August 25, 2026

Evening news wrap Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India for the Brics summit with a 400-member delegation.Mojtaba Khamenei appeared in a rare video amid growing concerns over his health.Fresh protests erupted in Bihar over the BPSC exam row and a controversial official’s remark.Kharge and Rahul Gandhi urged PM Modi to withdraw the existing caste census questionnaire.China’s hypersonic weapons could threaten US support aircraft operating far from the battlefield.Here are top 5 stories of the dayXi Jinping heads to India with a 400-strong entourage for BRICS, reportChinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the Brics summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 with around 400 officials, in what would be his first India visit in seven years. The expected visit comes as India and China work to stabilise ties after the 2020 border clashes, with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval currently in Beijing for boundary talks; however, Xi’s travel plans and any meeting with PM Modi have not yet been finalised. Read full story.Mojtaba Khamenei breaks silence amid health rumoursIran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has appeared and spoken in a rare video after unconfirmed reports raised concerns about his health. The footage was released as speculation grew over his condition and prolonged absence from public view, although the video does not establish when or where it was recorded or independently confirm his current health. Read full story.Bihar’s BPSC protest erupts after ‘dogs bark’ remarkStudent protests over alleged irregularities and paper-leak claims in the 70th BPSC examination intensified in Patna, with clashes reported as protesters marched towards Raj Bhavan. The unrest followed a BPSC officials controversial “dogs bark” remark, which sparked backlash from students and opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav; the Bihar government subsequently ordered Singh’s suspension. Read full story.Kharge, Rahul ask PM Modi to hit reset on caste censusCongress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have written to PM Modi seeking withdrawal of the existing caste census questionnaire. They argued that the current method of collecting caste data could produce inaccurate results and urged the government to revise the methodology to ensure a more comprehensive picture of caste demographics. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRead full story.China’s hypersonic missiles take aim at America’s ‘safe’ rearChina is developing hypersonic glide vehicles capable of launching air-to-air missiles at high-value US support aircraft such as surveillance and command-and-control planes, potentially from thousands of miles away. The technology could challenge the traditional assumption that such aircraft are safe when operating far behind the front lines, although targeting and guidance such long-range weapons remain major challenges. Read full story.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins
Evening news wrap Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India for the Brics summit with a 400-member delegation.Mojtaba Khamenei appeared in a rare video amid growing concerns over his health.Fresh protests erupted in Bihar over the BPSC exam row and a controversial official’s remark.Kharge and Rahul Gandhi urged PM Modi to withdraw the existing caste census questionnaire.China’s hypersonic weapons could threaten US support aircraft operating far from the battlefield.Here are top 5 stories of the dayXi Jinping heads to India with a 400-strong entourage for BRICS, reportChinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the Brics summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 with around 400 officials, in what would be his first India visit in seven years. The expected visit comes as India and China work to stabilise ties after the 2020 border clashes, with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval currently in Beijing for boundary talks; however, Xi’s travel plans and any meeting with PM Modi have not yet been finalised. Read full story.Mojtaba Khamenei breaks silence amid health rumoursIran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has appeared and spoken in a rare video after unconfirmed reports raised concerns about his health. The footage was released as speculation grew over his condition and prolonged absence from public view, although the video does not establish when or where it was recorded or independently confirm his current health. Read full story.Bihar’s BPSC protest erupts after ‘dogs bark’ remarkStudent protests over alleged irregularities and paper-leak claims in the 70th BPSC examination intensified in Patna, with clashes reported as protesters marched towards Raj Bhavan. The unrest followed a BPSC officials controversial “dogs bark” remark, which sparked backlash from students and opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav; the Bihar government subsequently ordered Singh’s suspension. Read full story.Kharge, Rahul ask PM Modi to hit reset on caste censusCongress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have written to PM Modi seeking withdrawal of the existing caste census questionnaire. They argued that the current method of collecting caste data could produce inaccurate results and urged the government to revise the methodology to ensure a more comprehensive picture of caste demographics. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRead full story.China’s hypersonic missiles take aim at America’s ‘safe’ rearChina is developing hypersonic glide vehicles capable of launching air-to-air missiles at high-value US support aircraft such as surveillance and command-and-control planes, potentially from thousands of miles away. The technology could challenge the traditional assumption that such aircraft are safe when operating far behind the front lines, although targeting and guidance such long-range weapons remain major challenges. Read full story.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy


