, Minto Road, Lajpat Nagar and Moti Bagh.

While the winds caused trees to be uprooted and the branches of some to fall, the damage to property is yet to be assessed. People have been advised to assess the weather and stay indoors as far as possible.

The temperature in Delhi stood at 19.8 degrees Celsius, with India Meteorological Department's Nowcast stating that heavy rains, storms and winds of upto 70-80 kmph will be witnessed across Delhi.

According to IMD data, in the last three hours, the Safdarjung weather station, the city's primary observatory, recorded 77mm of rainfall. Lodhi road recorded 78 mm, Palam recorded 30 mm, Najafgarh 19.5 mm, and Pitampura 32 mm of rainfall.

The weather department has issued a yellow alert for the national capital till Saturday, forecasting heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds.

On Wednesday evening, the sky had turned cloudy, with the city recording a maximum temperature of 38.1 degrees Celsius, 0.9 notch below the season's average.

The weather comes as a relief when the IMD said most parts of India are likely to see above-normal temperatures in May, only to get respite from occasional thunderstorms.

Rainfall over north India is expected to be above normal, more than 109 per cent of the long-period average of 64.1 mm. Frequent and intense thunderstorms in May will likely prevent temperatures from rising to the levels seen in May 2024, per the IMD.

'Don't Want People Going After Muslims': Wife Of Navy Officer Killed In Pahalgam Attack

KARNAL, May 1: "We don't want people going after Muslims and Kashmiris," Himanshi Narwal said on Thursday, stoic but firm as she mourned her husband, Naval officer Lt Vinay Narwal, who was gunned down in Pahalgam just 10 days ago. He would have been 27 today.

Narwal's mother and wife Himanshi broke into tears as tributes were being paid to the Naval officer at a blood donation camp organised in Karnal, the town where he grew up.

"We want peace and justice. People who have done wrong with him should be punished," said Ms Himanshi, who got married to Lt Narwal just a week before the April 22 terror attack.

The couple was on their honeymoon in Pahalgam when terrorists shot the Naval officer at point blank.

Wiping tears off her face, Ms Himanshi offered floral tributes to her late husband and blew a kiss to his photograph. The Naval officer's mother also kissed her son's photo and paid him respect with folded hands.

Narwal's sister, Shristi expressed her gratitude to people who participated in the blood donation camp.

"I want to thank everyone who travelled from far to come here to donate blood. We have been receiving messages too. People have responded enthusiastically (to the blood donation camp). The government has also done a lot," Ms Shristi said.

The camp was organised by Karnal-based NGO National Integrated Forum of Artists and Activists (NIFAA). Various speakers while addressing the gathering said the late officer dedicatedly served his nation while in service and will continue to live in everyone's hearts forever.

"A youth who was supposed to serve the country for many years was snatched away by terrorism. A soldier on the battle ground saves people's life by shedding blood. We are today donating blood in his honour to save people's lives," Chairperson of NIFAA Pritpal Singh Pannu said.

One of the attendees who donated blood at the camp said, "The nation will always be grateful to Narwal for his sacrifice. We can only pay our tributes by donating our blood but nobody can fill the void created by his death." BJP MLA from Karnal Jagmohan Anand was also present.

Narwal was among the 26 people, mostly tourists, gunned down by terrorists at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam on April 22, in one of the worst terror attacks on civilians in Kashmir in the past many years.