Three BSF personnel hurt as Tripura protest erupts

Three Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and local residents were injured during a violent confrontation in Tripura’s Sepahijala district on Monday after villagers protested against the alleged assault of a man by border guards.

The clash occurred at Ashabari, under Kalamchoura police station, where residents blocked a road demanding action against personnel accused of detaining and beating Hefzur Rahman. The confrontation escalated when a BSF vehicle encountered the protesters, resulting in injuries and damage to vehicles.

Police and additional BSF personnel intervened to restore order. Senior officers visited the area, while complaints concerning the confrontation prompted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence.

Accounts of the casualties differed. Several accounts identified three injured BSF personnel and multiple villagers, while other accounts put the number of injured security personnel at four. The precise civilian casualty figure remained unclear.

The disturbance began around 10 am near Natun Bazar, close to Ashabari Gram Panchayat, when BSF personnel encountered Rahman during an operation near the border.

Villagers alleged that Rahman, whose father was identified as Shahajan Miah, had been clearing vegetation when security personnel detained him on suspicion of involvement in unlawful activity.

Residents claimed that the personnel assaulted Rahman during the encounter, leaving him with a fractured leg. The allegation has not been independently established, and the circumstances of his detention remain under investigation.

The confrontation was also linked to suspicions of smuggling near the international border. However, no publicly established evidence confirming Rahman's involvement in smuggling was available.

Angered by the alleged assault, villagers assembled near Natun Bazar and blocked the Ashabari-Rahimpur road, interrupting traffic and demanding accountability from the border force.

The protest intensified when a vehicle belonging to the BSF's 49th Battalion approached the blockade while travelling from Rahimpur towards Boxanagar.

The vehicle was carrying personnel identified as Rohit Kumar, Sunil Kumar and Manjit. Rohit was identified as an officer, while Sunil Kumar was described as the driver.

Members of the crowd allegedly attacked the vehicle and its occupants using bamboo poles and sticks. The assault injured security personnel and damaged the vehicle, including its windscreen.

Some accounts identified Rohit Kumar as an assistant commandant, although descriptions of his assignment differed. The injuries sustained by the personnel prompted their evacuation for medical treatment.

The injured personnel were initially taken to a medical facility at Boxanagar. They were subsequently referred for further treatment, although accounts differed on whether all those injured required transfer.

Additional personnel from the Ashabari Border Outpost joined officers from Kalamchoura police station in responding to the disturbance.

The intervention brought the immediate confrontation under control, although unease persisted among residents following the allegations against the border guards and the attack on security personnel.

Both the alleged assault on Rahman and the subsequent violence against BSF personnel are central to the police inquiry. Investigators must establish how the initial encounter unfolded, whether excessive force was used and who participated in the attack on the security vehicle.

The allegations have raised questions about the conduct of border patrols and the response of residents to enforcement operations. However, responsibility for the violence cannot be established solely from the competing accounts.

Another resident, Taher Miah, alleged that BSF personnel damaged his parked Maruti car during the disturbance. He said the vehicle was used to transport schoolchildren to Bishalgarh. His allegation forms a separate account of property damage during the confrontation.

The incident occurred in an area where security personnel regularly patrol settlements close to the Bangladesh border. Operations intended to prevent smuggling sometimes bring border guards into direct contact with residents carrying out agricultural and other activities.

The BSF had not issued a detailed public statement addressing the allegations against its personnel when the initial accounts of the confrontation emerged.

Police were examining the circumstances of the confrontation, including the allegations surrounding Rahman's injuries and the attack on the BSF vehicle.

The vehicle involved in the confrontation was identified as a Bolero bearing registration number TR-01-AL-1051, attached to the BSF's 49th Battalion.

Rijiju challenges Congress over disputed rally crowd image

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Congress of circulating an AI-generated image to exaggerate attendance at the INDIA bloc’s Ramlila Maidan rally, intensifying a political dispute over Sunday’s Opposition demonstration in Delhi.

Rijiju questioned the authenticity of a photograph shared by Congress MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna from Telangana, which appeared to show a densely packed gathering at the venue. The minister alleged that the image had been artificially created to suggest substantially greater public participation than the rally attracted.

Posting on X, Rijiju said: “Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of Congress Party!”

The minister also criticised the apparent quality of the image, suggesting that those responsible had failed to reproduce the actual setting convincingly. His remarks, posted on Sunday and widely discussed on Monday, followed competing claims by the BJP and Opposition leaders about the demonstration’s attendance.

The disputed photograph was circulated by several Congress leaders and supporters, including former parliamentarian and Congress Working Committee member Jagdish Thakor. Social media users questioned its authenticity, pointing to apparent discrepancies between the stage depicted in the image and the arrangement visible at the actual rally.

The image appeared to feature representations of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on a stage whose configuration differed from photographs of the event. These inconsistencies strengthened suspicions that the picture had been digitally generated or altered, although the precise circumstances of its creation remain unclear.

The controversy developed alongside a separate disagreement over crowd estimates. BJP leaders maintained that substantial portions of Ramlila Maidan remained unoccupied, challenging Congress assertions that the demonstration had attracted an exceptionally large gathering.

BJP parliamentarian and spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that approximately 40 per cent of the venue was empty despite the Opposition’s extensive mobilisation efforts.

“The Congress said there will be a crowd of 10 lakh, but 40 per cent of the ground was empty,” Patra said, disputing the turnout projections publicised before the event.

Congress leaders countered the BJP’s assessment by circulating drone footage and photographs that they said demonstrated extensive participation. The party maintained that large numbers of supporters had assembled for the protest, rejecting the ruling party’s portrayal of the gathering as unsuccessful.

Neither side produced independently authenticated attendance figures establishing the total number of participants. The competing visual material also raised questions about the timing, vantage points and completeness of images used to support rival political claims.

The rally, organised under the Opposition INDIA bloc’s Chalo Dilli mobilisation, focused on allegations of electoral irregularities and demands for accountability from the Election Commission.

Opposition leaders targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and alleged failures in safeguarding electoral integrity. The Congress and its allies have questioned the exercise, arguing that electoral procedures must remain transparent and protect eligible voters.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, addressed the gathering alongside Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and several prominent Opposition figures.

Among those attending were Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Gandhi accused the Election Commission’s leadership of facilitating electoral manipulation and demanded action against Kumar. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, linking the Opposition’s campaign to wider allegations concerning the conduct of elections.

The BJP rejected the allegations and challenged Congress leaders to substantiate their accusations through appropriate institutional and legal channels. The Election Commission has also rejected allegations that its electoral processes were designed to benefit the ruling party.

The Opposition’s demonstration followed a campaign questioning the independence of electoral administration, with participating parties demanding greater scrutiny of voter-list revisions and the handling of complaints concerning electoral procedures.

The dispute over the rally photograph added another dimension to those disagreements, shifting part of the political exchange towards the reliability of digitally circulated campaign material.

Artificial intelligence can produce convincing images of public gatherings, complicating efforts to distinguish authentic photographs from synthetic representations when original files and verifiable provenance are unavailable.

The November 1 demonstration brought supporters from several Opposition parties to central Delhi, with participants marching towards Ramlila Maidan from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction before assembling for speeches by alliance leaders.

BJP assigns three leaders distinct Uttar Pradesh campaign roles

The Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing a three-tier campaign for Uttar Pradesh’s 2027 Assembly elections, assigning Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and party president Nitin Nabin different levels of electoral mobilisation.

The proposed campaign, expected to intensify after November 20 and continue through December, would combine large regional rallies, district-level organisational meetings and sustained activity across Assembly constituencies. The arrangements remain a planning exercise, with individual programmes and dates yet to be formally announced.

Modi is expected to address major rallies covering Uttar Pradesh’s 18 administrative divisions, providing the principal statewide platform for the BJP’s election messaging. The divisional approach would allow the party to reach several districts through each gathering rather than rely exclusively on constituency-specific appearances by the Prime Minister.

Shah’s proposed responsibilities centre on district and regional coordination. His programme is expected to include targeted public meetings, consultations with party functionaries and conferences involving booth-level workers. Organisational preparedness, local mobilisation and coordination between campaign committees would form an important part of that exercise.

Nabin, meanwhile, is expected to concentrate on Assembly constituencies, undertaking tours and participating in political and organisational programmes. His assignment would connect the national leadership’s campaign with the party’s local units, which will be responsible for maintaining contact with voters between larger rallies.

The division of responsibilities is intended to produce simultaneous activity at several levels of the party organisation. While Modi’s rallies would draw attention to the BJP’s statewide campaign, district and constituency programmes would focus on mobilising workers and establishing a regular presence in individual electoral areas.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also expected to undertake district-level rallies and constituency outreach. His participation would give the campaign a state-government dimension alongside the programmes led by the party’s central leadership. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior BJP figures are also expected to participate in public meetings.