Evening news wrap: Xi expected to visit India for Brics summit; Mojtaba makes rare appearance & more
  • Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India for the Brics summit with a 400-member delegation.
  • Mojtaba Khamenei appeared in a rare video amid growing concerns over his health.
  • Fresh protests erupted in Bihar over the BPSC exam row and a controversial official’s remark.
  • Kharge and Rahul Gandhi urged PM Modi to withdraw the existing caste census questionnaire.
  • China’s hypersonic weapons could threaten US support aircraft operating far from the battlefield.

Here are top 5 stories of the day

Xi Jinping heads to India with a 400-strong entourage for BRICS, report

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the Brics summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 with around 400 officials, in what would be his first India visit in seven years. The expected visit comes as India and China work to stabilise ties after the 2020 border clashes, with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval currently in Beijing for boundary talks; however, Xi’s travel plans and any meeting with PM Modi have not yet been finalised. Read full story.

Mojtaba Khamenei breaks silence amid health rumours

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has appeared and spoken in a rare video after unconfirmed reports raised concerns about his health. The footage was released as speculation grew over his condition and prolonged absence from public view, although the video does not establish when or where it was recorded or independently confirm his current health. Read full story.

Bihar’s BPSC protest erupts after ‘dogs bark’ remark

Student protests over alleged irregularities and paper-leak claims in the 70th BPSC examination intensified in Patna, with clashes reported as protesters marched towards Raj Bhavan. The unrest followed a BPSC officials controversial “dogs bark” remark, which sparked backlash from students and opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav; the Bihar government subsequently ordered Singh’s suspension. Read full story.

Kharge, Rahul ask PM Modi to hit reset on caste census

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have written to PM Modi seeking withdrawal of the existing caste census questionnaire. They argued that the current method of collecting caste data could produce inaccurate results and urged the government to revise the methodology to ensure a more comprehensive picture of caste demographics.

