NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Monday said the discussion on Vande Mataram in Parliament was timed for the approaching West Bengal assembly polls and that the govt wanted to divert attention from the problems people were facing.Participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on 150 years of the national song, penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at Modi, saying he is not the PM he used to be as his “self-confidence was decreasing and policies were weakening the country”. The Wayanad MP also slammed BJP for targeting India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru and alleged the govt wanted the debate to make fresh charges against those who fought for the country’s freedom.The Congress MP also listed the “chronology” of ‘Vande Mataram’, citing Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s letter to which Nehru replied, to rebut the PM’s charge that Congress indulged in politics of appeasement over the national song.Let’s have debate on Nehru, close that chapter: Priyanka GandhiModi ji mentioned a letter in the House, in which he said that on Oct 20, Nehru ji had written to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. But the PM did not mention the letter written on Oct 17, which Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose ji had written to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji… PM Modi quoted one line of this (Nehru’s) reply here, but the rest of what Nehru ji wrote was – ‘there is no doubt that the present outcry against Vande Mataram is to a large extent a manufactured one by the Communalists. Whatever we do, we cannot pander to Communalist feelings’,” Priyanka Gandhi said.Referring to Modi’s speech, she said, “Since you keep talking about Nehru, let’s do one thing, let’s assign a time for a discussion, list out all the insults against him… debate it and let’s close the chapter once and for all,” she said, adding that “after that, let’s talk about today’s issues – price rise and unemployment…The topic that we are discussing is part of the soul of the country. When we mention ‘Vande Mataram’, it reminds us of the history of our freedom struggle. This debate is strange; this song has made a place in people’s hearts; so what is the need for a debate?” Priyanka said. In 1896, Rabindranath Tagore sang it for the first time at a Congress session, she said.She added questioning the decision of having the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ as the national song was akin to questioning the Constituent Assembly and its members.Congress deputy leader in LS Gaurav Gogoi said it is the PM’s habit to keep referring to Nehru and Congress whenever he speaks on any issue. “He (Modi) took Nehru ji’s name 14 times and that of Congress 50 times during the debate on Operation Sindoor. When there was a discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution, Nehru’s name was taken 10 times and that of Congress 26 times.” “During the discussion on the President’s address in 2022, he took Nehru ji’s name 15 times. The PM, during the discussion on the President’s address in 2020, took Nehru ji’s name 20 times. I want to say with utmost humility to Modi ji and his entire system, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to put even a single blot on Pandit Nehru’s contributions.” Gogoi said the PM’s speech had two objectives – “to rewrite history and give a political colour to this debate”.

Mitchell Marsh (Photo by Josh Chadwick/Getty Images)

Mitchell Marsh is likely ending his first-class cricket career with Western Australia, raising questions about his Test future, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The 34-year-old informed his WA teammates after Sunday’s Sheffield Shield match against Victoria about his plans to step away from state-level red-ball cricket. While he plans to officially retire at the season’s end, he is not expected to play any more first-class matches for WA.

Marsh has played nine Sheffield Shield matches for his state since 2019. In his recent Melbourne game, where he was considered for the Ashes, he scored just 9 and 4. The all-rounder, who started his WA career against NSW in 2009, has indicated to teammates he remains open to Test cricket if selected.His potential Test selection without Shield cricket participation presents challenges. Australia has no remaining Shield fixtures this year, and Marsh will be occupied with the national T20 team before the T20 World Cup when domestic red-ball cricket resumes.“We would be comfortable picking someone, and if you want to put a name to it, Mitch (Mitchell) Marsh, out of white-ball cricket if we felt like that was going to benefit the Test team,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said in October, as quoted from The Sydney Morning Herald.“He’s the captain of the white-ball team. It’s very hard for him to vacate and balance out Test preparation, if he was to be in the window for that,” McDonald added. “We still haven’t given up on Mitch Marsh’s Test career.”Marsh, who has faced multiple injuries, seems to be accepting that his Test career might be over. Since his 2014 debut, he has played 46 Tests, with his last appearance against India in Melbourne in 2024. Beau Webster replaced him for the Sydney Test this year.His last red-ball cricket experience was during the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he managed only one double-digit score of 47. This followed his successful 2023 Ashes comeback featuring a memorable century. However, 2025 proved difficult with 283 runs in 15 innings, averaging 18.60 across nine Tests.His overall Test career includes 2,083 runs in 80 innings at 28.53, with three centuries and nine fifties. His highest score is 181, along with 51 wickets at 40.41. His unbeaten 118 at Headingley in the 2023 Ashes remains his career highlight.Australia’s next Test match after this summer’s Ashes will be against Bangladesh in August next year.In his first-class career spanning 122 matches, Marsh has scored 6,415 runs, including 13 hundreds and 29 fifties, while taking 171 wickets.

