VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Will Mumbai schools and colleges remain closed tomorrow amid IMD orange alert? ‘The theme of displacement and search’: Sanjay Suri opens up about his personal connect with ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ Few tourists know about this peaceful Himalayan retreat in Sikkim with monasteries, epic treks and Kanchenjunga views | Gayatri Jayanti 2026: Date, time, puja rituals and significance UK heatwave raises concern for dogs: Breeds most susceptible to heatstroke revealed | He threw himself on a grenade and saved his fellow soldiers: Meet US Medal of Honor recipient Nicholas Dockery | World News PM Modi invited to join Khamenei’s funeral ceremony that is to be held between July 4 and July 9 NEW DELHI: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the state funeral and burial ceremonies of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, news agency PTI reported citing diplomatic sources.The Prime Minister has been invited by President Pezeshkian to the burial ceremonies, PTI reported.The funeral rites, scheduled across several Iranian cities from July 4 to July 9, are expected to draw millions of mourners and foreign dignitaries. The invitation comes as Iran finalises arrangements for a week-long series of ceremonies that will begin in Tehran and conclude with Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad, his birthplace and one of Shia Islam’s holiest cities.Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28.According to Iranian authorities, Khamenei’s body will lie in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla complex on July 4 and 5, allowing the public to pay their respects. A state funeral procession is scheduled for July 6, with Tehran province set to observe public holidays during the ceremonies.”The farewell ceremony and prayers for the martyred leader’s body will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 4th and 5th, in Tehran’s Grand Mosalla, and the funeral will be held on Monday, July 6th, and Tehran province will be off for these three days,” IRGC commander Hassan Hassanzadeh, who is overseeing the ceremonies, was quoted as saying.Tehran authorities estimate that around 20 million people could participate in the events. Watch India’s Hidden Energy Jackpot? US Lifts Iran Sanctions Opens Rare Window Amid Hormuz TroubleState media has reported that the capital will observe holidays on July 4 and 5, while the rest of the country will join in on July 6.Beyond Tehran, commemorative events are planned in the religious centres of Qom and Mashhad. The holy city of Qom will host a tribute ceremony on July 7, while Khamenei will be laid to rest on July 9 at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad. Both cities are expected to observe public holidays to mark the occasion.Neighbouring Iraq will also hold special ceremonies on July 8, including prayers in the revered Shia cities of Najaf and Karbala, reflecting Khamenei’s influence across the region.India had earlier conveyed its condolences following Khamenei’s death. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi and signed the condolence book on behalf of the Government of India.The funeral ceremonies were initially planned for March but were postponed amid escalating conflict in the Middle East following the US-Israeli attacks in February that killed Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials.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 MediaVideosAdani Mundra Airport Starts Commercial Operations As First Star Air Flight Lands From GoaNew Book Reveals Trump Rejected Proposal To Send Indian Peacekeepers To UkraineHyderabad Gets ‘Donald Trump Avenue’ As Telangana Renames Road Outside US ConsulateSindhi Community Raises Concerns Over Utilisation Of 200 Kg Silver Donation Made For Ram MandirIndia Hits Back At Pakistan At UN, Reaffirms Jammu & Kashmir Is Strictly An Internal MatterMumbai Faces Widespread Waterlogging As Delayed Monsoon Arrival Brings Heavy Rain And DisruptionsAkhilesh Yadav Says BJP Using Mohan Yadav Land Allegations To Prepare Chief Ministerial ChangesIndia-US Partnership Will Shape The Coming Decades, Says US EnvoyQatar Emir Speaks To PM Modi, Offers Condolences After Ras Laffan Blast’Protectors Became Predators’: Dharmendra Pradhan Reacts To NEET Paper Leak Row, Student Suicides123PhotostoriesWhat is Snake Soup, does it have venom and reasons why Chinese still consume itMumbai–Bengaluru Vande Bharat corridor: 5 destinations worth exploring along the routeWhat is FAFO parenting? 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The viral trend that every Indian parent has already been doing without knowing it Things you should never accept as gifts, According to your date of birth Head-forward driving position! New hypercar breaks convention Airfares could rise by up to 25% as jet fuel costs surge, says McKinsey Rahul Gandhi (File photo) NEW DELHI: BJP on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of echoing narratives that “mirrored Pakistan’s propaganda” during Operation Sindoor. The ruling party at the Centre also charged that Rahul chose to question the government instead of demanding proof from Islamabad over its claims about Rafale fighter jets.The fresh political salvo came after a recent Air Force (IAF) tender seeking a support package for all 36 Rafale fighter jets was cited by the BJP as evidence that Pakistan’s long-standing claim of having shot down multiple Rafales during the conflict does not hold up.Leading the charge, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya alleged that while Pakistan was pushing claims about downed Rafale jets, Rahul Gandhi chose to question the Union government rather than seek proof from Islamabad.”During Operation Sindoor, when India was confronting a grave national security