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NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Congress unit on Tuesday announced that none of its spokespersons will participate in TV debates with Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi Temple priest Raju Das, accusing him of abusing and threatening party spokesperson Kunwar Singh Nishad during a live debate.UP Congress media department chairman and former minister CP Rai said Das crossed “all limits of decency” during a debate on Doordarshan News on Monday.In a statement, the party alleged that Das used obscene and abusive language against Nishad, including abusing his mother and issuing threats.”The two women anchors of DD News who were part of the debate were also stunned, and the debate had to be stopped midway,” Rai said, describing the incident as “shameful and unforgivable”.The Congress also demanded an impartial examination of the original recording, video footage and digital evidence of the programme. It said strict action should be taken according to law if the allegations are found to be true.The Congress said political differences should be addressed through arguments and not personal abuse or threats.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines”Congress workers are not afraid of abuse. We believe in the Constitution and the law, and believe in answering every question democratically,” Rai said.The controversy comes amid a political row over a purported fish feast at a Nishad community event in Ayodhya, attended by UP Congress chief Ajay Rai during the Hindu holy month of Sawan.The Bharatiya Janata Party and chief minister Yogi Adityanath had attacked Rai over the alleged feast, while the Congress has maintained that there was no proof that its state president had eaten fish.Rai had challenged Adityanath to produce a photograph or video showing him eating fish or being present at the place where it was cooked. He said he would apologise and resign as state Congress president if such evidence was produced.The Congress has defended the food traditions of the Nishad community, while BJP leaders have criticised the alleged consumption of fish during Sawan in Ayodhya.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123Photostories5 traditional Bengali sarees you probably haven’t heard ofFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestantsYour blood pressure could be rising because of these 7 everyday habits you may think are completely harmless7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconut123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Congress unit on Tuesday announced that none of its spokespersons will participate in TV debates with Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi Temple priest Raju Das, accusing him of abusing and threatening party spokesperson Kunwar Singh Nishad during a live debate.UP Congress media department chairman and former minister CP Rai said Das crossed “all limits of decency” during a debate on Doordarshan News on Monday.In a statement, the party alleged that Das used obscene and abusive language against Nishad, including abusing his mother and issuing threats.”The two women anchors of DD News who were part of the debate were also stunned, and the debate had to be stopped midway,” Rai said, describing the incident as “shameful and unforgivable”.The Congress also demanded an impartial examination of the original recording, video footage and digital evidence of the programme. It said strict action should be taken according to law if the allegations are found to be true.The Congress said political differences should be addressed through arguments and not personal abuse or threats.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines”Congress workers are not afraid of abuse. We believe in the Constitution and the law, and believe in answering every question democratically,” Rai said.The controversy comes amid a political row over a purported fish feast at a Nishad community event in Ayodhya, attended by UP Congress chief Ajay Rai during the Hindu holy month of Sawan.The Bharatiya Janata Party and chief minister Yogi Adityanath had attacked Rai over the alleged feast, while the Congress has maintained that there was no proof that its state president had eaten fish.Rai had challenged Adityanath to produce a photograph or video showing him eating fish or being present at the place where it was cooked. He said he would apologise and resign as state Congress president if such evidence was produced.The Congress has defended the food traditions of the Nishad community, while BJP leaders have criticised the alleged consumption of fish during Sawan in Ayodhya.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123Photostories5 traditional Bengali sarees you probably haven’t heard ofFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestantsYour blood pressure could be rising because of these 7 everyday habits you may think are completely harmless7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconut123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Vamsikrishna 0
NEW DELHI: Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Pawan Khera for making “indecent comments” about him after he shared a video of himself swimming in Arunachal Pradesh.In a social media post on X, Rijiju reminded Khera that he has fought eight elections so far, while the Congress leader is a first-term MP, nominated to Rajya Sabha by his party.”You are a 1st term MP, nominated by your party in Rajya Sabha & I’ve fought 8 elections so far. That doesn’t give you the right to make indecent comments. I swim with my villagers to inspire my people & followers,” Rijiju said.”Rahul ji doesn’t exist in my mind when I’m with my people. But Congressis started commenting that I can’t swim like Rahul Ji. So, I responded since I don’t take training for activities. I’m a natural khiladi in our mighty rivers. Don’t be abusive needlessly all the time,” he added.Rijiju also took a dig at Khera over his spat with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, saying that he will report the Congress leader’s “indiscipline conduct” to Sarma.”Dear Pawan Khera, I’ll report to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma ji about your indiscipline conduct if you talk about half-naked swimming. Do you swim with full suit & coat?” Rijiju said.Rijiju’s reaction came after Khera said that leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has “gotten under BJP’s skin”, claiming that Rijiju “can’t even go for a half-naked swim without invoking Rahul Gandhi.””Imagine how badly Rahul Ji has gotten under the BJP’s skin. On one hand, Kiren Rijiju can’t even go for a half-naked swim without invoking Rahul Gandhi. On the other, senior citizen Giriraj Singhbjp has been reduced to calling himself a 74-year-old “new baby born”.””What have you done to all of them, Rahul ji?” he added.Earlier, Rijiju shared a video of himself swimming in the rivers of Arunachal Pradesh.”Never go to deep water, if you do not know swimming. Many people have drowned in the river. The rivers in Arunachal Pradesh are huge and very deep,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRijiju also shared another video explaining why swimming in the rivers of Arunachal Pradesh is different from swimming in a pool or calmer waters.”Some people might think swimming in gushing rivers of Arunachal Pradesh is like swimming in pools or rivers like Yamuna. In raging rivers, our head should be up, not down & body should be more upright, not straight as we keep in swimming competition. Mein yahan ka khiladi hun,” he said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