The party’s organisational preparations include a proposed household-contact exercise involving booth workers and small local teams. Under the plan being discussed, each worker or team would reach at least 50 families, presenting the government’s programmes and seeking direct engagement with voters. The precise implementation arrangements have not been publicly detailed.

The emphasis on booth organisation reflects the BJP’s intention to link prominent leadership appearances with systematic work at polling-station level. Such activity requires coordination among district committees, constituency representatives and local workers, particularly when large rallies and smaller meetings are scheduled within the same period.

Uttar Pradesh has 403 Assembly constituencies, making the scale of the proposed exercise substantial. The BJP is seeking another term in office under Adityanath, while opposition parties are preparing to challenge its electoral position. The timing of the Assembly election in 2027 has not yet been formally notified.

The proposed November and December programme is an early stage of preparations rather than the formal election campaign. The BJP leadership is expected to use the period to assess organisational readiness, reinforce local structures and establish a framework for subsequent electoral activity.

The division between Modi’s divisional rallies, Shah’s district work and Nabin’s constituency visits also gives the party separate channels for communicating priorities and receiving feedback. Local concerns identified during meetings could be passed through the organisation, although no formal mechanism for that process has been announced.

The BJP’s planned programme follows discussions within its central and state organisations over preparations for the next Assembly contest. The emphasis so far has been on geographical coverage and worker mobilisation, rather than a published list of election promises or constituency candidates.

The organisational effort will need to account for differences between centres, districts and constituencies with varying political conditions. Divisional rallies can bring together workers from a wide area, but constituency visits and booth conferences serve a purpose by involving smaller groups responsible for local campaigning. The proposed structure therefore places responsibility on state and district office-bearers to organise meetings, arrange participation and coordinate travel. No announcement has yet specified how the responsibilities will be distributed among district presidents or constituency committees during the November and December programmes.

The anticipated schedule leaves room for individual events to be adjusted as arrangements are finalised. Details of venues, attendance by senior leaders and the sequence of district and constituency meetings have not been officially released. The party has also not published a comprehensive calendar for the proposed statewide rallies.

Sunetra Pawar summons legislators after NCP leaders meet Shah

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has called a meeting of Nationalist Congress Party legislators in Mumbai on Tuesday after senior colleagues held talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, exposing competing accounts of the party’s internal leadership arrangements.

The meeting, scheduled at her Devgiri residence, follows discussions in New Delhi involving prominent figures from the NCP organisation previously led by her late husband, Ajit Pawar. Party officials insist the delegation’s visit was authorised and deny suggestions of a leadership rebellion.

Among those who met Shah were Praful Patel, Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, and senior politicians Dilip Walse-Patil and Dhananjay Munde. Sunetra Pawar and her son, Rajya Sabha member Parth Pawar, did not attend.

The absence of the two prompted questions about divisions within the party, although its leadership maintains that the engagement was planned in advance. Accounts from people familiar with the discussions suggest that organisational decision-making, consultation with senior figures and relations with the ruling Mahayuti alliance were raised.

Tatkare rejected suggestions that the delegation represented a dissident group. He said the party remained united and that the meeting with Shah had been arranged beforehand. The NCP has also disputed claims that Sunetra Pawar and Parth were deliberately excluded.

National spokesperson Umesh Patil said Sunetra Pawar had herself requested time for senior colleagues to meet Shah during an earlier interaction with the home minister. He described suggestions of deliberate exclusion and internal confrontation as an attempt to create a misleading impression about the organisation.

Tuesday’s gathering is expected to bring together NCP legislators and senior office-bearers, providing an opportunity for Sunetra Pawar to address questions about coordination and organisational priorities. Attendance and statements emerging from the meeting could indicate the extent of agreement among the party’s elected representatives, although no formal leadership contest has been announced.

Senior figures held further consultations in Mumbai after returning from Delhi. The sequence of meetings has drawn attention to the distribution of authority within the party following Ajit Pawar’s death in January and Sunetra Pawar’s subsequent assumption of its leadership.

Another issue under discussion is the party’s position within the Maharashtra government headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Some NCP leaders have pressed for the return of the finance portfolio, which Ajit Pawar held before his death and which subsequently passed to the BJP.

Differences have also surfaced over appointments and representation in government. Questions surrounding Cabinet vacancies, the selection of organisational office-bearers and consultation with established leaders have added to concerns about how decisions are taken. No official party resolution confirming a challenge to Sunetra Pawar has been made public.

The possibility of bringing together the NCP and the separate organisation associated with Sharad Pawar has featured in political discussions. Some accounts of the Delhi engagement suggested that a merger and its implications for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance were considered, but the NCP has not announced any agreement.

Tatkare said discussions about a merger had ended, seeking to distinguish speculation about reunification from the party’s immediate organisational business. Leaders associated with the Sharad Pawar camp have likewise not announced a decision to join the governing alliance.

The competing accounts matter because the NCP is a constituent of the Mahayuti government alongside the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde. Its internal arrangements influence the coordination of ministers and legislators within the coalition, even as its leaders publicly emphasise unity.

Shah’s participation has added a national dimension to what party representatives describe as routine consultations between alliance partners. The home minister has not publicly announced any intervention in the NCP’s leadership structure or endorsed a particular faction within it.

For Sunetra Pawar, Tuesday’s meeting offers a forum to hear legislators directly and discuss the party’s next organisational steps. The party has indicated that strengthening its structure and improving coordination will form part of the agenda.

The dispute over consultation has also drawn attention to the roles of experienced party figures who supported Ajit Pawar when the organisation split in 2023. Their continued participation in government and party affairs remains important to maintaining coordination across constituencies and administrative responsibilities.

The gathering is scheduled for Tuesday evening in Mumbai, with legislators and senior organisational figures invited to attend. Details of any decisions taken are expected to emerge only after the discussions.

Sanjay Jha challenges BJP account of rally turnout

Author and political analyst Sanjay Jha has rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s criticism of the Opposition rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, arguing that the gathering demonstrated political unity and unsettled the ruling party.

Jha said the INDIA bloc’s mobilisation on Sunday reflected growing support for its campaign over electoral accountability. He maintained that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had placed the BJP on the defensive by sustaining scrutiny of voter lists and the Election Commission’s conduct.

His assessment followed a dispute over attendance at the November 1 demonstration, where Opposition leaders demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and challenged the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The BJP disputed the organisers’ expectations of a crowd numbering up to one million.

BJP parliamentarian Sambit Patra questioned the turnout at a press conference, citing footage which he said showed substantial empty space and unoccupied seating at the venue. He accused Opposition leaders of exaggerating participation and challenged their account of the rally’s success.

Patra said approximately 28,000 chairs had been arranged and claimed that between 5,000 and 7,000 remained vacant when footage was recorded during the afternoon. He also argued that the stage and other enclosures reduced the area available to spectators.

Those figures were Patra’s estimates, not an independently established count. No authoritative attendance figure has emerged, making it impossible to determine the precise size of the gathering or substantiate either side’s broader assertions about its political significance.

Jha countered that the BJP’s emphasis on crowd calculations overlooked the participation of Opposition parties and the issues raised by demonstrators. His contention that the government was unnerved represents a political interpretation rather than evidence of a change in the ruling party’s position.

The rally brought together prominent figures from several INDIA bloc parties, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav. Their appearance alongside Gandhi provided a visible demonstration of cooperation among parties with differing regional interests.

The Opposition’s central demand concerned the electoral roll revision, which its leaders allege has excluded eligible citizens and compromised confidence in elections. They have pressed for accountability from the Election Commission and questioned the handling of voter registrations and deletions.

The Election Commission has defended the revision process as a means of identifying duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible entries. It maintains that eligible voters have procedures available to challenge exclusions and seek restoration of their names. Allegations of deliberate electoral manipulation remain contested.

Gandhi used the demonstration to accuse the authorities of undermining voting rights and to call for Kumar’s removal. He presented the dispute as a question of democratic representation rather than merely an administrative disagreement over electoral records.

The BJP rejected that characterisation. Its leaders accused the Opposition of undermining public confidence in constitutional institutions and disputed Gandhi’s allegations about electoral legitimacy. Patra also challenged arguments linking Kumar personally to the 2024 parliamentary election, pointing out that he became chief election commissioner in 2025.

The competing positions have shifted attention towards both the credibility of the revision exercise and the ability of Opposition parties to coordinate protests. Jha’s comments focused on the latter, portraying the shared platform as politically more important than competing estimates of attendance.

The demonstration drew participants from several states, including people who described difficulties involving voter registration and electoral records. Such accounts formed part of the Opposition’s case for closer scrutiny, although individual complaints do not establish that irregularities were systematic or politically directed.