challenge, Rahul Gandhi chose to amplify questions and narratives that mirrored Pakistan’s propaganda about Indian Rafale fighter jets,” Malviya said in a post on X.According to the BJP leader, Pakistan’s information ecosystem worked aggressively to promote the claim that Indian Rafales had been shot down. He alleged that Rahul’s remarks at the time ended up giving legitimacy to a narrative being advanced by a hostile neighbour.”Instead of demanding evidence from Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi sought answers from the Government of India, lending credibility to an adversarial claim at a sensitive moment,” Malviya said.The BJP leader pointed to the latest IAF tender as proof that Pakistan’s narrative had collapsed. “Today, an Indian Air Force tender seeking a support package for all 36 Rafale fighter aircraft has thoroughly undermined those claims. The facts are clear: the propaganda that Pakistan peddled, and which Rahul Gandhi helped amplify, has fallen apart,” he said.Malviya further argued that political disagreements should not come at the cost of national unity during military operations. He said there is “a time for political debate and a time for national solidarity”, adding that raising doubts about military actions without evidence could hurt the morale of the armed forces.He went on to claim that many Indians would view such conduct as “crossing a red line”, arguing that giving “oxygen to an adversary’s disinformation campaign during a national security operation” would be seen not just as irresponsible politics but as “a betrayal of the national interest”.”The Indian Air Force has answered with facts. Pakistan’s propaganda stands exposed. Those who amplified it owe the nation an explanation,” Malviya said.Why Rafale tender mattersThe row centres around an Air Headquarters Request for Proposal (RFP) issued in June, inviting bids for a five-month “bridge support” package covering all 36 Rafale fighter jets acquired from France.A “bridge support” package is a temporary arrangement designed to ensure uninterrupted maintenance, logistics and technical support until a longer-term contract is finalised. While such tenders are routine, the BJP has seized on this one because it covers the entire Rafale fleet.Pakistan had repeatedly claimed after Operation Sindoor that several Rafale jets were destroyed during the conflict. However, military officials had rejected those assertions, but Islamabad continued to push the narrative.Now, BJP leaders argue that the IAF’s support request for all 36 aircraft reinforces India’s position and exposes what they describe as Pakistan’s misinformation campaign.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 MediaVideosNew Book Reveals Trump Rejected Proposal To Send Indian Peacekeepers To UkraineHyderabad Gets ‘Donald Trump Avenue’ As Telangana Renames Road Outside US ConsulateSindhi Community Raises Concerns Over Utilisation Of 200 Kg Silver Donation Made For Ram MandirIndia Hits Back At Pakistan At UN, Reaffirms Jammu & Kashmir Is Strictly An Internal MatterMumbai Faces Widespread Waterlogging As Delayed Monsoon Arrival Brings Heavy Rain And DisruptionsAkhilesh Yadav Says BJP Using Mohan Yadav Land Allegations To Prepare Chief Ministerial ChangesIndia-US Partnership Will Shape The Coming Decades, Says US EnvoyQatar Emir Speaks To PM Modi, Offers Condolences After Ras Laffan Blast’Protectors Became Predators’: Dharmendra Pradhan Reacts To NEET Paper Leak Row, Student SuicidesTMC Expels Firhad Hakim, Arup Roy And Six Others As Mamata Cracks Down On Rebel Camp123PhotostoriesWhat is FAFO parenting? 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There is no way to prove either, but the fact is — it caught the social media space and it got a lot of headlines, but it is not a political party,” Ramesh said when asked about the CJP movement.”It is political parties that ultimately count. It is the party structure that counts. So while it was an important vehicle for sending a message of frustration on the part of the youth, ultimately I think established political parties have to take this forward,” he said.Ramesh said the Congress is running a campaign as part of which Rahul Gandhi addressed students in Kota and will do so in Prayagraj, Patna and Delhi.”We have to continue with this, no doubt about it. He is not just raising the issue of NEET and CBSE, he is raising the fundamental issue of education, he is raising the issue of examination, he is raising the issue of public investment in education,” Ramesh said.The Congress leader said the important point Gandhi made in Kota — that families are spending more on coaching centres than the central government is spending on education — has not gotten the national attention it deserved.”While we have to discuss the examination issue which is very important, I think a situation where families are spending more on coaching centres than the central government is spending on education is itself a fundamental mismatch, a fundamental asymmetry in our education system,” Ramesh said.”Why are coaching centres so popular in this country? Why is medical education so expensive? Why is everything getting privatised? Those are the questions that he raised in Kota and also those are the questions we have to raise in Parliament and outside,” he added.The CJP has continued its sit-in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, now in its fifth day, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged NEET-UG paper leak and examination irregularities. The group has maintained that the protest will continue until Pradhan resigns.On Tuesday, protesters held a “diaper donation drive” as part of the campaign under the slogan “Diaper a day keeps leaks away.”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. 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