NEW DELHI: Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Pawan Khera for making “indecent comments” about him after he shared a video of himself swimming in Arunachal Pradesh.In a social media post on X, Rijiju reminded Khera that he has fought eight elections so far, while the Congress leader is a first-term MP, nominated to Rajya Sabha by his party.”You are a 1st term MP, nominated by your party in Rajya Sabha & I’ve fought 8 elections so far. That doesn’t give you the right to make indecent comments. I swim with my villagers to inspire my people & followers,” Rijiju said.”Rahul ji doesn’t exist in my mind when I’m with my people. But Congressis started commenting that I can’t swim like Rahul Ji. So, I responded since I don’t take training for activities. I’m a natural khiladi in our mighty rivers. Don’t be abusive needlessly all the time,” he added.Rijiju also took a dig at Khera over his spat with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, saying that he will report the Congress leader’s “indiscipline conduct” to Sarma.”Dear Pawan Khera, I’ll report to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma ji about your indiscipline conduct if you talk about half-naked swimming. Do you swim with full suit & coat?” Rijiju said.Rijiju’s reaction came after Khera said that leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has “gotten under BJP’s skin”, claiming that Rijiju “can’t even go for a half-naked swim without invoking Rahul Gandhi.””Imagine how badly Rahul Ji has gotten under the BJP’s skin. On one hand, Kiren Rijiju can’t even go for a half-naked swim without invoking Rahul Gandhi. On the other, senior citizen Giriraj Singhbjp has been reduced to calling himself a 74-year-old “new baby born”.””What have you done to all of them, Rahul ji?” he added.Earlier, Rijiju shared a video of himself swimming in the rivers of Arunachal Pradesh.”Never go to deep water, if you do not know swimming. Many people have drowned in the river. The rivers in Arunachal Pradesh are huge and very deep,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRijiju also shared another video explaining why swimming in the rivers of Arunachal Pradesh is different from swimming in a pool or calmer waters.”Some people might think swimming in gushing rivers of Arunachal Pradesh is like swimming in pools or rivers like Yamuna. In raging rivers, our head should be up, not down & body should be more upright, not straight as we keep in swimming competition. Mein yahan ka khiladi hun,” he said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Vamsikrishna 0
Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul at Congress headquarters on Independence Day. NEW DELHI: Is the Congress trying to send out a subtle message signalling “soft minority appeasement”? Or has the party played to BJP’s strength by lapping up a controversy that may push it into a corner?The Congress’s decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events signalled a rare hardening of stance on an issue that the party knows could make it vulnerable to attacks over both minority appeasement and nationalism.As expected, the Congress decision, which cited a 1937 resolution, triggered sharp reactions from the BJP, with Union home minister Amit Shah accusing the Congress of repeating “politics of appeasement.”Union Minister JP Nadda also slammed the Congress, alleging that the party’s 1937 resolution was driven by “appeasement politics” and contributed to the circumstances that led to the Partition. In a post on X, Nadda said the Congress’ decision in 1937 to divide ‘Vande Mataram’ into two parts fuelled the two-nation theory and ultimately led to the partition of the country.’This was followed by attacks questioning Congress’s commitment to nationalism and patriotism.Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress leadership of disrespecting the legacy of India’s freedom fighters and operating under ideological pressure. “This is not just opposition to Vande Mataram but against our revolutionaries,” Singh said, adding, “Now, the Congress has become the Muslim League. This is not Gandhi ji’s Congress but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress,” the BJP leader said.BJP MP Dinesh Sharma also accused the opposition leadership of harbouring “Muslim League-like thinking.” He equated senior Congress leaders with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan who spearheaded the Two-Nation Theory, to criticise the Congress party’s approach toward national symbols.Later, the BJP passed a resolution condemning the Congress Working Committee’s decision to sing only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ and announced a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the history and significance of the National Song.No surprises here. All these attacks were on expected lines. Surely, the Congress would have anticipated these high-pitched narratives questioning its nationalism and accusing it of appeasement.Congress fights backCongress leaders defended the party’s stand, saying ‘Vande Mataram’ was associated with the freedom struggle and held emotional significance for the Congress. They accused the BJP of politicising the issue and diverting attention from the issue of Ram Mandir donation theft.”BJP was not a part of the freedom struggle. Vande Mataram was a part of the freedom struggle; it is emotional for us, but political for them (BJP),” Venugopal said, adding, “We have been reciting Vande Mataram since 1937, more than 90 years. What is new for us?”The Congress leaders alleged that political rivals led by the BJP were deliberately stoking nationalist narratives to cover up their failures. What the Congress perhaps did not realise, or chose to ignore, was that the BJP had already set the stage for bringing Vande Mataram to the centrestage of its politics.Why the 1937 reference created more problems than it solvedBankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote ‘Bande Mataram’ in the late 19th century in Sanskritised Bengali. The original version consisted of six stanzas. The song was first inserted into the pages of his novel, Anandamath, set during the late 18th century when famine and rebellion tore through Bengal.In 1950, alongside ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the national anthem, Vande Mataram received the honour of a national song following a decision of the Constituent Assembly, under the guidance of Rajendra Prasad, considering the historic role it played in India’s freedom struggle.However, only the first two stanzas of the song were adopted as the national song.The Congress Working Committee (CWC), in a resolution of October 29, 1937, decided that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be sung at national and public gatherings.This had followed advice from Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first