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Delhi vs Haryana over toxic water: AAP doubles down on charge; BJP calls it ‘poll gimmick’

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New Delhi, Jan 28: A press conference by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accusing the BJP-led Haryana government of “deliberate and indiscriminate” release of untreated water in the Yamuna River, with an intent to derail Delhi’s water supply has triggered a flurry of reactions including demonstrations, protest and defamation threats over the ‘Yamuna poisoning’ charge.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP on Tuesday doubled down on its claims on release of toxic water into the Yamuna River by the Haryana government.

CM Atishi reiterated the charge and informed that her government will take up the matter with the Election Commission today and complain about the BJP’s brazen bid to “influence” the elections with contaminated water supply to the national Capital.

As the startling allegations by the Delhi CM created a political furore, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini responded with a defamation threat for baseless charge.

The Haryana CM, speaking to the press said, “Arvind Kejriwal must apologise for baseless allegations or else be prepared for a defamation case.”

The raging row over the ‘poisoning’ of the Yamuna River with the industrial waste from Haryana emanated after Delhi CM Atishi claimed that alarming levels of ammonia in water supply from the Wazirabad barrage had brought three water treatment plants of Delhi “near closure” and deeply impacted its functioning.

Meanwhile, the AAP supremo addressed a press conference on Tuesday morning, informing that Delhi CM Atishi and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann will meet the Election Commission later in the day to raise the matter before the poll panel.

Responding to the Haryana CM’s defamation warning, Kejriwal said, “You have already put me behind bars. Do you want to hang me? I won’t allow dirty water to Delhiites. Haryana must stop releasing poisoned water.”

Meanwhile, several Haryana ministers have dismissed Kejriwal’s charges as ‘unfounded and unsubstantiated’, terming it a political gimmick ahead of Delhi Assembly elections.

Anil Vij, a tall BJP leader and transport minister in the Haryana government accused Kejriwal and the Delhi dispensation of stoking needless controversy with baseless claims.

“The AAP government has been in power in Delhi for the past ten years. They failed to clean river Yamuna but go on freely blaming others for their own shortcomings,” he claimed.

He also asked the AAP government to do a reality check on Delhi’s water and conduct a lab test, adding that it will reveal the whole truth.

Ranbir Gangwa, another Haryana Cabinet minister blasted the Delhi government saying, ”Kejriwal and his aides are shifting blame on others to hide their own failures.”

Denouncing the AAP’s charges, he told the press, ”We have always fulfilled Delhi’s demand for water. We always met their demands for water.”

Krishan Lal Middha, Haryana Assembly Speaker also objected to the poisoning charges and said that the AAP was resorting to such tactics because of its anxiety and nervousness ahead of Delhi polls.

“The AAP is fearing a rout in the upcoming elections. It doesn’t know how to convince the electorate about its good works. They have misguided the people earlier also. This is another attempt to mislead the people and to win their support,” he said.

The political blame game over supply of toxic water to Delhi got a fresh twist, with the Congress, too, wading into the controversy. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that he was surprised that Haryana police was not initiating any action against AAP leaders for such ‘blatant lies’.

Crime

Karnataka KRIDL Office Assistant, Once A Sweeper, Found With Properties Worth Over ₹100 Crore

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Bengaluru: A sweeper, turned outsourced office assistant at the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation (KRIDL) in Koppal district has been the owner of properties worth over Rs 100 crore.

The shocking revelation came after the Karnataka Lokayukta raided the KRIDL office in Koppal, following a complaint against the Chief Executive Engineer Z M Chincholikar that there has been misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 72 crore in the works taken up between 2022 – 2024.

However, during the raid, the Lokayukta police grew suspicious over the office assistant Kalakappa Nidagundi of Bandi village in neighbouring Yalaburga taluk. Both Chincholikar and Nidagundi were immediately suspended and the search operations continued. However, Chincholikar managed to obtain a stay from the KAT and has been transferred to Davanagere.

During the search operations, the Lokayukta police stumbled on interesting facts about Kalakappa Nidagundi. He started his career as a sweeper in the KRIDL office, Koppal. Later in 2003, he was registered as an outsourced employee and made the office assistant. Since then, he has been the office assistant of the Koppal division.

While investigating the Rs 72 crore misappropriation in 108 works taken up by KRIDL  during 2022-2024, the Lokayukta police realised that Kalakappa Nidagundi was the mastermind of the scam. The Lokayukta police decided to go after the property he had amassed and were shocked to see that he was owning two luxurious cars, along with other properties, which is worth over Rs 100 crore.

According to Lokayukta police, Nidagundi has 24 houses in Koppal and Bhagya Nagar near Bagalakot. He has over 40 acres of farmland in the name of his wife, brother and brother-in-law. Besides, he owns over 50 housing plots in places like Bandi, Hitnal, Huligi and Yalaburga. The Lokayukta police have seized two cars, two bikes, 350 gms of gold and 1.5 kg silver from his house, which were unaccounted for.

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National News

‘My Mother’s Tears Fell When Terrorists Killed My Father’: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Reacts To Union HM Amit Shah’s Remarks On Sonia Gandhi’s Tears

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New Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks referencing her mother, Sonia Gandhi’s tears, stating that her mother wept when her father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was killed by terrorists, and that she understands the pain of the Pahalgam terror victims.

Addressing the Lok Sabha during the discussion on Operation Sindoor, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Union Home Minister spoke about my mother’s tears today. I want to answer this. My mother’s tears fell when terrorists killed my father. Today, when I talk about those 26 people (victims of the Pahalgam attack), it is because I understand their pain.”

Her remarks came after Union Minister Shah said that Sonia Gandhi was “sobbing” at the Batla House incident.

“I remember one morning during breakfast, I saw Salman Khurshid crying on the TV. He was coming out of Sonia Gandhi’s residence… He said that Sonia Gandhi was sobbing at the Batla House incident. She should have cried for Shaheed Mohan Sharma instead of the terrorists of the Batla house…” Shah had said.

Further questioning the Union Home Minister over the ceasefire, Priyanka Gandhi said, “The Union Home Minister today spoke about what Nehru and Indira Gandhi did. He even went on to talk about my mother’s tears. But he never answered why the ceasefire was announced…”

Furthermore, Congress leader Vadra accused the government of “escaping” the questions and having “no sense” of accountability towards the citizens of the nation.

“This government always tries to escape the questions…They have no sense of accountability towards the citizens of the nation. The truth is that they have no place for the public in their heart. For them, everything is politics, publicity…” she said.

“Most of the people who are sitting in this House today have a security cover…But on that day in Pahalgam, 26 people were killed in front of their families. All those people who were present in Baisaran Valley on that day did not have any security. No matter how many operations you conduct, you cannot hide behind the truth…” she stated.

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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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