New Delhi, Oct 13: Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday that the way Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and members of the Opposition “misbehaved” with a female journalist during the INDIA bloc march a day before, the conduct would “never be forgiven” by the people of the country.

Addressing a press conference, Goyal said: “Yesterday’s disgraceful behaviour by Rahul Gandhi and his colleagues towards a woman journalist was unacceptable. She was three months pregnant and therefore was repeatedly telling them to be careful. However, she was pushed around and thrown to the ground, and eventually had to be hospitalised. What was her only fault? She was covering their protest and asking a few questions.”

“I do not believe the 1.4 billion people of this country will ever forgive such behaviour. I do not believe that even a single journalist, male or female, could ever forgive this conduct,” he added.

Meanwhile, Goyal referred to Rahul Gandhi’s previous allegations against former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying: “They (Congress leaders) abuse Mamata Banerjee and contest elections against her, accusing her of opening the doors for the BJP to win the recently held West Bengal polls through her alleged wrongdoings and malpractices.”

“After both of them (Congress and Mamata-All India Trinamool Congress) lost elections (in West Bengal), they shamelessly took a U-turn and started blaming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Election Commission since both of them are now searching for a reason for their defeat. Both Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee should show some spine and stick to one story rather than constantly changing narratives,” he remarked.

The Union Minister spoke about the protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls, emphasising that the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutional validity of Bihar’s SIR in May 2026.

“While proceedings regarding Form-6 are ongoing in court, if they (Congress) truly respect the Constitution, why take to the streets? The judicial process is already underway. The court is examining whether Form-6 is appropriate, and if any corrections are needed, it will direct them. The court has already held that the SIR is constitutionally valid. So, why are they (Congress) taking to the streets and trying to create anarchy?” Goyal said.

“Why are they (Congress) trying to provoke people? When constitutional avenues and methods are available to you, but you refuse to follow or respect them, you demonstrate that you are an anarchist and believe in the path of anarchy. I think Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are insulting the Constitution and showing anarchy on the streets,” he remarked.

Goyal said that if Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party really have any evidence of “vote chori”, then why was it not submitted to the court or to the Election Commission?

“This is such height of stupidity that they (Congress) can’t even file a petition properly despite (Congress) giving Rajya Sabha seats to such big lawyers. There were 14 defects in the petition (filed) in the Supreme Court…I believe the Congress is itself responsible for its failure. The party has a dark future under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi,” he remarked while referring to the petition filed by opposition leaders in the Supreme Court alleging irregularities in SIR.

Goyal added: “The person (Rahul Gandhi) who believes in anarchy and does his politics based on lies, the party’s leaders who can’t even file a petition properly…what future will such a party and its leader give to the country!”

Jammu, Oct 13: At least four people were injured in a road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, officials said on Tuesday.

Officials said the four people, including two women, were injured after a vehicle they were travelling in overturned near Shenai in the Bhalla area of the district.

Union Minister of State (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh, said on X, “Just now spoke to DC Doda Sh Krishan Lal after learning about an unfortunate road accident involving a mini-bus, on way from Doda to Bhaderwah.”

“The injured passengers have been shifted to hospital for medical aid, and their condition is reported to be stable. Thankfully, no casualty reported. All necessary assistance being provided. My office is in touch with the district administration,” the Minister said.

The injured were identified as Ashiq Hussain (35), son of Ghulam Rasool, a resident of Gotha in Bhaderwah; Mohd Javed (48), son of Talib Hussain; his wife, Rubina Begum (46), both residents of Brassu in Bhalla; and Insha (35), wife of Rashid Ahmed, a resident of Bhaderwah.

Meanwhile, police have taken cognisance of the incident, and further details are being verified.

Road accidents in the hilly districts of Jammu and Kashmir (such as Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, and parts of Budgam) are caused by a combination of challenging geography, extreme weather, and human or infrastructural factors.

Treacherous terrain and poor road geometry, narrow carriageways, sharp bends, steep gradients, and limited sight distances make manoeuvring difficult on mountain highways and link roads.

A lack of essential safety infrastructure, such as crash barriers, parapet walls, and proper road signage, frequently turns minor slips into fatal plunges into deep gorges.

Monsoon rains, melting snow, and heavy fog trigger frequent landslides, rockfalls, and road-surface erosion, drastically reducing grip and visibility. July and monsoon months experience a notable spike in crashes as wet roads and mudslides compromise vehicle control.

Drivers often exceed safe speeds relative to the winding, unpredictable nature of hill roads. Overtaking on blind curves and ignoring lane discipline are major contributors to head-on collisions and vehicles skidding off-road.

Passenger vehicles and goods carriers are frequently overloaded beyond capacity, making navigation on steep slopes dangerous.

Commercial operators sometimes bypass strict permit or maintenance checks on link roads.

Limited police or traffic regulation presence on remote rural and hill link roads allows unsafe driving behaviours to go unchecked. Delayed road repairs and poor drainage systems further accelerate the deterioration of mountain paths.

Jaipur, Oct 13: Security agencies have recovered a consignment of suspected explosives and weapons from the Rawla Mandi area of Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district, near the Pakistan border.

Two youths from Punjab have been arrested in connection with the case, while a search operation is underway in the surrounding areas.

According to preliminary information, the consignment was allegedly dropped by a drone from across the Pakistan border on Monday night.

The recovered material reportedly includes RDX, two pistols, four magazines, around 650 cartridges, four pairs of batteries and two remote-control devices.

The exact nature and quantity of the seized material are yet to be officially confirmed.

The operation was conducted by teams from the Border Security Force (BSF), the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Rawla police following an intelligence input about suspicious packets being dropped near Chak 4 KNM W Tail, under Gram Panchayat 12 KND in the Rawla area.

According to officials, the ANTF had received information that three packets had been dropped by a suspected Pakistani drone in a field near a canal at around 10 p.m. on Monday. Initially, the packets were suspected to contain narcotics. Acting on the input, security personnel searched the area and recovered the suspicious packets. The contents reportedly included weapons and explosive material. Two youths were apprehended during the operation.

Preliminary information suggests that one is from Jalandhar and the other from the Firozpur area of Punjab. Their alleged roles and links to the consignment are being investigated.

ANTF Inspector General Vikas Kumar said a large quantity of ammunition and suspected explosives had been dropped in Rajasthan using drones. He said security agencies were investigating who had sent the consignment and what its intended purpose was.

The entire matter was under investigation, and further details would emerge as the probe progressed. The IG confirmed that two accused had been arrested in connection with the case.

Following the recovery, security agencies have tightened surveillance in the border region. Search operations are underway in agricultural fields, along canal banks and in nearby areas to determine whether any additional packets or suspicious material were dropped.

Investigators are also questioning the arrested youths to establish their alleged connections, identify those behind the consignment and determine where the weapons and explosives were intended to be delivered.

A specialised team has reportedly been called from Jaipur to examine the seized material and establish its precise composition and quantity. Security agencies are continuing their investigation, and further details are awaited.