Organisers had projected attendance approaching one million before the event. Police preparations, however, were based on a considerably smaller anticipated gathering, with security arrangements extending beyond the main ground to nearby roads and access points.

Authorities deployed thousands of police personnel and used surveillance cameras and other monitoring measures to manage crowds. The venue was divided into designated areas, with arrangements for entrances, movement and security around the rally.

The turnout dispute also highlighted a distinction between the number of people inside the ground at a particular moment and the total passing through the surrounding streets during the demonstration. Neither measure was independently verified.

The protest was organised under the slogan “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao”, meaning save the vote, save the country. Participants also raised concerns extending beyond electoral administration, including living costs and public services.

Jairam Ramesh disputes BJP claims over Delhi rally

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Monday claimed that the BJP's attempt to discourage attendance at the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally in Delhi had failed, disputing warnings that the gathering would damage business across the capital.

Ramesh said the opposition alliance's demonstration at Ramlila Maidan had attracted visitors who could also support local traders. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of using fears about market closures to undermine the protest and divert attention from allegations concerning electoral rolls and the Election Commission.

His assertions, however, faced a direct challenge from the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), whose chairman, Brijesh Goyal, estimated that traders had lost between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 11,000 crore because of disruption associated with Sunday's rally. Those figures remain estimates rather than independently established losses.

Goyal claimed that approximately 250,000 shops had remained closed across 20 to 25 markets around the venue. He said the affected commercial areas contained roughly 300,000 shops, and attributed closures partly to apprehension about crowds, traffic restrictions and the movement of vehicles.

The sharply different accounts have turned the commercial impact of the opposition demonstration into another political dispute. Ramesh pointed to accounts of shops remaining open and markets conducting business, while the traders' organisation described widespread closures and interrupted deliveries during the important shopping period preceding Diwali.

Writing on X in Hindi, Ramesh accused the BJP of spreading a misleading narrative that businesses would suffer and markets would have to close. He argued that people travelling to Delhi from elsewhere would also purchase goods, benefiting shopkeepers either directly or indirectly.

He alleged that the campaign was designed to keep people away from Ramlila Maidan and shift attention from the opposition's allegations of electoral malpractice. Ramesh also linked the criticism of the rally to the alliance's demand for accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The BJP has rejected the opposition's broader allegations about the electoral process and criticised the demonstration. Party leaders questioned its attendance and accused Congress and its allies of disregarding the concerns of small businesses during the festive shopping season.

Before the rally, the BJP had publicly criticised Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc for proceeding despite warnings about possible commercial losses. Its argument echoed concerns expressed by traders' associations, although those organisations maintained that their objections concerned business disruption rather than support for a political party.

The rally formed part of the opposition alliance's campaign against alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. Congress leaders and their allies have questioned the Election Commission's handling of the exercise and called for greater scrutiny of the electoral process. The allegations remain contested.

The Chamber of Trade and Industry had appealed to Congress leaders to postpone the gathering until after Diwali, citing the proximity of major wholesale and retail markets to Ramlila Maidan. It warned that restrictions on movement could prevent shoppers, suppliers and delivery vehicles from reaching commercial districts.

Other traders' associations also approached opposition leaders before Sunday, seeking a change of date. Their concerns covered markets including Sadar Bazaar, Khari Baoli and Chandni Chowk, where wholesale transactions and seasonal retail demand make transport access particularly important.

Goyal subsequently claimed that hundreds of thousands of customers and business visitors had stayed away from Delhi's markets. He also said thousands of goods vehicles could not operate normally, disrupting loading and unloading activities. The scale of those disruptions has not been independently confirmed.

Traders in Connaught Place separately described weak customer demand around the time of the protest, citing occupied parking spaces and concerns about congestion. Their accounts complicate Ramesh's assertion that warnings of damage to trade had been disproved, without establishing the citywide financial impact claimed by the CTI.

The opposition's gathering also prompted a separate dispute over crowd numbers. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra challenged the organisers' claims about attendance and described parts of the venue as empty. The competing political assessments did not provide an independently verified count of participants.

The CTI had previously suggested shifting the rally to another venue if postponement proved impossible, arguing that a location farther from the busiest trading areas would reduce disruption. Its appeals were addressed to Congress leaders ahead of the November 1 event. Suggested alternatives included Burari Ground and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which the organisation considered less disruptive to central Delhi's commercial activity.

Congress targets Modi over commercial cooking gas increase

Congress attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday over another increase in commercial cooking gas prices, calling him “Mehengai Man” and accusing his government of pursuing an agenda to “loot the public”.

The opposition party's criticism followed a revision by state-owned oil marketing companies that raised the price of a 19-kg liquefied petroleum gas cylinder by Rs 10 to Rs 2,820 in Delhi from November 1. The increase adds to the operating expenses of restaurants, hotels, caterers and other businesses dependent on commercial cooking fuel.

Congress used its official social media account to challenge the government's record on prices, claiming that a commercial cylinder costing Rs 1,684 at the beginning of the year now costs Rs 2,971. It said the difference amounted to Rs 1,287 over 10 months and alleged that Modi's sole agenda was to extract money from the public.

The Rs 2,971 figure corresponds to the revised commercial cylinder price in Kolkata, rather than Delhi, where the current rate is Rs 2,820. Prices differ between cities because of local taxes and other pricing factors. The party's comparison therefore needs to be understood in the context of the location and period covered by its figures.

The party's description of Modi as “Mehengai Man”, or inflation man, formed part of its political attack on the government over living costs. Its allegation that the administration intended to loot consumers was a partisan accusation, not an established finding about the purpose of the pricing decision.

The latest revision is the third consecutive monthly rise in commercial LPG prices. A 19-kg cylinder became Rs 9.50 dearer in September and Rs 62.50 dearer in October, before the additional Rs 10 increase took effect on Sunday. Together, those changes amount to an increase of Rs 82 per cylinder over three monthly revisions in Delhi.

The higher charges arrive after sharp movements in commercial LPG rates earlier this year. Prices rose steeply between February and June, before oil marketing companies reduced rates in July and August. Those reductions were subsequently followed by the September, October and November increases.

Domestic cooking gas prices, however, were not changed in the November revision. A standard 14.2-kg household cylinder continues to cost Rs 942 in Delhi. That distinction matters because the immediate price increase applies to commercial customers, rather than directly increasing the regulated retail price paid by households for domestic cylinders.

Nevertheless, commercial LPG is a significant input for food-service establishments, particularly smaller restaurants, roadside eateries and catering operators. Businesses purchasing multiple cylinders can face cumulative increases in their fuel bills, although the extent to which they pass those costs on to customers depends on their consumption, margins and pricing decisions.

The November adjustment also coincided with a rise in aviation turbine fuel prices. State-owned retailers increased the jet fuel rate by approximately Rs 1.37 a litre to Rs 138.50, extending a series of monthly increases that have added to airline operating costs. Petrol and diesel retail prices were left unchanged in the same round of revisions.

Commercial LPG and aviation fuel rates are ordinarily reviewed at the beginning of each month, with international benchmark prices and currency movements influencing the calculations. Global energy supply disruptions and higher transport costs have contributed to volatility in fuel markets, although those factors do not independently establish the political motives alleged by Congress.

The commercial cylinder now costs about Rs 2,775 in Mumbai and Rs 2,994.50 in Chennai, compared with Rs 2,820 in Delhi. Kolkata's revised rate is Rs 2,971. The differences underline why a single national price cannot be used to describe the amount paid by every commercial LPG customer.

The dispute comes as opposition parties seek to connect changes in administered and market-linked prices with the wider cost of running households and small businesses. Yet the commercial cylinder revision is set through the oil retailers’ pricing process, and the available figures do not show that the November increase was accompanied by a change in household LPG charges. The distinction also limits any immediate calculation of its direct effect on family fuel expenditure nationwide.

The oil companies' revised schedule also lists a five-kilogram free-trade LPG cylinder refill at Rs 782, with a new connection priced at Rs 1,903. These smaller cylinders are sold under a separate market-linked category and were included alongside the principal commercial and aviation fuel adjustments.

Trump pledges vetoes if Democrats capture Congress

President Donald Trump has pledged to veto legislation advanced by Democrats if they capture both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, while leaving open the possibility of negotiating agreements after an initial political standoff.

Trump outlined his approach in an interview with Miranda Devine for the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast, excerpts of which aired on Fox News on Sunday. The remarks offered his clearest description of how he intends to respond if Republicans lose control of the House of Representatives and Senate.

“I guess I’ll become Mr. Veto,” Trump said, adding: “I’m not going to let them ruin it.” He suggested that repeatedly rejecting Democratic legislation would eventually encourage opposition lawmakers to seek compromises with the White House.

