National News
Congress is like fire, if you meddle with us you won’t survive: Kharge to BJP
Belagavi, Jan 21: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday strongly criticised the BJP, saying that his party is like a fire and if the BJP tries to meddle with Congress then it won’t survive.
“You (BJP) are the ones who have burned the Constitution and defaced photos of B.R. Ambedkar and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. If you meddle with us, remember, we are like fire, you will burn and won’t survive. Do not provoke us. It won’t be possible to thrive by constantly instigating others,” said Kharge while addressing Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan convention in Belagavi.
He further refuted the BJP’s claims that Congress insulted B.R. Ambedkar, stating that ‘it is impossible’.
“Who installed Ambedkar’s statue in front of Parliament? It was during the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with Hukum Singh from Punjab serving as the Speaker. Today, Ambedkar’s statue has been moved to a corner where no one can even spot it,” he said.
Kharge accused the BJP of staging theatrics by bowing down to copies of the Constitution. “BJP, RSS, and Hindu Mahasabha burned copies of the Constitution and statues of Nehru. Without understanding history, one cannot comprehend these acts of hypocrisy,” he stated.
He dismissed the BJP’s claims that Ambedkar was defeated by Congress, explaining, “The Congress party elected Ambedkar unanimously twice. M.R. Jayakar from Mumbai resigned his Rajya Sabha seat to enable Ambedkar’s election. What did the BJP do? They burned copies of the Constitution,” Kharge said.
He questioned the BJP who made Ambedkar part of the Constitution drafting committee.
“You did not agree to the Tricolour or national emblem. You should be ashamed. BJP and RSS did not even hoist the Tricolour on their offices,” he said.
Kharge praised Rahul Gandhi’s efforts, highlighting his ‘Samvidhan Bachao’ movement and the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.
“What sacrifice has anyone from your organisation made for this country? During the independence struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, Jan Sangh appealed to people not to participate,” he said.
“Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are younger than me. Union Minister Amit Shah insulted Ambedkar on the Parliament floor. We demanded his resignation and protested. This war has begun,” Kharge declared.
He lamented the destruction of government institutions under BJP rule, adding that BJP and RSS are busy looking for Shivlings under every mosque.
“Even RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has asked the BJP to stop this. The communal hatred they are propagating is dangerous. The Congress is working towards unity in the country,” Kharge said.
Kharge also referred to a letter written by Ambedkar to his friend Kamala Kanth, in which he blamed his election defeat on Veer Savarkar and S.A. Dande.
He urged people not to believe the claims of the BJP and RSS blindly.
“All people must come together, support the Congress party, and ensure its victory in the elections,” Kharge appealed.
Crime
MMRDA declares airport-adjacent structure illegal; Kirit Somaiya demands immediate demolition

Mumbai, Sep 10: Tensions have escalated near Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal 2) after the Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed that a religious structure operating near the high-security zone lacks statutory planning permissions and is unauthorised.
Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirit Somaiya has alleged a deliberate attempt at unauthorised land occupation — characterising the structure as “Land Jihad” — and has pressed state authorities and site operators to initiate criminal action against the trustees and individuals responsible.
Following complaints regarding unauthorised construction near sensitive airport land, MMRDA verified that no official approvals, building sanctions, or permissions were ever granted for the religious structure.
MMRDA has issued formal notices to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) directing the immediate removal and demolition of the unauthorised structure to ensure the perimeter remains clear.
Somaiya has formally requested both MMRDA and MIAL to go beyond physical clearance by registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the managing trustees and individuals associated with the illegal construction.
The controversy highlights ongoing scrutiny surrounding unauthorised encroachments adjacent to critical national infrastructure. Officials note that unregulated structures near VIP corridors, taxi parking lanes, and terminal facilities pose significant security hazards.
The matter aligns with previous judicial observations where courts have emphasised that public safety and secure zones near international hubs supersede unauthorised religious claims or structures erected without explicit administrative approvals.
Authorities from MIAL and local police departments are currently reviewing directives provided by MMRDA regarding execution steps and necessary security arrangements during the scheduled clearance drive.
Crime
Priyanka Gandhi office warns against her deepfake videos asking people to invest money

New Delhi, Sep 10: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday urged people to stay cautious of misleading and fabricated videos allegedly featuring her and asked them not to fall prey to fraudulent and deceitful calls for investment in real estate projects or any other futuristic ventures.
Priyanka Gandhi’s office flagged the issue after her deepfake videos surfaced and were seen in circulation on multiple social media platforms.
It has urged the Congress leader’s followers and others to neither click on those posts nor give consent to any requests made in the AI-generated video.
Issuing a formal scam alert on Instagram, Priyanka Gandhi’s office warned the public against fake, AI-generated videos that have apparently used her face and voice to cheat the people and hoodwink them into fraudulent investments.
“Fake videos using AI-generated images and voice of Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ji is circulating on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms asking people to invest money,” Cong MP’s office informed on its Insta handle.
“These are scams. Please do not click or invest,” it further said.
The Congress MP also asked the people to block such posts at the first instance and also report them to the relevant authorities for suitable action.
Such scams using deepfake and AI-generated videos of famous personalities have mushroomed in the past few years, making many gullible investors prone to huge financial losses.
A deepfake video is made by using AI to simulate a person’s face and voice, making it a facsimile copy of the target.
The scammers distort and misuse the cutting-edge technology to generate misleading videos, featuring unauthorised images of prominent figures and then try to rob people of their money.
In the recent past, deepfake videos of industrialists like Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani also surfaced, where the online scammers and fraudsters used AI-doctored videos to lure citizens into fraudulent investment traps, leading to huge losses to investors.
National News
Jammu Municipal Corporation demolishes 20 shops in Satwati area

Jammu, Sep 10: Jammu Municipal Corporation officials on Thursday demolished 20 shops in Satwati area of the city even as the shopkeepers alleged that no prior notice was served to them.
Reports said the Jammu Municipal Corporation today demolished around 20 shops at Satwari Chowk, triggering anger among shopkeepers who alleged that the decades old commercial establishments were demolished without any prior information or notification.
The shops, according to the affected shopkeepers, had been operating at the location for around 50 years, with the occupants claiming that they had been regularly paying monthly rent to the municipal authorities.
Angry shopkeepers alleged that the demolition was carried out without giving them adequate notice or information, leaving them with little opportunity to remove their belongings or make alternative arrangements. The action comes against the backdrop of the long-pending issue of rehabilitation of shopkeepers affected by development works in the Satwari area.
The UT Cabinet had earlier approved a rehabilitation and resettlement scheme for shopkeepers and open-space kiosks affected by road widening at Nai Basti, Satwari Chowk.
A Jammu Municipal Corporation official, however, said that the affected shopkeepers would be relocated to another site within six months.
The assurance has failed to convince the affected traders, who said they had heard assurances of rehabilitation earlier as well, but continued to face uncertainty over their livelihood. The issue of rehabilitation of Satwari shopkeepers has been raised repeatedly by traders’ bodies.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has previously stated that affected shopkeepers had been paying rent to the municipal authorities and had sought alternate sites and rehabilitation.
Shopkeepers affected by the Jammu Municipal Corporation actions argue that relocation promises are uncertain and have demanded immediate financial compensation.
In June 2026, Jammu Development Authority (JDA) cleared over 30 illegal structures near the Jammu railway station, reclaiming state land valued at Rs 10 crore.
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