to set Vande Mataram to music and publicly sing it at the 1896 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. In a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, he suggested that only the first two stanzas of the song be used for public and national gatherings.Tagore then noted that the later verses — which invoked Hindu deities like Durga within the context of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Anandamath—could alienate non-Hindu communities.The fact that the Muslim League and M A Jinnah were among the most vociferous critics of the song made the Congress’s 1937 resolution vulnerable to Muslim appeasement attacks ever since.BJP’s Vande Mataram push BJP’s Vande Mataram push began in May this year when the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act and put the National Song, Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, on the same footing as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana.It was during the special discussion of Parliament on “150th Year of Vande Mataram” in December last year that defence minister Rajnath Singh had strongly advocated for elevating the status of Vande Mataram to match the National Anthem. Rajnath had then accused the Congress of historically communalising the song and sidelining it due to appeasement politics.Earlier in January this year the Union home ministry had outlined appropriate conduct and protocols concerning Vande Mataram. The ministry had issued an order that all six stanzas of the official version must be rendered first whenever the National Song and the National Anthem are performed together. It said that the full six-stanza version was to be sung or played on key state occasions.These proposals became law in the just-concluded Monsoon session after Parliament amended the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, giving Vande Mataram equal legal standing to the National Anthem. The government is also midway through a year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary.The amended Act mandates Vande Mataram shall be honoured equally with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and shall have equal status with it, and whoever intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian National Anthem or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with a fine, or both.Could Congress have avoided this rowClearly, given the BJP moves, the Congress would have been aware of the political fallout of its Vande Mataram decision. Minority appeasement has been one of the biggest weapons, which the BJP has used very effectively to attack and corner the Congress.In the last 12 years, we have seen the Congress suffer politically over allegations of minority appeasement. The Congress leadership has tried to fight back with a calculated push for soft Hindutva. Rahul Gandhi and other top Congress leaders have visited temples to counter BJP’s attacks on minority appeasement.In the 1980s, the Congress faced a Shah Bano moment, which is still used to target and corner the party over allegations of minority appeasement. The then Congress government led by Rajiv Gandhi enacted a law in Parliament to limit a Muslim husband’s maintenance obligation to the three-month iddat period, neutralizing a Supreme Court maintenance order under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).Minorities, especially Muslims, for a very long time were part of Congress’s core vote bank and supported the party electorally. However, as the Congress lost political heft, the minorities gradually shifted to other regional parties. The same happened with other social groups like the SCs, STs and the OBCs. For the last many years, the Congress has been forced to align with the regional parties that weaned away its core voters. Now, as it tries to script its revival, it is trying to win back these communities into the party fold.We have seen Rahul Gandhi aggressively woo the SCs, STs and the OBCs by repeatedly taking up issues that impact them. The Congress leader’s sustained pitch for caste census was an open move to reach out to these core voters. But when it comes to wooing back the minority voters, the Congress perhaps wants to play it safe. And it’s not just the Muslim appeasement attack that the Congress wants to avoid, it perhaps also does not want to antagonize its ally in Uttar Pradesh – the Samajwadi Party.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Interestingly, Rahul and Akhilesh Yadav appeal to the same social support base and hence the alliance chemistry is always overshadowed by competing interests.It is in this context that one is left wondering: Has the Congress taken a calculated gamble?Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul at Congress headquarters on Independence Day. NEW DELHI: Is the Congress trying to send out a subtle message signalling “soft minority appeasement”? Or has the party played to BJP’s strength by lapping up a controversy that may push it into a corner?The Congress’s decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events signalled a rare hardening of stance on an issue that the party knows could make it vulnerable to attacks over both minority appeasement and nationalism.As expected, the Congress decision, which cited a 1937 resolution, triggered sharp reactions from the BJP, with Union home minister Amit Shah accusing the Congress of repeating “politics of appeasement.”Union Minister JP Nadda also slammed the Congress, alleging that the party’s 1937 resolution was driven by “appeasement politics” and contributed to the circumstances that led to the Partition. In a post on X, Nadda said the Congress’ decision in 1937 to divide ‘Vande Mataram’ into two parts fuelled the two-nation theory and ultimately led to the partition of the country.’This was followed by attacks questioning Congress’s commitment to nationalism and patriotism.Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress leadership of disrespecting the legacy of India’s freedom fighters and operating under ideological pressure. “This is not just opposition to Vande Mataram but against our revolutionaries,” Singh said, adding, “Now, the Congress has become the Muslim League. This is not Gandhi ji’s Congress but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress,” the BJP leader said.BJP MP Dinesh Sharma also accused the opposition leadership of harbouring “Muslim League-like thinking.” He equated senior Congress leaders with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan who spearheaded the Two-Nation Theory, to criticise the Congress party’s approach toward national symbols.Later, the BJP passed a resolution condemning the Congress Working Committee’s decision to sing only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ and announced a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the history and significance of the National Song.No surprises here. All these attacks were on expected lines. Surely, the Congress would have anticipated these high-pitched narratives questioning its nationalism and accusing it of appeasement.Congress fights backCongress leaders defended the party’s stand, saying ‘Vande Mataram’ was associated with the freedom struggle and held emotional significance for the Congress. They accused the BJP of politicising the issue and diverting attention from the issue of Ram Mandir donation theft.”BJP was not a part of the freedom struggle. Vande Mataram was a part of the freedom struggle; it is emotional for us, but political for them (BJP),” Venugopal said, adding, “We have been reciting Vande Mataram since 1937, more than 90 years. What is new for us?”The Congress leaders alleged that political rivals led by the BJP were deliberately stoking nationalist narratives to cover up their failures. What the Congress perhaps did not realise, or chose to ignore, was that the BJP had already set the stage for bringing Vande Mataram to the centrestage of its politics.Why the 1937 reference created more problems than it solvedBankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote ‘Bande Mataram’ in the late 19th century in Sanskritised Bengali. The original version consisted of six stanzas. The song was first inserted into the pages of his novel, Anandamath, set during the late 18th century when famine and rebellion tore through Bengal.In 1950, alongside ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the national anthem, Vande Mataram received the honour of a national song following a decision of the Constituent Assembly, under the guidance of Rajendra Prasad, considering the historic role it played in India’s freedom struggle.However, only the first two stanzas of the song were adopted as the national song.The Congress Working Committee (CWC), in a resolution of October 29, 1937, decided that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be sung at national and public gatherings.This had followed advice from Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first to set Vande Mataram to music and publicly sing it at the 1896 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. In a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, he suggested that only the first two stanzas of the song be used for public and national gatherings.Tagore then noted that the later verses — which invoked Hindu deities like Durga within the context of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Anandamath—could alienate non-Hindu communities.The fact that the Muslim League and M A Jinnah were among the most vociferous critics of the song made the Congress’s 1937 resolution vulnerable to Muslim appeasement attacks ever since.BJP’s Vande Mataram push BJP’s Vande Mataram push began in May this year when the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act and put the National Song, Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, on the same footing as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana.It was during the special discussion of Parliament on “150th Year of Vande Mataram” in December last year that defence minister Rajnath Singh had strongly advocated for elevating the status of Vande Mataram to match the National Anthem. Rajnath had then accused the Congress of historically communalising the song and sidelining it due to appeasement politics.Earlier in January this year the Union home ministry had outlined appropriate conduct and protocols concerning Vande Mataram. The ministry had issued an order that all six stanzas of the official version must be rendered first whenever the National Song and the National Anthem are performed together. It said that the full six-stanza version was to be sung or played on key state occasions.These proposals became law in the just-concluded Monsoon session after Parliament amended the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, giving Vande Mataram equal legal standing to the National Anthem. The government is also midway through a year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary.The amended Act mandates Vande Mataram shall be honoured equally with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and shall have equal status with it, and whoever intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian National Anthem or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with a fine, or both.Could Congress have avoided this rowClearly, given the BJP moves, the Congress would have been aware of the political fallout of its Vande Mataram decision. Minority appeasement has been one of the biggest weapons, which the BJP has used very effectively to attack and corner the Congress.In the last 12 years, we have seen the Congress suffer politically over allegations of minority appeasement. The Congress leadership has tried to fight back with a calculated push for soft Hindutva. Rahul Gandhi and other top Congress leaders have visited temples to counter BJP’s attacks on minority appeasement.In the 1980s, the Congress faced a Shah Bano moment, which is still used to target and corner the party over allegations of minority appeasement. The then Congress government led by Rajiv Gandhi enacted a law in Parliament to limit a Muslim husband’s maintenance obligation to the three-month iddat period, neutralizing a Supreme Court maintenance order under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).Minorities, especially Muslims, for a very long time were part of Congress’s core vote bank and supported the party electorally. However, as the Congress lost political heft, the minorities gradually shifted to other regional parties. The same happened with other social groups like the SCs, STs and the OBCs. For the last many years, the Congress has been forced to align with the regional parties that weaned away its core voters. Now, as it tries to script its revival, it is trying to win back these communities into the party fold.We have seen Rahul Gandhi aggressively woo the SCs, STs and the OBCs by repeatedly taking up issues that impact them. The Congress leader’s sustained pitch for caste census was an open move to reach out to these core voters. But when it comes to wooing back the minority voters, the Congress perhaps wants to play it safe. And it’s not just the Muslim appeasement attack that the Congress wants to avoid, it perhaps also does not want to antagonize its ally in Uttar Pradesh – the Samajwadi Party.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Interestingly, Rahul and Akhilesh Yadav appeal to the same social support base and hence the alliance chemistry is always overshadowed by competing interests.It is in this context that one is left wondering: Has the Congress taken a calculated gamble?Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