“They’ll be sending stuff up, you veto it,” he said. “Eventually, after a month or two of getting all vetoed — you know, it’s just waste — they come over and make a deal.”

The president also acknowledged that negotiations could produce legislation acceptable to both parties. He said agreements would probably emerge at some stage, although he expressed hope that Republicans would retain their congressional majorities and make such an arrangement unnecessary.

His comments came as voters prepared to decide control of Congress for the remaining two years of his second presidential term. Democrats are competing to regain the House, where Republicans hold a narrow majority, while the Senate contest remains more uncertain.

A Democratic takeover of both chambers would alter Washington's political balance. Opposition lawmakers would control legislative schedules and congressional committees, giving them authority to investigate the administration, examine federal spending and challenge its policy decisions.

The Senate would also gain the ability to delay or reject presidential nominees, including candidates for federal judgeships and senior administration positions. Such powers could constrain Trump's appointments even when his administration continued operating through executive decisions.

Nevertheless, Democratic control would not automatically translate into the enactment of the party's legislative programme. The Constitution allows presidents to reject bills approved by Congress, requiring a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override a veto.

Neither party is expected to command the overwhelming congressional numbers needed to routinely overcome presidential objections. Consequently, legislation opposed by Trump could fail despite securing ordinary majorities in the House and Senate.

Senate procedures create another obstacle. Most contested legislation requires sufficient support to overcome a filibuster, generally meaning 60 votes. That threshold could force Democratic leaders to seek Republican backing even before legislation reaches the president.

Trump's stated strategy therefore points towards confrontations over domestic policy, spending and oversight, alongside negotiations on measures that require cooperation between Congress and the executive branch.

Government funding and the federal debt ceiling are areas where prolonged disagreements could have practical consequences. Congress controls federal appropriations, while the president must sign spending legislation or allow a shutdown when existing funding expires.

The administration is preparing for the possibility of divided government by examining actions it could pursue under executive authority. Officials have considered options involving tariffs, immigration restrictions, federal grants and regulatory policy, although any measures would remain subject to statutory limits and judicial review.

Executive action would not eliminate congressional influence. Democratic committee chairs could issue subpoenas, hold hearings and scrutinise decisions taken by federal departments. Control of both chambers would additionally give opposition leaders greater leverage during negotiations over spending priorities.

Trump had already signalled a similar approach when questioned about potential Republican losses during the campaign. He argued that presidential veto powers would provide a means of resisting legislation he opposed while creating pressure for eventual deals.

The president's position reflects the distinction between blocking legislation and securing agreement on new measures. Although a veto can prevent a bill becoming law, it cannot independently deliver funding authorisations or policy changes requiring congressional approval.

The elections also determine which party controls the congressional committees responsible for drafting tax, defence and healthcare legislation. Committee leadership determines hearing schedules and can influence which proposals receive votes. The midterm elections take place on November 3, with every House seat and a portion of the Senate being contested. The new Congress is scheduled to convene in January 2027, leaving a transitional period during which the outgoing chambers retain their existing powers. Republicans could use that interval to advance outstanding nominations or legislation before any change in the balance of power.

BJP alleges Rahul sidelined Priyanka at opposition rallies

The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused Rahul Gandhi of deliberately sidelining his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, alleging that an internal power struggle has divided the Congress into rival camps.

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra made the allegations on Sunday, November 1, claiming that Priyanka was denied opportunities to address two INDIA bloc gatherings in New Delhi because Rahul feared being overshadowed by her growing political prominence.

Patra, in a video posted on Instagram, questioned why Priyanka had not spoken at Saturday's mock Parliament or Sunday's opposition rally at Ramlila Maidan. He suggested that the Congress leadership was restricting her public role to protect Rahul's position.

The accusations have not been substantiated by evidence establishing that Rahul prevented his sister from speaking. Priyanka's absence from the speakers' lists does not independently demonstrate an internal dispute or deliberate exclusion.

Patra claimed that Priyanka appeared unhappy at both gatherings and suggested that differences between the siblings were becoming apparent during opposition activities.

"Could it be that Rahul Gandhi fears that if Priyanka Vadra is projected as a leader, he might be sidelined?" Patra asked in his video message.

The BJP spokesperson also invoked the opposition's campaign against alleged electoral manipulation, suggesting that Priyanka's "vote has also been stolen" within the Gandhi family itself.

The remarks followed two consecutive days of demonstrations organised by the INDIA bloc against alleged electoral irregularities and the Election Commission's handling of voter registration.

Saturday's symbolic parliamentary proceedings included a purported public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Opposition leaders accused the election authority of acting under the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and undermining voting rights.

The allegations against the Election Commission remain contested. The opposition's symbolic impeachment exercise carried no constitutional authority to remove the chief election commissioner.

Sunday's Ramlila Maidan gathering brought together opposition leaders protesting alleged electoral malpractice and the revision of electoral rolls. Rahul addressed the rally alongside representatives of parties participating in the alliance.

Patra maintained that several political figures, including individuals who were not members of Parliament, had addressed Saturday's gathering while Priyanka was not offered a speaking opportunity.

"Priyanka Vadra was not given an opportunity to speak by Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party," he alleged while discussing the mock parliamentary proceedings.

He claimed that the situation was repeated at Ramlila Maidan, where several opposition representatives addressed supporters but Priyanka did not deliver a speech.

Another BJP spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, reinforced the accusations, questioning whether separate Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi factions had emerged within the Congress.

Bhandari alleged that Rahul was attempting to suppress his sister's political advancement and questioned the arrangements made for her participation in the opposition programmes.

He pointed to Priyanka's seating position during the mock Parliament, claiming that she had been placed in the second row despite her standing within the Congress leadership.

The seating arrangement, however, does not establish that a factional struggle exists. Neither BJP spokesperson presented documentary evidence of instructions preventing Priyanka from addressing the gatherings.

The Congress had not issued a substantiated response to the specific accusations in the accounts available following Sunday's statements. There was likewise no verified public statement from Priyanka confirming that she had sought permission to speak and been refused.

Rahul serves as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, while Priyanka represents Wayanad in Parliament. Both have participated in the Congress campaign questioning electoral procedures and the functioning of the Election Commission.

The BJP's intervention also formed part of a broader exchange between the governing party and the opposition over Sunday's demonstration.

Patra separately challenged claims about the rally's attendance, accusing Congress leaders of exaggerating the number of participants. He cited images of the venue and disputed projections that the gathering would attract one million people.

Those attendance claims were contested, and no independently verified crowd estimate established the figures advanced by either side.

The confrontation had intensified before the rally when Rahul alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was attempting to prevent opposition supporters from travelling to Delhi.

Patra rejected that accusation on Friday and demanded evidence identifying people who had been stopped from reaching the capital.

He also questioned the opposition's organisational arrangements after its symbolic parliamentary exercise was shifted from Friday to Saturday, attributing the change to inadequate preparations, an explanation offered by the BJP rather than independently established fact.

National Conference legislators demand overhaul of Abdullah cabinet

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah faces mounting pressure from National Conference legislators demanding changes to his cabinet, with claims that 25 members have set a 14-day deadline for the leadership to respond.

The reported ultimatum includes a threat to withdraw support from the government, but the number of legislators endorsing that warning and the deadline itself have not been independently established. A memorandum submitted by 18 party legislators provides firmer evidence of organised dissent following Tuesday's cabinet expansion.

The memorandum calls for another restructuring of the council of ministers, removal of political adviser Nasir Aslam Wani and stronger action on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood and constitutional safeguards. Its signatories also want the government to implement the National Conference's election commitments within a defined timetable.

The disagreement has exposed divisions over ministerial appointments, consultation with elected representatives and the administration's political priorities. However, the party leadership has rejected suggestions of an outright rebellion, maintaining that differences can be addressed through internal discussions.

National Conference Kashmir provincial president Showkat Ahmad Mir described Friday's gathering of legislators as an informal meeting rather than an attempt to destabilise the government. He acknowledged disappointment among members excluded from ministerial positions and said the limited number of available cabinet places had constrained Abdullah's choices.

The legislators met at the Srinagar residence of Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, the party's representative from Lolab. Accounts of attendance differ, with 18 legislators identified as participants in the memorandum and other accounts suggesting additional members joined discussions remotely or supported their demands.

That distinction matters because expressions of dissatisfaction do not automatically amount to a decision to withdraw legislative support. No formal withdrawal by the group has been established, and its members have also presented their demands as an attempt to improve the party's functioning rather than replace its leadership.

The memorandum seeks wider consultation within the legislature party on cabinet appointments and greater accountability in government. It also calls for improved communication between the Chief Minister, elected representatives and the organisation, reflecting complaints that decisions have been concentrated among a small circle of advisers.

