Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2: The BJP on Friday intensified its attack on the Congress over the Sabarimala gold theft case, asserting that the controversy cannot be resolved without a probe by central agencies and alleging that the Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi, has serious questions to answer.

Former BJP state president K. Surendran said the ongoing state-level investigation would not bring out the truth and was being structured to protect politically influential individuals.

Surendran recalled that the Kerala High Court had, at the very outset, expressed suspicion over the possible involvement of notorious idol-smuggling syndicates.

He said subsequent disclosures by Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and senior legislator Ramesh Chennithala lent credibility to concerns that the stolen gold and artefacts may have entered the international antiquities market.

“What was stolen is invaluable. This is not a local crime but an international idol-smuggling racket,” Surendran said.

The BJP leader placed particular emphasis on what he termed the Congress angle, referring to a photograph of Sonia Gandhi with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti that surfaced during the course of the investigation.

Surendran said there was initially no reason for suspicion, as such interactions could appear routine. However, he accused senior Congress leaders, including Chennithala and Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, of gradually retreating from their initial positions once the issue gained public traction.

“Why did they step back? Why is there no clear explanation?” he asked.

Criticising Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks on Sonia Gandhi as “political manoeuvring,” Surendran demanded clarity on who introduced the prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti to the Congress leadership.

He further alleged that individuals with close familial links to Sonia Gandhi in Italy are involved in the marketing of antiquities, arguing that this alleged international dimension warrants a thorough investigation by central agencies.

Surendran claimed that Chennithala may not have fully grasped the implications initially but later “entangled himself” by making partial disclosures.

“If he has information, why is he not standing firmly by it?” he asked, accusing the Congress of evasiveness and selective silence.

In a sarcastic remark, Surendran said that if the prevailing narrative is that CPI(M) leaders stole the gold, it may have to be amended to suggest that the Congress facilitated its sale.

“The Congress has an equal stake in this case and will not walk away unscathed,” he said.

Surendran also named former Travancore Devaswom Board member K.P. Shankardas as a key figure who, he alleged, enjoys high-level protection and has so far escaped scrutiny.

He claimed that arrests of prominent individuals took place only under strict court directives and criticised changes made to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after the questioning of former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, alleging that officers sympathetic to the CPI (M) were subsequently inducted.

All these factors, he said, underline the urgent need for a comprehensive investigation by central agencies.

Thane: The Thane crime branch has arrested a 36-year-old man and seized 638 kg of marijuana worth about ₹2.04 crore during an operation on December 30.

The accused has been identified as Chinna Tagur Laxman Nayak, a resident of Mehabubnagar district in Telangana, who would often ferry the drugs from Odisha and Telangana to the city.

Acting on a tip-off, the property cell of the crime branch learned that a large drug consignment was being brought to Thane. A trap was laid at Kharegaon toll naka in Kalwa on the Mumbai–Nashik highway, and the police intercepted an Innova and found 638 kg of ganja hidden inside the vehicle. The drugs are estimated to be worth ₹2.04 crore in the illicit market.

The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He was produced before a local court and has been remanded to police custody till January 3.

We suspect that an entire gang is operating in the region, and we will soon trace the remaining members- Amarsinh Jadhav

Amarsinh Jadhav, deputy commissioner of police (Crime), said , “Our team is investigating further to identify the source of the contraband and the individual to whom the consignment was to be delivered. We suspect that an entire gang is operating in the region, and we will soon trace the remaining members.”

New Delhi, Jan 2: The Ministry of Labour and Employment has published the draft rules for the four labour codes, which also bring gig workers on board for various benefits such as minimum wage, health, occupational safety, and social security coverage.

The government has invited feedback from stakeholders on these draft rules and aims to finally roll out the entire package of four labour codes across the country from April 1.

Under the draft rules, in order to be eligible for the benefits, a gig or platform worker must be associated with an aggregator for at least 90 days in a financial year to qualify for social security benefits created by the Centre. If a worker is engaged with more than one aggregator, the minimum requirement is fixed at 120 days.

The notification, dated December 30, 2025, was issued a day before the gig and platform workers went on a flash strike for higher wages and better working conditions.

The rules clarify that a worker is considered “engaged” on any calendar day if they earn income for work done for an aggregator, regardless of how much they earn.

If a worker is associated with multiple aggregators, the number of engagement days will be added together across all aggregators. The draft also states that if a worker is engaged with three aggregators on the same calendar day, it will be counted as three separate days of engagement.

Regarding the minimum wage, the draft rules state that when the rate of wages for a day is fixed, then such amount shall be divided by eight for fixing the rate of wages for an hour and multiplied by twenty-six for fixing the rate of wages for a month. In case of a five-day working week, the hourly rate of minimum wages so calculated shall be used to derive the minimum wages for the day.

While fixing the minimum rates of wages, the Central government shall take into account the geographical area, experience in the area of employment, and level of skill required for working under the categories of unskilled, semiskilled, skilled, and highly skilled, the rules further state.

The four codes — the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 — were notified on the same day.

The Labour Codes make it mandatory for employers to issue appointment letters to all workers, which provides written proof to ensure transparency, job security, and fixed employment. Earlier, no mandatory appointment letters were required.

Under the Code on Social Security, 2020, all workers, including gig and platform workers, will get social security coverage. All workers will get PF, ESIC, insurance, and other social security benefits. Earlier, there was only limited security coverage.

Under the Code on Wages, 2019, all workers will receive a statutory minimum wage payment, and timely payment will ensure financial security. Earlier, minimum wages applied only to scheduled industries or employments and large sections of workers remained uncovered.