New Delhi, Sep 30: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said that the INDIA bloc meeting over the Special Intensive Review (SIR) issue is just another “excuse” for the Congress to “relaunch” Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi.

This came as the INDIA bloc is meeting in New Delhi’s Constitution Club, where opposition parties are discussing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and their concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, taking to X, said that even if Congress tried to “relaunch” Rahul Gandhi in 100 different ways, the people of the country will choose Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Rahul Gandhi is fighting a battle against Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh to bargain for more seats in alliance. AAP and SP by not attending the meeting called by Congress have exposed Rahul Gandhi’s call for “Opposition Unity” on SIR,” he said.

“SIR is just “Bahana”; earlier it was ” EVM”, tomorrow it will be something else. Congress can try to relaunch Rahul in 100 different ways: 2029 People of India will chose PM Narendra Modi,” Bhandari added.

Earlier in the day, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that “no one” in the INDIA bloc, or in the Congress party, is willing to accept Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi as their leader, and hence many of the parties and leaders have “refused to attend” the Opposition alliance’s meeting.

Speaking to media, Chouhan said, “The INDI alliance fell apart even before the meeting began. DMK is not attending the meeting. Akhilesh Yadav is busy somewhere else. AAP had already refused beforehand. Uddhav Thackeray will not join physically, but virtually. Why is this happening?”

“It is because the INDI alliance is simply not ready to accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader. They do not accept Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, which is why they are not attending,” he added.

The Union Minister also claimed that several leaders in the Congress party itself are not willing to accept Rahul as their leader.

“Not just the INDIA bloc, but even the Congress leaders are not willing to accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader. Rahul Gandhi asks Congress leaders at the CWC meet to call him their leader. When Congress leaders themselves are not willing to accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader, how will the country accept him?” Chouhan questioned.

“A clean voter list is the soul of democracy. If wrong names are added to the voter list, then what is wrong with it? Why is there a problem in removing the names of people who are no longer alive or adding names of those who are not citizens? The voter list must be clean,” he added.

The INDIA bloc’s meeting assumes significance amid differences among alliance constituents over strategy and participation, with opposition parties seeking to work out a common approach on electoral-roll revisions and related concerns.

Patna, Sep 30: A motorbike-borne man and woman allegedly snatched a gold chain worth around Rs 7 lakh from a person outside his residence in Patna’s Kurji area on Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch an investigation.

The incident took place under the jurisdiction of Digha police station at around 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to the victim, he was standing outside his house when the duo approached him on a motorcycle and allegedly snatched the chain from his neck before fleeing.

Following the incident, Digha Station House Officer Avnish Kumar reached the spot and spoke to the victim.

Digha Police are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify the suspects and establish the route they took while escaping.

The police are also gathering other details related to the incident and are expected to take further action after receiving the victim’s formal complaint. Once the complaint is filed, Patna police will register an FIR under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sahita against two unknown individuals.

Digha SHO Avnish Kumar clarified that reports claiming the chain was snatched at gunpoint were incorrect.

He said the matter was under investigation and that an FIR would be registered on the basis of the victim’s complaint.

The incident comes days after Kankarbagh police arrested seven people allegedly linked to chain-snatching cases.

Among those arrested was a pair reportedly referred to as ‘Bunty-Babli’ by police.

However, police have not established any connection between the suspects arrested in Kankarbagh and the Kurji chain-snatching case.

Investigators are currently focussing on the CCTV footage and other available evidence to identify the man and woman allegedly involved in Wednesday’s incident.

The latest case has renewed concerns among residents over incidents of chain snatching and other street crimes involving motorcycle-borne suspects in different parts of Patna.

In recent months, incidents of chain-snatching and other street crimes have been reported frequently in Patna. The alleged involvement of women as pillion riders in such crimes has emerged as a particular concern for the police.

According to police officials, women riding as pillion passengers may attract less suspicion than two men travelling together on a motorcycle, which can make it more difficult for police to identify suspects during such incidents.

Chikkaballapur (Karnataka), Sep 30: A 15-year-old Class 9 student of a government run Morarji Desai Model Residential School in Chikkaballapur district in Karnataka has allegedly been sexually assaulted by the school principal, Eshwara Reddy, according to a complaint filed with the police on Wednesday.

An FIR has been registered against the principal in connection with the alleged incident at the school located near the 11th Mile in Gorlummanahalli village of Shidlaghatta taluk.

According to the student’s statement, the incident allegedly took place around 2.30 p.m. on September 26 in the school’s medicine room.

The girl said she had gone to give medicine to an unwell Class 6 student when the principal allegedly called her into the room, behaved inappropriately and sexually assaulted her. She also alleged that he threatened her against disclosing the incident to anyone.

The student reportedly informed her classmates about the incident, following which the information reached the teachers and her parents.

According to the FIR, the girl’s parents visited the school on September 27, learnt about the alleged incident and subsequently approached the police. On September 28, the girl’s statement was recorded in Chikkaballapur in the presence of child welfare officials.

Dibburahalli police in Shidlaghatta taluk have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the alleged sexual assault.

In her complaint, the 15-year-old victim stated: “I am a Class 9 student at Sri Morarji Desai Model Residential School. I am one of the 250 students studying at the school. The principal of the school misbehaved with me on Saturday (September 26) and again this week. He kissed me, put his hand around my waist and touched my chest. He also gagged my mouth.

“These memories are imprinted on my mind. Against this background, no one should have to undergo the experience I had. No one should be subjected to the injustice I faced. Please help me get justice.”