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh proposed adding a fundamental duty to the Constitution, mandating equal respect for ‘Vande Mataram’ as the national anthem. He accused Congress of communalizing the song due to appeasement politics, urging parliamentarians to restore its glory and honor its author. Singh highlighted historical attempts to truncate the song, deeming it an injustice to national identity.

NEW DELHI: Accusing Congress of portraying ‘Vande Mataram‘ as “communalist” on account of its own appeasement politics – which made it see the national song through the lens of MA Jinnah – defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday urged parliamentarians across party lines to restore its glory by adding a new fundamental duty in the Constitution that mandates according the same respect to ‘Vande Mataram’ as is given to the national anthem.“My request to all members is that we all come together and consider whether we can add a new fundamental duty under Article 51A of the Constitution – that all citizens shall accord the same respect to ‘Vande Mataram’ as we accord to the national anthem. If we do this, it will be a perfect tribute to ‘Vande Mataram’, its author, and Bengal’s great nationalist thinker Bankim Chandra Chatterjee,” Singh said while participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on the 150th anniversary of the national song.Singh said that after Independence, it was decided that the national anthem and the national song would be given equal status, but only the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana‘ became an integral part of the country’s consciousness, while the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was treated like an “extra”.“On the very soil where ‘Vande Mataram’ was composed, the Congress took the decision to truncate the song in 1937. Every generation must know about the political deceit and injustice done to ‘Vande Mataram’. This injustice was not only to a song but to the people of independent India and the freedom fighters who fought for freedom with chants of ‘Vande Mataram’,” he said.‘Vande Mataram’ is complete in itself, yet attempts were made to make it incomplete. “However, it has remained the immortal song of our nation, and it will remain so,” he added.Singh emphasised that future generations must understand the mentality of those who undermined the song, calling it an injustice to India’s cultural and national identity.Earlier, LS Speaker Om Birla described ‘Vande Mataram’ as a reflection of India’s harmony and strength. In his opening remarks, Birla said that as the country commemorates the 150-year glorious journey of ‘Vande Mataram’, it remains etched in the heart of every Indian even today. Former Union minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur said, “Vande Mataram’ is not just a song; it is a ‘Maha Mantra’. It is neither a religious song nor a party, nor individual, song. ‘Vande Mataram’ represents national pride and Indian culture.”

KOLKATA: Pilots in IndiGo Airlines have questioned how the shortage of 65 captains and 59 co-pilots following the implementation of the revised flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms could have triggered the cancellation and delays of thousands of flights and alleged that the crisis was engineered to bring the country to its knees and force the govt to put the FDTL norms in abeyance.“IndiGo operates around 2,200 flights a day. It has 2,357 captains on its rolls and 2,194 first officers. Hence, there are 4,551 pilots while the deficit is 124 pilots or 5%. When the new norms came into effect, it should have affected 5-7% of the flights, i.e., 110-150 flights at most. Then why were several hundred flights delayed and cancelled each day?” a veteran pilot pondered.

