Telangana BJP President, Ramchander Rao, on Tuesday criticised Congress leaders, including party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for demanding a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls over allegations of alleged irregularities, calling the demand baseless and accusing the Opposition of misleading people with allegations of vote theft.

Speaking to media, Rao said the SIR process had progressed significantly and questioned the Congress’ demand to stop it without presenting evidence of alleged voter deletions.

“Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, have time and again been asking for the SIR process to be stalled. In fact, the first phase of the SIR is over now. The second phase of the SIR for the remaining voters has been completed,” he said.

He added that Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were among the states where the second phase of the exercise had been completed, claiming that the overall process was now almost complete.

“How can it be stopped without any proof? Kharge or Rahul Gandhi, it is their demand to stop the SIR without any basis,” Rao claimed.

The BJP leader alleged that the Congress had failed to substantiate its claims that legitimate voters had been removed from electoral rolls. He claimed that neither the party’s leaders nor the individuals allegedly affected had provided evidence to establish where or how valid votes were deleted.

“They don’t have any basis for voter deletion. They make such demands to confuse the people of the country. Their claims of vote theft are an insult to the people’s mandate,” he said.

Rao also questioned the grounds on which the Congress was protesting, asking why the party had not presented specific evidence to support its allegations.

The BJP leader further defended Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming that Opposition parties had accepted electoral outcomes in states where they had won using the same voting system.

“The EVMs they are raising questions about are the same ones through which they won in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala,” he said.

Reiterating the BJP’s stance on the matter, Rao alleged that the Opposition questioned the credibility of EVMs and the Election Commission of India (ECI) primarily when the BJP emerged victorious in elections.

He maintained that the allegations against the electoral process were false and reiterated that the Congress should provide evidence to support its claims rather than demand that the SIR exercise be stopped.

The Income Tax Department has recently nudged select taxpayers who have invested in residential and commercial properties in the UAE to avail of the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme, 2026 (FAST-DS), offering a one-time opportunity to declare these overseas assets which have been undisclosed so far, according to Finance Ministry sources.

The scheme provides a time-bound window to regularise eligible disclosures by paying 30 per cent tax on the fair market value and an equal amount of penalty in addition to tax. A crucial feature of the scheme is that it is fully online, trust-based, and self-declaratory.

A valid declaration brings immunity from further assessment, penalty and prosecution under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 (Black Money Act). The scheme further provides an opportunity to taxpayers to report unaccounted assets and income on payment of a Rs 1 lakh fee to avoid a penalty of Rs 10 lakh each year prescribed in the Black Money Act.

Till now, approximately 1,100 taxpayers have filed applications under the scheme, which is open till December 31, 2026, sources said.

The Central government has launched the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme, 2026 (FAST-DS), offering a one-time opportunity to disclose foreign assets and income that have been undisclosed so far.

To facilitate taxpayers, the Department has created a facility in the e-filing portal where a taxpayer can see information with respect to assets reported on their PANs by the foreign jurisdictions under Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), popularly known as CRS/FATCA. Taxpayers can log in to the e-filing portal and download this information for the three-year period 2022-2024.

Sources informed that the information received under AEOI from the signatories of CRS/FATCA frameworks has only been displayed in the e-filing portal. Department receives information under other multilateral frameworks which has not been displayed in the portal due to various risk factors or non-disclosure commitments. Further, the Income Tax Department collects information from other sources as well. The Department decided, in a high-level meeting on October 23, that such information may also be shared with relevant taxpayers, wherever possible, to enable them to take advantage of the scheme.

The Income Tax Department has also planned outreach programmes to create awareness among taxpayers, corporates as employers, educational institutes, professional bodies and industry associations. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which is the apex body that heads the Income Tax Department, has also made a Committee in each region under the Principal Chief Commissioner to help taxpayers resolve their queries and concerns.

Demanding an apology, Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra on Monday led a massive protest near the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at Rajaji Marg, opposing his alleged insulting remarks about the late father of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting in Patna a day earlier.

Malhotra said, “We have gathered at Kharge’s residence today to tell him that PM Modi is not merely a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, but one of the top leaders in the world and the Prime Minister of India. Kharge must apologise for his remarks.”

Our movement and protest will continue till Kharge apologises, he said, adding that wherever Kharge goes to address the public, the citizens and BJP workers will demand answers from him.

Malhotra said the entire Congress, whether it is Rahul Gandhi or Congress President Kharge, has become frustrated.

“After suffering continuous electoral defeats, they are unable to understand what to do. They repeatedly resort to creating an atmosphere of anarchy and behave as though they do not respect the law,” he said.

“They want to stage protests outside the Supreme Court, organise rallies and attempt to enter the Supreme Court premises, and at times even reach the gates of Parliament. They are people who do not respect constitutional institutions or the laws of the country,” he said.

Malhotra said that a few months ago, they attempted to shut down Delhi, which affected the entire business community of the city.

“Even today, without caring about the law, they are continuously attempting to hold protests and demonstrations at various places in Delhi, including Connaught Place, in violation of the law. By mobilising disruptive and anarchic elements, they are attempting to create an atmosphere of anarchy in Delhi and across the country,” he said.

Malhotra said Congress leaders’ frustration is increasing because the people are not with them.

“Their own people and workers are not with them, and whenever by-election results are announced, and the Congress and opposition parties suffer defeats there as well, their frustration increases further,” he said.

The protest against Kharge was joined by Delhi BJP In-charge Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and 2,000 workers of the Delhi BJP Purvanchal, Yuva and OBC Morchas.

The protest, conducted by Delhi BJP General Secretary Mohan Lal Gihara, saw party workers march towards Kharge’s residence after the leaders addressed the gathering.

Police attempted to stop the workers by putting up barricades at the Kushak Road turn. When the workers broke through the barricades and proceeded further, a heavy police contingent stopped them near Sena Bhawan.

The police then detained around 200 senior office-bearers and workers, including Delhi BJP President Malhotra, and took them to Mandir Marg Police Station in five buses.

Sahasrabuddhe said that PM Modi comes from an ordinary family and is serving the country, reaching the office of Prime Minister after immense struggle.

“An attempt has been made to insult that journey. The kind of objectionable language used by the Congress President does not befit the president of the country’s oldest political party,” he said.

Delhi BJP Vice President Rajesh Bhatia said that the Congress’ cheap mentality has once again been exposed.

Delhi BJP General Secretary Mohan Lal Gihara said that Kharge has crossed all limits of decency.

Delhi Purvanchal Morcha President Santosh Ojha said that by insulting the Prime Minister’s father, Kharge has also insulted the Purvanchal community.

Yuva Morcha President Rajat Chaudhary said that the youth rejects Congress’ politics of abusive language.