Among the specific objections is the continued allocation of the Roads and Buildings portfolio to Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary. The legislators want decisions discussed at an earlier party meeting in Dachigam implemented, including concerns about the performance of senior ministers.

Abdullah inducted Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamima Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani into the council of ministers on October 27. The expansion followed dissatisfaction over representation, but it also prompted complaints from legislators who believed their constituencies and political contributions had been overlooked.

The reshuffle removed Satish Sharma from the ministry and reduced responsibilities assigned to Javid Rana, while Choudhary retained Roads and Buildings alongside Industries and Commerce. Those decisions have become central to the internal dispute, with dissenters seeking a broader redistribution of responsibilities.

Political demands extend beyond ministerial posts. The legislators want the National Conference to pursue restoration of statehood and Article 370 more forcefully with the central government, arguing that these issues formed an essential part of the party's electoral mandate.

The constitutional question has particular significance because Jammu and Kashmir remains a Union Territory, limiting the elected government's authority in important areas. Decisions on restoring statehood and the former constitutional arrangements ultimately involve institutions beyond the territorial administration.

Pressure on the leadership has also increased following Srinagar parliamentarian Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi's announcement that he intends to resign from the National Conference and his Lok Sabha seat on November 3. He has criticised what he considers insufficient commitment to the party's position on constitutional protections.

The National Conference holds 41 seats in the 90-member Assembly and governs with support from other legislators. Any substantial loss of backing could create a serious legislative challenge, although the government's position cannot be assessed simply by treating every dissatisfied MLA as a confirmed defector.

The party's numerical strength makes the distinction between internal dissent and formal withdrawal particularly important. A change in legislative allegiance would require identifiable action by individual members, while any dispute over party membership or disqualification could raise separate constitutional questions.

The dissenting legislators have additionally proposed a consultative group to brief Abdullah on administrative and political matters, alongside organisational measures to improve communication. Their memorandum was addressed to party president Farooq Abdullah and the Chief Minister.

Supreme Court permits tax reassessment of Sabharwal brothers

The Supreme Court has authorised the income-tax department to resume reassessment proceedings against the two sons of former Chief Justice YK Sabharwal, ending a seven-year judicial suspension of scrutiny into share sales linked to a Delhi property purchase.

A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran dismissed four appeals by businessmen Chetan and Nitin Sabharwal in a judgment delivered on October 28. It upheld notices issued on March 31, 2015, concerning assessment years 2008-09 and 2009-10.

The ruling allows tax officials to examine whether income escaped assessment through transactions involving shares in two companies, and whether proceeds subsequently invested in a residential property on Sikandra Road qualified for the capital gains exemption claimed by the brothers.

The judges did not determine that tax evasion had occurred or that the share sales were fictitious. Their decision addresses the legality of reopening assessments, leaving the disputed transactions and any resulting tax liability to be examined through the statutory process.

The dispute arose from agreements signed in October 2007 under which the brothers and two other shareholders agreed to sell holdings in Pawan Impex Private Limited and SVIIT Software Private Limited to GYS Real Estate Private Limited. The agreed consideration was Rs 195 crore for the first company and Rs 60 crore for the second.

Each of the four sellers was entitled to one-quarter of the consideration. Investigators subsequently questioned whether the prices reflected the value of the companies' underlying land and buildings, suggesting that the shares had been substantially overvalued.

The investigation also established that the brothers acquired an undivided half share in a residential property on Sikandra Road through a court auction in April 2010. The purchase price was Rs 61 crore, and the department linked much of the funding to the earlier share transactions.

The brothers sought exemption under Section 54F of the Income Tax Act, which provides relief on qualifying capital gains invested in residential property, subject to statutory conditions. The department considered the claimed exemption relevant to its examination of the source and treatment of the money.

Justice Pardiwala, writing for the bench, held that an investigation report prepared after the original assessment supplied tangible material supporting the assessing officer's belief that taxable income might have escaped assessment.

The judgment distinguished a legally sufficient reason to reopen a case from proof that an assessment was incorrect. At the notice stage, officials must demonstrate a rational connection between fresh information and suspected escaped income, rather than conclusively establish the department's allegations.

The brothers argued that their share transactions had been disclosed and the relevant capital gains offered for taxation. They maintained that the department was attempting to revisit matters already considered, amounting to an impermissible change of opinion.

They also disputed the proposition that an allegedly inflated sale price necessarily meant taxable income had escaped assessment in the sellers' hands, particularly when the department had not established that the underlying sales were fabricated.

The court rejected those objections as grounds for invalidating the notices. It found that the department's concerns extended beyond valuation alone, encompassing the timing of agreements, subsequent payments and the use of proceeds to acquire property while claiming tax relief.

The judges separately examined how the original returns had been handled. Chetan's assessment had undergone scrutiny under Section 143(3), whereas Nitin's returns had been processed through intimations under Section 143(1), without a comparable assessment or determination of disputed issues.

For Nitin, the bench found that no earlier opinion had been formed that could subsequently be changed. Regarding Chetan, it held that the original assessment orders did not demonstrate conscious consideration of the particular valuation concerns and property investment identified by investigators.

The court therefore concluded that reopening the assessments was not equivalent to reviewing an earlier decision without new grounds. It upheld the Delhi High Court's August 2019 judgment, which had rejected the brothers' challenge to the department's notices.

The Supreme Court had stayed the reassessment proceedings in August and September 2019 while the appeals remained pending. Those restraints no longer prevent the department from pursuing its examination of the two assessment years.

The investigation underpinning the notices was conducted by the Noida investigation unit under the Directorate General of Income Tax Investigation, Lucknow. Its findings followed the original assessment completed in Chetan's case in December 2010, when his declared income was accepted.

Mumbai police detain suspect over Sakinaka arson attacks

Mumbai police have arrested a 35-year-old man accused of setting a cow on fire and damaging 15 parked two-wheelers and several shops in Sakinaka following a dispute with a neighbour.

The suspect, identified as Akash Yadav, was arrested on Wednesday after officers examined CCTV recordings from Yadav Nagar, near Khairani Road. Police said the footage showed him carrying a bottle containing petrol between 5 am and 6 am, around the time the fires broke out.

The cow suffered burns to its mouth, while motorcycles, scooters, electricity meters and parts of commercial premises were damaged in Chaudhari Estate Compound. Firefighters extinguished the flames after residents attempted to contain them and alerted emergency services.

Sakinaka police have registered a case under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and are investigating the suspected arson and damage to property. Senior police inspector Avinash Mandle confirmed the arrest and said inquiries were continuing.

Investigators believe the attacks may have followed an argument between Akash and local resident Vijay Yadav, who owns the injured cow. Vijay told police that the suspect had knocked over several parked motorcycles two days before the fires and allegedly threatened and abused him when challenged.

Vijay suspects that the confrontation prompted the attack on his animal and vehicles parked near his cattle shed. Police have not established the alleged retaliatory motive as a confirmed finding, and the precise sequence of the fires remains under investigation.

The incident was discovered at approximately 5.30 am when Vijay and his younger brother, who were asleep in a room near their cattle shed, heard the animals making distressed noises. They went outside and found flames around the mouth of one cow.

Vijay's brother immediately put out the flames, but the animal had already sustained burn injuries. It was one of eight cows housed in the shed. The available police account does not specify the severity of its injuries or details of veterinary treatment.

The brothers subsequently noticed fires affecting vehicles and other property in the nearby compound. Members of the family tried to tackle the flames before contacting the fire brigade and police. Firefighters arrived and brought the situation under control.

Police said around 15 two-wheelers were affected, together with electricity meters and portions of three or four commercial shops. Some accounts describe three shops, while others put the number of affected establishments at four. A final assessment of the damage has not been disclosed.

Investigators examined surveillance cameras in the locality and identified Akash from footage recorded during the early morning. Police allege that he poured petrol onto the cow's mouth and ignited it before starting fires involving parked vehicles and nearby electrical and commercial installations.

The recordings were central to identifying the suspect, who was apprehended within hours of the incident. Police have not publicly detailed whether a petrol container or other material was recovered during the investigation, or whether forensic examination has been completed.

Officers also alleged that Akash was under the influence of alcohol when the fires occurred. That assessment forms part of the police account; no publicly disclosed medical test results were available to establish his condition independently.

Police described Akash as unemployed and said he had previously been implicated in cases involving disturbances in the neighbourhood. The nature and outcomes of those earlier cases have not been specified, and those allegations do not establish responsibility for the present incident.

The allegations concerning the animal and property are being examined as part of the same investigation. Authorities have not announced a monetary estimate for the damage or identified any additional suspects. No further injuries to people have been specified in the available account of the incident.

The complaint centres on both the alleged treatment of the cow and the destruction of property across the surrounding area. Police are examining whether the separate locations were targeted during a single episode. The timing recorded by surveillance cameras overlaps with the period when the family heard the cattle in distress. Investigators have yet to disclose a detailed reconstruction showing when each vehicle or shop caught fire.