Vamsikrishna 0
NEW DELHI: A war of words erupted between Congress MP Manish Tewari and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sambit Patra after the former warned that India could soon face a robot-driven Chinese Army on the Line of Actual Control.In a social media post on X, Tewari said that “impressive development of humanoid robots” by China should give India a “reality check.””If India is not careful it could be very soon fighting a robot PLA on the LAC . The impressive development of humanoid robots by China should give us a reality check that despite all the bombast of being an emerging great power really how far behind we are qua China in the technology game – and this is only one of the genres,” Tewari said.”China is today ahead of the US in 67 of the 75 critical technologies,” he added.BJP MP Patra countered Tewari and accused Congress of spreading misinformation and discouraging Indian Army.”First we have to fight the Congress mindset at the LoC, and at the international borders also. Because they are the ones who in fact are the prop-ups of our enemies. They are the ones who spread misinformation. They are the ones who were found inside the Chinese tent when the Doklam standoff was taking place,” Patra said.He also attacked leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, terming him as “Chinese robot.””They were the ones who were discouraging Indian Army when Indian Army and the Chinese army were hand-on-hand. And in fact, the words used by Rahul Gandhi, I remember, were: ‘Maar daala hamaare Army ko’. Such were the discouraging words of Mr. Rahul Gandhi. Robot of China is Rahul Gandhi,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesA Chinese humanoid robot captured global attention with a claimed 100-metre time of 9.39 seconds, beating Usain Bolt’s men’s world record of 9.58 seconds.The robot, named “Superman”, was developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree, which claimed it can reach a top speed of 12.66 metres per second, or about 45.6 kilometres per hour.Unitree also said “Superman” can perform a standing jump of around two metres. The robot has legs measuring 0.85 metres and can achieve the jump without a running start.However, the performance claims have not been independently verified.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: Why Are Sugar Prices Rising In India Despite Record Sugarcane Production?Supreme Court Notice To 20 Rebel TMC MPs On Abhishek Banerjee’s Disqualification Plea’People Were Shot In The Head’: Sonam Wangchuk Seeks Inquiry Report Into 2025 Ladakh ViolenceAjeet Bharti EXCLUSIVE On ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’, Harsh Dubey, CJP & His Criticism Of BJPTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes 3,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target 0 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai Reacts123PhotostoriesFrom castor to coconut oil: Natural oils for faster beard growthTraitors 2: From Shalini Passi’s over Rs 2,000 crore family wealth to Mallika Sherawat’s Rs 170 crore fortune, here’s a look at the net worth of popular contestants7 simple ways to live every day like a holiday like Dua Lipa, despite working full-timeUrvashi Rautela makes a tricolour statement in a one-of-a-kind gown that took 3 months to createOptical illusion personality test: The object you spot first reveals the trait you’re probably in denial about‘They don’t love you, they love your name’:Asim Riaz takes explosive dig at ex Himanshi Khurana, calls her a ‘fame digger’First egg, now chicken? 7 things to know about the Salmonella outbreak in the UKHow to remove coconut flesh from the shell easily: 5 simple tricks without wasting the coconutFrom flamingos to puffins: 5 birds whose beaks look hand-painted by an artistMaria Sharapova to Naomi Osaka: 5 athletes who are serving major fashion moments off the court123Hot PicksBPSC exam rowSugar priceNew Zealand social media banTrump tariffICSI CS june resultNEET UG 2026Sridhar VembuTrump’s SpaceXNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingBandra Parsi BungalowSuresh GowdaRupali ChakankarKarnataka Food Licence SuspensionAllahabad High CourtMumbai Airport DemolitionRam RahimDelhi Women AccidentDelhi Gurgaon RainMaharashtra Hill Tragedy

