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Adjustment politics charge: K’taka CM says ‘never spoke to BJP leaders’

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that he has not spoken to the opposition leaders referring to the ‘adjustment politics’ charge made against him by the BJP.

Talking to reporters in Bengaluru about the charges made by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha that adjustment politics is practiced in the state by CM Siddaramaiah and top BJP leaders, Siddaramaiah said that, “Pratap Simha has no political maturity.”

“Pratap Simha talks according to his whims and fancies. He claims that he had built Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway. Is he MP for the expressway? I have never spoken to the opposition leaders in my political career. I never visit their homes when they are in power. But, when we face each other, I speak to them for courtesy,” Siddaramaiah stated. But, I never speak anything related to politics, he added.

Siddaramaiah demanded that Pratap Simha should say who is pursuing adjustment politics. He should know who is into it. If he wants, let him submit a complaint to the Governor. “Conducting inquiry is left to our discretion. We know the appropriate time to conduct probe and also know to which agency the investigation should be handed over to,” he stated.

Talking about Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala attending the meeting of BBMP officers, Siddaramaiah said, it was not the official meeting. The meeting was called regarding Bengaluru city and he mentioned about civic polls as a passing remark.

The debate on adjustment politics between the Congress government and top leaders of BJP cropped up again in Karnataka with Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP Pratap Simha directly stating that senior leaders of his party have joined hands with the ruling Congress government. With the development, the internal strife within BJP has worsened.

Pratap Simha had stated that Siddaramaiah, prominent leaders of BJP do not speak against you. Many of them might have colluded with your government. But, BJP workers won’t compromise with you and they will never do it. In elections, the leaders of BJP might have been defeated, but party workers are not.

He further questioned that why did the Congress leaders not lodge complaints against the BJP government regarding the 40 per cent commission scam? The Congress leaders created hue and cry on the letter of Kempanna (President of Contractorsa� Association in Karnataka who wrote a letter on commission scam to PM Modi).

When Basavaraja Bommai was the CM there were statements on probing de-notification and redo charges, Kempanna report against then opposition leader Siddaramaiah was also discussed. But, our BJP leaders were just issuing statements and did not do anything concrete in this regard, Pratap Simha had stated.

Even Siddaramaiah often spoke about Bitcoin scam, PSI scam against BJP. But, now he has gone completely silent over them. If there is no adjustment with BJP leaders, these allegations must be probed. It is like one criticizing the other at each other’s convenience. Is your agreement mutual back scratching?, Pratap Simha questioned.

National General Secretary C. T. Ravi who faced defeat against his right-hand man H.D. Thammaiah, pitted against him as Congress candidate in Chikkamagalur constituency had earlier stated that there is adjustment politics within BJP and the party was defeated for the same reason in the state during the assembly polls.

Maharashtra

Mumbai 26 July 2005 Floods: When City Was Submerged With 944 mm Of Rain In 24 Hours Leaving 914 Dead, Thousands Displaced

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Every year, the monsoon season disrupts life across Indian cities with heavy rainfall, waterlogging and traffic chaos. But July 26, 2005, stands out as a day that etched itself into Mumbai’s history as one of its darkest and most devastating.

On that day, Mumbai received an unprecedented 944 mm of rain in just 24 hours, nearly half of its annual average. Between 8 am and 8 pm alone, 644 mm poured down. It remains the eighth-highest 24-hour rainfall ever recorded anywhere in the world. The city, unprepared for such intensity, was brought to a grinding halt.

Internet Flooded With Old Visuals, Still Haunting Mumbaikars

Several netizens took to social media to share haunting visuals from the 2005 Mumbai floods, recalling the day when the city came to a complete standstill. Many described it as an unforgettable chapter in Mumbai’s history, marked by chaos, resilience and unity.

While some reflected on the overwhelming scale of the disaster, others remembered how the crisis revealed the undying spirit of Mumbai, with strangers helping each other and communities coming together in the face of adversity.

Mumbai’s Lifeline Took Serious Hit, 52 Local Trains Damaged

As floodwaters rose, roads vanished beneath torrents of water. Local trains, the city’s lifeline, stopped completely, with tracks submerged and 52 trains damaged. Thousands were stranded in stations, schools and offices overnight. Low-lying areas like Dharavi and the Bandra-Kurla Complex were heavily inundated, while vehicles were swept away or immobilised.

The scale of disruption was staggering. Over 37,000 auto-rickshaws, 4,000 taxis, 900 BEST buses and 10,000 trucks and tempos were either damaged or rendered unusable. Even the skies were no refuge. For the first time ever, Mumbai’s airports shut down, with Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and the Juhu airstrip closed for more than 30 hours. More than 700 flights were cancelled or delayed, creating nationwide ripples in air traffic.