The affected properties are situated in Chaudhari Estate Compound in Yadav Nagar, a locality along Khairani Road in Sakinaka. The cow was kept in a shed close to the room where its owner and his younger brother were sleeping when the disturbance began.

Dipke rules out CJP participation in Opposition rally

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has ruled out joining Sunday's INDIA bloc rally in Delhi despite expressing support for its campaign against alleged electoral irregularities, following a meeting with Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.

Dipke met Banerjee on Saturday, amid growing questions about the youth movement's relationship with Opposition parties and whether its expanding public profile could eventually lead to electoral politics. He insisted that the CJP would preserve its independent identity rather than formally participate in the demonstration at Ramlila Maidan.

“We support the protest tomorrow, we stand in solidarity, but the Cockroach Janta Party is an independent organisation; it is a neutral platform, and we want to keep it that way,” Dipke told reporters after the meeting.

His clarification drew a distinction between supporting a political cause and joining a party-led mobilisation. The INDIA bloc's Sunday rally is intended to challenge the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and allegations of voter exclusion. Those allegations remain contested and do not themselves establish wrongdoing.

Dipke said his organisation would back groups campaigning against what Opposition parties describe as vote theft, regardless of their political affiliation. His position leaves room for cooperation on particular demands without committing the CJP to an electoral alliance or an Opposition platform.

Banerjee welcomed the activists' support and praised their role in protests questioning the electoral roll revision exercise. She said the Trinamool Congress had supported their activities and acknowledged the difficulties faced by campaign organisers. She also invited Dipke and other CJP members to organise programmes in West Bengal.

Asked whether the activists would hold an event in Kolkata, Banerjee left the decision to them. No date or programme was announced during the exchange, and the invitation did not amount to an agreement on a joint political campaign.

Dipke explained that his meeting with Banerjee was primarily intended to thank her for backing the CJP's earlier agitation over the NEET examination controversy at Jantar Mantar. He also acknowledged her support when fellow organisers Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested by Delhi Police.

The encounter followed preparations for a Diwali gathering in Delhi organised by CJP co-convenor Saurav Das. Invitations were extended to Opposition figures including Trinamool Congress parliamentarian Derek O'Brien and Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh was also among those expected to attend.

Dipke and Ranka were expected at the gathering, but invitations and anticipated attendance should not be mistaken for confirmation of participation or evidence of negotiations over a political alliance. A social occasion involving activists and elected representatives does not, by itself, establish a common electoral strategy.

Questions about the CJP's future have persisted since its student-led demonstrations brought Dipke national attention. The movement, whose name is deliberately satirical, emerged around demands for accountability over examination irregularities and subsequently widened its agenda to unemployment, education and public institutions.

At an organisational meeting in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in August, Dipke said the CJP intended to function as a pressure group rather than establish a political party. He outlined plans for nationwide public engagement, including discussions with young people about their priorities and concerns.

He also identified recruitment examinations, the circumstances of gig workers and ethanol-blended petrol as subjects for future campaigns. These priorities indicated an attempt to move beyond the examination dispute while maintaining a public advocacy role.

Dipke has previously acknowledged working with the Aam Aadmi Party but denied that the CJP operates under its direction. He has described the movement as independent of established political organisations, notwithstanding support it has received from Opposition leaders during demonstrations.

The distinction has become more significant as the organisation has engaged with electoral issues. Support for protests against the voter roll revision has brought the CJP closer to positions taken by several Opposition parties, while its founder continues to reject formal participation in their programmes.

The proposed demonstrations concern the electoral roll revision, an issue on which Opposition parties have demanded greater scrutiny of the Election Commission’s procedures and decisions affecting voters nationwide.

On October 20, Dipke asked supporters to spend the festive period with their families and announced that the organisation would not stage further protests before Diwali. Separately, CJP organisers have considered venues in Delhi, including Ramlila Maidan, for another phase of demonstrations after the festival.

Omar Abdullah confirms marriage to journalist Nidhi Razdan

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has married journalist Nidhi Razdan, confirming the development through photographs and a brief social media message that attracted widespread attention on Saturday.

Abdullah, 56, posted four photographs of the couple on X on October 31, writing, “A new journey began yesterday,” and tagging Razdan. The message referred to their marriage on Friday, October 30, ending speculation prompted by the photographs and their understated captions.

Razdan, 49, separately shared pictures on her account with the words, “It’s done bro,” tagging Abdullah. The two announcements circulated online, drawing congratulations and discussion about the marriage of a serving chief minister and a former television news anchor. The public response included messages from political figures as well as followers familiar with Razdan’s journalism career.

The marriage was solemnised under the Special Marriage Act in New Delhi, with members of both families serving as witnesses. Wedding functions were held in Srinagar and the national capital, attended by close relatives rather than a large public gathering. The arrangements kept the ceremony itself separate from the wider attention that followed once the couple published their photographs.

Among those present were Abdullah’s parents, National Conference president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah and Mollie Abdullah, as well as his three sisters. Razdan’s parents, veteran journalist M K Razdan and Sarla Razdan, also attended the celebrations.

The couple did not initially accompany their photographs with an extended announcement detailing the ceremony. Abdullah’s reference to a new journey and Razdan’s informal response nevertheless made the occasion clear, while the images offered a public glimpse of a marriage conducted within a family setting. Neither caption offered a personal statement, and the couple relied on photographs to convey the news.

The development follows the dissolution of Abdullah’s previous marriage to Payal Abdullah by the Supreme Court in July. On July 31, the court was informed that the estranged couple had reached a settlement and agreed to end their marriage by mutual consent.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Abdullah, informed the court that the parties had resolved their differences and agreed to withdraw pending proceedings against each other. The settlement brought an end to a prolonged matrimonial dispute that had passed through lower courts and the Delhi High Court.

Abdullah and Payal married in 1994 and have two sons, Zahir and Zamir. They had lived separately for years before their divorce was finalised. The earlier proceedings had involved Abdullah’s unsuccessful attempt to obtain a divorce on grounds contested by his estranged wife.

This is the second marriage for both Abdullah and Razdan. Their announcement was therefore a personal development rather than a government decision, although Abdullah’s position and Razdan’s established public profile ensured that the photographs attracted attention well beyond their immediate circles.

Abdullah heads the elected government of Jammu and Kashmir and leads the National Conference, the party associated with his father Farooq Abdullah. His public communications ordinarily address political developments, administrative decisions and matters affecting the Union Territory, making Saturday’s personal message a departure from his usual announcements.

Razdan built her reputation as a television journalist and news presenter during a long association with NDTV. She served as an executive editor and anchored programmes covering politics, public affairs and national developments before leaving the broadcaster. Her work made her familiar to television audiences, particularly through political interviews and discussions involving competing viewpoints.

The wedding photographs showed the couple together in ceremonial attire. Their publication on their respective accounts provided direct confirmation of the marriage, rather than leaving followers dependent on interpretations of a cryptic message or unverified online claims.

The timing of the posts was also significant: Abdullah used the word “yesterday” on Saturday, identifying Friday as the beginning of the new chapter. That sequence corresponded with the date of the ceremony and clarified the meaning of his otherwise brief message.

The wedding functions brought together relatives from Srinagar and New Delhi. The participation of family members as witnesses reflected the private arrangements surrounding the formalisation of the marriage, while the subsequent social media posts made the occasion public.

Razdan had previously been married to journalist and writer Neelesh Misra. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2007. Her father, M K Razdan, is also a journalist, giving the family longstanding connections with the profession in which she established her career.

Rahul Gandhi asks Delhi rallygoers to patronise local traders

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged supporters attending Sunday's INDIA bloc rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to shop at local markets, responding to traders' fears that the demonstration could disrupt crucial festive sales.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha made the appeal in a video posted on X on Saturday, asking visitors arriving from across the country to combine their participation in the protest with purchases from small shops.

"Along with protesting, marching and attending the rally tomorrow, do a little shopping too," Gandhi said. He argued that the influx of participants could provide additional customers for traders preparing for Diwali, Chhath and Bhai Dooj.

"I know that our rally will not hurt the traders. The BJP is spreading rumours because it is scared," he said, accusing the governing party of exaggerating the commercial risks. The allegation was his own; traders' associations have separately raised specific concerns about access to markets and potential losses.

Gandhi said lakhs of people were expected to travel to the capital and urged them to make purchases from neighbourhood businesses. His message sought to reconcile the opposition alliance's political mobilisation with the interests of merchants dependent on festival shopping.

The intervention followed requests from business organisations to postpone or relocate the November 1 gathering. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) warned that crowds, traffic restrictions and security arrangements could impede customers and deliveries across central Delhi during an important trading period.

CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal sought a meeting with Gandhi to explain the concerns of representatives from around 20 markets. The organisation had urged the Congress leadership to defer the rally until after Diwali rather than risk interrupting trade when retailers were preparing for heavy customer demand.

Among the commercial areas identified were Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Palace, Chawri Bazar, Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh, Ajmeri Gate and Daryaganj. Traders feared that congestion around the rally venue could extend beyond its immediate surroundings and deter shoppers from visiting wholesale and retail districts.

Business representatives also questioned whether restrictions on vehicle movements would affect the transportation of merchandise. Their objections concerned not only possible closures but also uncertainty over how easily customers, employees and suppliers could reach shops during the demonstration.

The scale of the potential disruption remains contested. Estimates circulated by traders' organisations about expected attendance, affected establishments and possible financial losses are projections, not verified measurements of business forgone. Equally, Gandhi's expectation of increased purchases does not establish that additional spending will offset any disruption.

Delhi Police granted conditional permission for the rally, with organisers instructed to use designated parking areas. Traffic authorities warned of possible diversions between 10 am and 5 pm, requiring motorists to anticipate restrictions around central Delhi as political supporters assembled. The restrictions were particularly sensitive for businesses relying on weekend footfall, when customers often make multiple stops across adjoining markets before the major festivals.

The INDIA bloc called the demonstration to challenge alleged electoral irregularities, including concerns surrounding electoral rolls. Opposition leaders have also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Those allegations remain political claims and do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing by election authorities.

The programme included a march towards Ramlila Maidan, with political parties, student groups and civil society representatives expected to participate. Organisers had prepared the venue for a large gathering, while the authorities faced the task of managing protest movements alongside ordinary commercial traffic.

Gandhi's video message focused on the practical choices facing those travelling to Delhi. Rather than asking participants to avoid commercial districts, he encouraged them to spend money locally while attending the political programme. He presented shopping and protesting as compatible activities during the festive period.

For traders, however, the distinction between visitors entering the city and customers reaching individual markets remains significant. Crowds attending a political event may not necessarily follow established shopping routes, particularly when road diversions, parking limitations and security checks complicate movement.

The traders' requests had been addressed to senior Congress figures, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, as associations sought assurances before the demonstration. Their stated priority was preserving access to busy marketplaces rather than taking a position on the opposition's electoral demands.

Gandhi closed his message with Diwali greetings, reiterating his request that rally participants buy goods from small shops while visiting the capital.

Shah proposes special Parliament debate on electoral rolls

Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenged Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav on Friday to debate allegations of electoral malpractice during a special parliamentary session, as opposition parties prepared a symbolic proceeding against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Addressing the Bharatiya Janata Party's Uttar Pradesh state executive meeting in Lucknow, Shah said the government was prepared to confront questions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and accusations of vote theft.

"I challenge both Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav right here and now. The BJP is fully prepared to discuss this in Parliament. We have nothing to hide. Let us convene a special session," Shah said.

He accused the opposition of avoiding parliamentary scrutiny while organising demonstrations against the Election Commission. Shah maintained that its leaders preferred disrupting proceedings to discussing their allegations on the floor of the House.

His intervention came as the opposition INDIA alliance rescheduled its planned "public impeachment" of Kumar from Friday to Saturday because of persistent rain in New Delhi. The event, planned at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence, is a political protest rather than a constitutionally recognised removal proceeding.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh announced that the programme would take place at 2.30 pm on Saturday. Rahul Gandhi said opposition leaders had agreed to the postponement because holding the gathering outdoors in wet conditions would inconvenience senior participants.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is expected to preside over the symbolic sitting, with Kharge scheduled to introduce a motion against the election chief. Gandhi is expected to speak before participants vote on the motion, while representatives of participating opposition parties are also due to address the gathering.

The opposition accuses the Election Commission of allowing legitimate voters to be excluded through the SIR and has demanded Kumar's resignation. The commission maintains that electoral roll revision is intended to identify ineligible, duplicate, deceased or relocated voters and ensure accurate lists. The competing claims remain politically contested. Opposition leaders want the electoral rolls restored to their earlier form and the revision suspended, arguing that voters should not lose their franchise through administrative errors. The commission has not accepted those demands.

The alliance has also scheduled a demonstration at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, November 1, to oppose the revision exercise and alleged electoral irregularities. Gandhi has invited political parties, civil society organisations and members of the public to participate.

Gandhi has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah and the Election Commission leadership of undermining democratic institutions. Those accusations are disputed by the ruling BJP, which argues that opposition parties are questioning election administration because they have failed to secure electoral victories.

Shah used Friday's meeting to make that argument, citing BJP and allied successes in several states. He compared the opposition's response to a losing team blaming an umpire instead of examining its own performance.

The Home Minister also criticised Gandhi's approach to parliamentary debate, alleging that the Congress leader would campaign on the streets rather than defend his charges before lawmakers. No formal government announcement convening a special session accompanied Shah's remarks.

The confrontation follows unsuccessful parliamentary efforts to initiate Kumar's removal. Notices submitted by opposition members were rejected in April by the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The proposed public exercise therefore carries no legal power to dismiss the Chief Election Commissioner.

Removal of a Chief Election Commissioner requires a parliamentary process with constitutional safeguards comparable to those applicable to a Supreme Court judge. A demonstration organised by political parties cannot substitute for that procedure, regardless of the terminology adopted by its organisers.

The SIR dispute has previously disrupted parliamentary business. Opposition members demanded dedicated discussion of the exercise, while the government maintained that the Election Commission operates as an independent constitutional authority and favoured broader debate on electoral reforms.

During a parliamentary exchange in December 2025, Gandhi pressed Shah to address allegations he had outlined at press conferences concerning electoral practices. Shah responded during the debate, and opposition members subsequently walked out.

Friday's Lucknow gathering also followed elections to 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats representing graduates and teachers. The BJP won six and the Samajwadi Party five. Yadav described the results as a setback for the ruling party and linked them to his party's preparations for the 2027 state assembly election, scheduled for next year.

National Conference legislators convene amid cabinet reshuffle dispute

A group of National Conference legislators held a closed-door meeting in Srinagar on Friday, exposing growing dissatisfaction within Jammu and Kashmir's ruling party over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's cabinet reshuffle and the functioning of his government.

Seventeen National Conference legislators and one Independent supporting the government reportedly attended the meeting at the residence of Lolab MLA Qaiser Jamsheed Lone in Humhama. Participants discussed ministerial appointments, internal decision-making and grievances concerning the distribution of responsibilities within the administration.

The gathering followed Tuesday's cabinet expansion, which brought four National Conference legislators into the government while Independent MLA Satish Sharma was dropped. Several senior party figures who had expected ministerial positions expressed disappointment over their exclusion.

Legislators familiar with the discussions indicated that participants favoured replacing ministers who have completed two years in office with other elected representatives. They also sought greater consultation within the party before ministerial appointments and changes involving senior government functionaries.

However, Gurez legislator Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi disputed suggestions that the gathering constituted an organised rebellion. He said Lone had invited legislators for a meal and that party matters were discussed during the interaction.

Gurezi maintained that the meeting was not a protest against the cabinet expansion or an assembly of legislators denied ministerial positions. His explanation contrasted with accounts of participants discussing coordinated demands concerning the composition and performance of the government.

The legislators were also understood to have considered approaching National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to communicate their concerns. There was no immediate official confirmation of a formal resolution adopted by the gathering.

Tuesday's expansion saw Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamima Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani, popularly known as Altaf Kaloo, inducted into the Council of Ministers. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered their oaths at Lok Bhawan in Srinagar.

The appointments generated dissatisfaction among legislators who believed seniority, electoral experience and regional representation should have received greater consideration. Eleven legislators supporting the ruling alliance stayed away from the swearing-in ceremony, although individual reasons for their absence were not uniformly established.

Former Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul emerged among the prominent figures disappointed by the reshuffle. His supporters demonstrated in Srinagar after he was excluded from the cabinet, questioning the treatment of a senior party leader.

Farooq Abdullah subsequently appointed Gul as the National Conference's general secretary, an organisational position previously held by Sagar. Gul nevertheless attended Friday's gathering, alongside legislators representing constituencies across Kashmir and Jammu.

Abdul Majeed Larmi, representing Anantnag West, also questioned the ministerial selections. He argued that his seniority warranted consideration, particularly when other legislators had been accommodated.

Bijbehara legislator Bashir Ahmad Veeri separately criticised the continuation of ministers whose performance he considered unsatisfactory. His objections reflected dissatisfaction extending beyond the legislators excluded from the new appointments.

Concerns raised during Friday's discussions reportedly included the role of Chief Minister's adviser Nasir Aslam Wani and the continuation of Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary. Some legislators questioned whether administrative responsibilities and development resources were being distributed equitably.