NEW DELHI: A war of words erupted between Congress MP Manish Tewari and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sambit Patra after the former warned that India could soon face a robot-driven Chinese Army on the Line of Actual Control.In a social media post on X, Tewari said that “impressive development of humanoid robots” by China should give India a “reality check.””If India is not careful it could be very soon fighting a robot PLA on the LAC . The impressive development of humanoid robots by China should give us a reality check that despite all the bombast of being an emerging great power really how far behind we are qua China in the technology game – and this is only one of the genres,” Tewari said.”China is today ahead of the US in 67 of the 75 critical technologies,” he added.BJP MP Patra countered Tewari and accused Congress of spreading misinformation and discouraging Indian Army.”First we have to fight the Congress mindset at the LoC, and at the international borders also. Because they are the ones who in fact are the prop-ups of our enemies. They are the ones who spread misinformation. They are the ones who were found inside the Chinese tent when the Doklam standoff was taking place,” Patra said.He also attacked leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, terming him as “Chinese robot.””They were the ones who were discouraging Indian Army when Indian Army and the Chinese army were hand-on-hand. And in fact, the words used by Rahul Gandhi, I remember, were: ‘Maar daala hamaare Army ko’. Such were the discouraging words of Mr. Rahul Gandhi. Robot of China is Rahul Gandhi,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesA Chinese humanoid robot captured global attention with a claimed 100-metre time of 9.39 seconds, beating Usain Bolt’s men’s world record of 9.58 seconds.The robot, named “Superman”, was developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree, which claimed it can reach a top speed of 12.66 metres per second, or about 45.6 kilometres per hour.Unitree also said “Superman” can perform a standing jump of around two metres. The robot has legs measuring 0.85 metres and can achieve the jump without a running start.However, the performance claims have not been independently verified.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. 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