The Lok Sabha witnessed a dramatic exchange between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during the Winter Session of Parliament. Gandhi challenged Shah to debate on his allegations of "vote chori" by the BJP, to which Shah retorted that he will not change his speech for anyone's demands. The session will continue till December 19.
Former JNU student and activist Umar Khalid, who is an accused in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, has been granted interim bail for 14 days to attend his sister's wedding on December 27. This comes after multiple failed attempts to secure bail, with the court allowing temporary relief for family reasons. Khalid has been instructed to stay away from social media and can only meet family members, relatives, and close friends during the bail period.
The Maharashtra Assembly was in chaos as opposition parties raised concerns over the recent police encounter of government consultant Rohit Arya. The lawmakers claimed that the encounter was wrongful and questioned why Arya was not just shot in the leg instead. It was revealed that Arya had worked on several government projects but had not been paid for his services, leading to the extreme step. The state government has assured an ongoing inquiry into the matter.
During a lively Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, BJP MP Anurag Thakur accused a TMC MP of smoking an e-cigarette inside the House. Speaker Om Birla promised action if a written complaint is filed, while pointing out that the use of e-cigarettes is not allowed in the Lok Sabha. The incident highlights the ongoing debate on the ban on e-cigarettes in India.
A heated commotion erupted in Parliament during Question Hour on Thursday when BJP MP Anurag Thakur accused a Trinamool Congress member of using an e-cigarette in the House, a violation of both parliamentary conduct and national law. Speaker Om Birla responded by sternly stating that no such permission existed and urged Thakur to file a complaint if he had evidence to support his allegation. Amidst the back-and-forth, Thakur questioned if e-cigarettes had been allowed in the Sadan, given their nationwide ban.
The State Election Commission has pushed back municipal elections in multiple districts of Maharashtra to December 20, causing a stir among candidates and political parties as the previous polling date was looming. The postponement is due to delays in resolving appeals filed by rejected candidates, leading to procedural errors according to the Maharashtra Municipal Election Rules. The new schedule now includes deadlines for symbol allocation, withdrawal of nominations, and voting. This move has major consequences for campaigns and may change the electoral landscape in the affected constituencies.
A mini truck carrying 17 Border Security Force personnel overturned in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, leaving them injured. The jawans were on their way to Antagarh railway station for a leave when the accident occurred. Four of them were referred to Raipur for further treatment. The state government has declared a 'dry day' on January 22 for Ram Temple inauguration, while a 16-year-old was held hostage and raped in another incident in the state.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi pays tribute to Shri Pranab Mukherjee, a former President and veteran politician, on his birth anniversary. The PM praises Mukherjee's exceptional leadership and contributions to India's development, highlighting his intellect and unwavering dedication to public service. The post also mentions the privilege of the PM's personal interactions with Mukherjee and the valuable lessons learned from him.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu urges alliance ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs to join the Atal Sandesh — Modi Suparipalana Yatra, a program honoring former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's ideals and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives. Naidu highlights Vajpayee's legacy and his contributions to India's development, while emphasizing Modi's role in leading the country to become the world's No. 1 nation by 2047. He urges NDA leaders to coordinate efforts and make the yatra a success.
On Thursday's episode of Good Morning Britain, host Ed Balls was called out on social media by viewers for interviewing Labour MP and Chancellor Rachel Reeves about her Autumn budget. Critics pointed out that Balls, who is married to Reeves' colleague Yvette Cooper and was previously a Labour Chancellor, was displaying bias in his conversation with Reeves. This isn't the first time Ed Balls has faced criticism for interviewing a family member on the show.
In the Lok Sabha, a special discussion was held to commemorate 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, which was turned into a battleground for political agendas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of splitting the song in order to appease the Muslim League and ultimately make the song unrecognizable. This sparked protest and outrage from the opposition who claimed that this discussion was simply an attempt to gain favor for the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal. The session also saw technicalities such as the mispronunciation of the poet's name and the song itself, furthering the divisions in the political discourse.