Over 900 Killed, Property Worth ₹5.5 Billion Destroyed

The economic loss was estimated at Rs 5.5 billion (around 100 million USD). But the cost in human lives and suffering was far greater. According to official reports, 914 people lost their lives, many due to drowning, electrocution and landslides. More than 14,000 homes were destroyed, leaving thousands without shelter, food or drinking water.

Communication networks also failed. Around 5 million mobile users and 2.3 million landline connections went dead for several hours, hampering emergency rescue operations. Emergency services were overwhelmed, as the city grappled with a disaster it had never imagined.

The 2005 floods served as a harsh wake-up call, exposing Mumbai’s vulnerability to extreme weather. In the years since, the government has worked on improving disaster preparedness, such as creating specialised disaster management units, upgrading early warning systems and installing floodgates and dewatering pumps at critical points.

Yet, even two decades later, as visuals from 2005 resurface each year, a haunting question persists: Is Mumbai truly prepared to face another flood of that magnitude?

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National News

Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh Slams PM Modi’s ‘Boasted Friendship’ With Donald Trump, Cites US Engagement With Pakistan

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New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “much boasted friendship” with US President Donald Trump is now proving to be “hollow” and cited several overtures the latter recently made to Pakistan.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh also alleged that Indian diplomacy was failing in the light of the US partnering with Pakistan.

“The abject failure of Indian diplomacy, especially in the past two months, is revealed most tellingly by four facts. These expose the tall claims made by the Prime Minister and his drum-beaters and cheerleaders,” he said in his post.

Ramesh said that since May 10, 2025, Trump has claimed 25 times that “he personally intervened to stop Operation Sindoor, threatening India and Pakistan that if they didn’t bring the war to a halt, they would not have a trade agreement with the USA.” On June 10, 2025, he claimed, Gen Michael Kurilla, the head of the US Central Command, hailed Pakistan as a phenomenal partner of the US in countering terrorism.

On June 18, 2025, Trump held an unprecedented luncheon meeting with Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in the White House, Ramesh noted.

“Two months earlier, Munir’s inflammatory, incendiary, and communally provocative remarks had provided the backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks on April 22, 2025,” he said.

Just yesterday, the Congress leader claimed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and thanked Pakistan for its partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional stability.

“The PM’s clean chit to China on June 19, 2020, has already cost India heavily. His much boasted friendship with President Trump is now proving to be hollow,” Ramesh said in his post.

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National News

Government Cracks Down on OTT Platforms Over Obscene Content

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New Delhi, July 25, 2025 — In a significant move targeting explicit digital content, the Government of India has taken steps to block several over-the-top (OTT) platforms accused of streaming obscene and vulgar material. Platforms such as ALTBalaji, ULLU, and a few others have come under the scanner for allegedly violating Indian content regulations and societal norms.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, acting on multiple complaints from citizens and civil society groups, initiated the ban after conducting an internal review. Authorities stated that certain shows and web series available on these platforms contained content that was “sexually explicit,” “vulgar,” and “not suitable for public viewing,” especially in households with children.

The decision has stirred a wider debate around content regulation and creative freedom in India’s rapidly growing digital entertainment sector. While officials maintain that the step was necessary to uphold decency standards and protect cultural values, critics warn of overreach and censorship.

A senior official said, “This is not about targeting creative freedom. This is about ensuring that OTT content does not cross legal and moral boundaries. There are clear guidelines, and platforms are expected to adhere to them.”

The platforms affected reportedly failed to comply with warnings issued earlier regarding their programming. Despite advisory notices and reminders to filter or restrict adult content, several web series continued to feature nudity, explicit scenes, and suggestive themes without proper age-gating or viewer discretion tools.

In recent years, OTT platforms have grown in popularity, especially among younger audiences, with many bypassing traditional film and TV regulations. The government had previously introduced a self-regulation framework for digital content providers, but critics say enforcement has been lax, leading to the current clampdown.

Some media rights advocates and artists expressed concern over the lack of transparency in the banning process and called for an independent review mechanism. Others, however, welcomed the move, stating that unchecked access to graphic content could have a detrimental effect on social behavior and minors.

As of now, the banned platforms remain inaccessible in India. The Ministry has hinted at further actions if other OTT providers do not align their content with the prescribed code of ethics and IT rules.

This development marks a turning point in India’s digital media regulation and sets the stage for possible stricter content monitoring across streaming platforms in the future.

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