These complaints remained allegations by individual legislators, with no independent findings establishing administrative wrongdoing or improper allocation of funds. The government had not publicly accepted the accusations arising from the meeting.

Participants were also said to favour establishing a parliamentary board to introduce broader consultation into future cabinet selections. Such an arrangement would give legislators a more structured channel for expressing preferences before the leadership finalised appointments.

The developments come as National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has signalled his intention to resign from Parliament and the party on November 3. Gurezi said Friday's gathering was unrelated to Ruhullah's position.

Despite the disagreement, there was no confirmed move by the legislators to withdraw support from Omar Abdullah's government or challenge his leadership through a formal legislative process.

The National Conference holds 41 seats in the 90-member Legislative Assembly. Its government enjoys additional backing from Congress, the CPI(M) and Independent legislators, giving the ruling arrangement a majority above the 46 seats required.

Congress has maintained its support while declining cabinet participation pending restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Newly inducted minister Altaf Ahmad Wani sought to minimise the significance of internal dissatisfaction, describing differences over appointments as matters arising within a political family.

Among those identified at Friday's meeting were former judge Hasnain Masoodi, Hilal Akbar Lone, Aijaz Jan, Javaid Choudhary, Sajad Shafi, Javid Ahmad Mirchal, Mushtaq Ahmad Guroo, Khurshied Ahmad and Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah.

ISRO launch returns NavIC to four-satellite configuration

India's regional navigation network NavIC regained its minimum four-satellite configuration after the Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched NVS-03 from Sriharikota late on Friday, October 30.

ISRO chairman V Narayanan said the new spacecraft would join three functioning satellites, including NVS-01, restoring the constellation's capacity to provide independent positioning, navigation and timing services. His announcement followed the successful injection of NVS-03 into its designated geosynchronous transfer orbit aboard the GSLV-F18 rocket.

The rocket lifted off at 11.51pm from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. Approximately 18 minutes later, the spacecraft separated in its planned transfer orbit, completing the launch phase of a mission intended to address a shortage of working satellites in the NavIC network. The mission is listed in ISRO’s official launch register as its 107th recorded launch from the coastal Sriharikota spaceport.

Narayanan said the launch vehicle's systems had performed as predicted and the satellite had been delivered precisely to its designated orbit. The achievement established the minimum constellation needed for independent regional navigation, although deployment into a transfer orbit does not by itself confirm completion of subsequent orbital manoeuvres or operational commissioning.

NavIC, formally Navigation with Indian Constellation, supplies positioning and timing signals over India's landmass and an area extending approximately 1,500 kilometres beyond its boundaries. Its applications include tracking trains, road vehicles and ships, alongside services requiring accurate time synchronisation.

The chairman described the constellation as a strategic national asset and highlighted its contribution to the government's One Nation, One Time initiative, which seeks greater consistency in national timekeeping. He said three satellites were already functioning before Friday's launch, making NVS-03 particularly important for the network's minimum operating strength.

The successful launch also marks a significant recovery from difficulties encountered with NVS-02, which was launched in January 2025 but could not complete the orbit-raising operations necessary to reach its intended working position. An investigation identified a failure to deliver the electrical command required to operate a valve in the propulsion system.

That setback left the navigation programme facing an additional challenge as ageing spacecraft and failures reduced the number available for reliable service. ISRO subsequently examined the technical problems and introduced corrective measures before proceeding with the next spacecraft in the series.

NVS-03 is the third spacecraft in the next-generation navigation programme, designed to maintain continuity of the original regional satellite system. It carries an atomic clock developed domestically alongside procured clocks, providing the precise timing measurements essential to satellite navigation.

The spacecraft also supports an L1 navigation signal in addition to the L5 and S-band signals used by the system. The additional frequency is intended to improve compatibility with a wider range of navigation receivers, including devices used for civilian positioning applications.

Four functioning satellites constitute the minimum configuration for positioning and navigation calculations, while the wider planned constellation offers additional coverage, redundancy and resilience. Restoring the numerical threshold is therefore an important milestone, but the reliability of services will also depend on the new spacecraft completing its remaining orbital and technical checks.

Friday's mission was the twentieth flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle and the second GSLV mission within 56 days. Narayanan described that interval as the shortest turnaround between successive missions of the rocket, following the September launch of the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite.

He said EOS-05 was functioning properly and supplying high-quality data. The spacecraft's performance was cited alongside the successful navigation launch as evidence of progress in the agency's ongoing satellite missions, although the two spacecraft serve different purposes.

The GSLV employs a cryogenic upper stage to place heavier satellites into transfer orbits from which they can subsequently reach their operational positions. For NVS-03, the immediate task was accurate orbital injection, followed by the spacecraft's own manoeuvres and commissioning activities.

Narayanan also acknowledged the contribution of industrial partners and academic institutions to the launch. He said nearly 80 per cent of the mission budget had gone to domestic industry, underscoring the role of suppliers in manufacturing and supporting the hardware required for the programme.

The spacecraft carries both domestically developed and externally procured atomic clocks, an arrangement intended to support dependable timing signals while expanding local technological capability. Precise onboard clocks are fundamental to determining distances between satellites and receivers, making their performance a central part of the navigation system's operation.

Zakir Naik faces criticism over Taliban education defence

Zakir Naik has drawn criticism from campaigners and commentators across South Asia after defending Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities over their continuing exclusion of girls and women from secondary schools and universities.

The Malaysia-based preacher argued in a circulating video that restrictions had been misunderstood and that education beyond primary school had been postponed because of security concerns and insufficient female teachers. His explanation prompted objections from Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, where critics challenged both his account and the implications of an indefinite suspension.

“Everything that comes in the media is not true,” Naik said, claiming that he had personally discussed the policy with Taliban representatives. He maintained that girls could attend classes until the sixth grade and that further schooling depended on conditions becoming safe and suitably qualified women being available to teach.

“So if someone delays the education till they have the right teacher, there is no problem at all,” he said. Naik also asserted that women could undertake advanced Islamic studies, including postgraduate qualifications in Sharia, Arabic and the Quran. He did not provide independently verifiable figures establishing the scale of such opportunities.

Ziauddin Yousafzai, a Pakistani education campaigner and father of Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, described Naik’s justification as “deeply troubling and disappointing”. He questioned how an indefinite exclusion could be presented as a temporary interruption without a credible plan to restore access or train additional teachers.

Afghan commentators made similar objections. Azim Shinwari, a former member of Afghanistan’s security forces living in Belgium, asked how the country could produce more qualified female teachers while preventing girls from continuing their studies. He also demanded evidence for Naik’s claims about women obtaining advanced religious qualifications.

Mariam Solaimankhil, associated with Afghanistan’s Parliament in Exile, questioned the logic of invoking a shortage of women teachers when Taliban policies had also restricted women’s employment. Mahbob Shah Mahbob, editor of Afghan International Pashto, challenged the description of closed classrooms as a mere postponement.

The objections reflect a substantial difference between Naik’s characterisation and the documented position of Afghanistan’s education system. UNICEF said in August that more than 2.6 million girls had been denied secondary education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Afghanistan remains the only country where secondary and higher education are effectively closed to girls and women.

Girls have been excluded from formal schooling beyond grade six since September 2021. Women were barred from universities in December 2022. The authorities have not announced a timetable for restoring general access, leaving successive groups of pupils unable to complete their education.

UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell urged the authorities in August to lift the restrictions immediately. The agency warned that prolonged exclusion increased exposure to child labour, early marriage, abuse and other forms of gender-based violence, particularly among families facing poverty or displacement.

The teacher shortage cited by Naik is itself an issue highlighted by international assessments. UNICEF estimated that the number of female teachers in basic education fell from almost 73,000 in 2022 to approximately 66,000 in 2024. Its analysis warned that continued restrictions could cost Afghanistan up to 20,000 women teachers by 2030.

The agency also estimated that curbs on women’s education and participation in employment were costing the economy about $84 million annually. These calculations concern broader restrictions, rather than the impact of the secondary school prohibition alone.

A Faizur Rahman, an Islamic scholar from India, questioned the support Naik enjoys in Malaysia and addressed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over his continued presence there. Historian S Irfan Habib likewise questioned the Malaysian government’s accommodation of the preacher.

Naik left India in 2016 and lives in Malaysia, where he holds permanent residency. He is wanted by authorities in India in connection with allegations including money laundering and promoting religious hatred. He denies wrongdoing, and efforts to secure his return have not succeeded.

The debate has also drawn attention to education programmes operating outside conventional secondary schools. UNICEF said 442,000 children participated in community-based learning during 2025, with girls accounting for 66 per cent. Such initiatives provide educational support but do not amount to the reopening of secondary schools or universities.