Others also questioned why IndiGo was allocated hundreds of additional slots in the winter schedule despite knowing that the airline was short of pilots.Pilots allege the crisis that brought India to its knees was engineered to sabotage the rollout of new safety norms.“FDTL exists for the safety of passengers and not for the comfort of pilots. It is to ensure pilots are not fatigued when they have to make decisions that could impact the lives of 180 or more passengers in the aircraft and their families. By forcing the rollback of the revised FDTL norms that were announced two years ago, the airline is putting flight safety at risk. Yet the airline has gone to extraordinary lengths to have its way and put profits before safety,” said Airlines Pilots’ Association of India president Sam Thomas.Sources in IndiGo said SOPs that were meticulously followed to ensure on-time performance consistently over the years were deliberately tweaked to cause delays and trigger chaos so that the new norms were kept in abeyance.So how did the airline engineer the chaos that disrupted the lives of over 1 lakh people daily? Pilots said there have been multiple instances in the past few days in which captains and first officers standing in dispatch were asked not to go to the aircraft. While that was blatant, there were other ways in which crew reporting was delayed.“Usually, there are pilots on standby who are called in when a rostered pilot is unable to report for duty. If a standby is not available, then a pilot who has a day off is requested to fill in. Usually, this call comes 5-6 hours before the departure time. But suddenly, these calls were coming barely 1-2 hours before departure. There have been many instances in which captains have reported 10-15 minutes late but the flight has been delayed by an hour or more because of other factors that were created,” said a pilot.Citing a situation that had unfolded in Kolkata, another pilot said that while he has seen IndiGo planes parked next to each other in remote bays, he had suddenly found the planes parked at different points over the past few days. “If planes are parked in contiguous bays, it facilitates quicker turnaround time as ground crew can service the aircraft simultaneously. Suddenly, we found planes parked in different bays that were far apart. With a speed restriction of 10 kmph in the apron area, it meant more time for the plane to offload passengers and baggage on arrival and more time for refueling and boarding,” the pilot pointed out.While an official inquiry is now underway, the aviation ministry will have to determine whether IndiGo miscalculated, mismanaged, or deliberately let the crisis escalate. An increasing number of pilots are also demanding a forensic investigation into what precipitated the crisis over the past five days and say those behind the design must be prosecuted.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are entering the IPL 2026 mini-auction poised for a complete overhaul, armed with an unprecedented INR 64.30 crore, the largest available purse among all franchises.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Armed with the biggest purse ahead of IPL 2026 mini-auction

Their disappointing 8th-place finish in IPL 2025, coupled with major releases (including Andre Russell and their frontline keepers), signals a determined shift in strategy. Under new head coach Abhishek Nayar, the focus is squarely on filling the massive structural vacancies: a long-term pace-bowling all-rounder, an express pace attack leader and an Indian wicketkeeper-batter. This massive financial advantage allows KKR to dominate the bidding for five marquee players who can immediately transform the squad’s balance, pace depth, and top-order firepower, ensuring they aggressively pursue a fourth IPL trophy.

5 players Kolkata Knight Riders can target in the IPL 2026 mini-auction

1. Cameron Green (Overseas Pace-Bowling All-Rounder)

Cameron Green is anticipated to be KKR’s absolute top priority and the primary recipient of their massive purse. The Australian all-rounder is a generational talent, combining explosive, high-strike-rate batting (IPL SR over 153) with genuine fast-medium pace bowling. His acquisition instantly transforms KKR’s structural balance, providing a stable, multi-utility pillar who can bat high up the order or finish innings. KKR are prepared to set the overseas ceiling price (around ₹18 crore) to secure Green, solving their most crucial high-impact vacancy that was previously filled by Andre Russell.

2. Matheesha Pathirana (Overseas Express Pacer)

Following the release of multiple overseas pacers, KKR desperately needs a specialist quick, particularly one who excels in the death overs. Matheesha Pathirana, released by CSK, is the ideal candidate. Known for his unique sling-shot action and lethal death-overs yorkers, Pathirana is an irreplaceable, high-volume wicket-taker who solves a crucial structural weakness in KKR’s pace attack. KKR’s financial advantage makes them favourites to secure the young Sri Lankan pacer for a high price, giving them a genuine wicket-taking option for the crucial final five overs of an innings.

3. Anrich Nortje (Overseas Pace Attack Leader)

Anrich Nortje is a vital target for KKR despite his release, as the team needs a proven leader for their pace attack who can deliver express pace and consistency in the middle and death overs. The South African speedster was retained for a substantial sum in the past, reflecting his status as an elite foreign quick. While Nortje has faced fitness concerns, his ability to clock speeds over 150 km/h and disrupt opposition momentum is unmatched. Reacquiring him secures a world-class strike bowler who can mentor the young Indian fast bowlers and provide a vital wicket-taking option, should KKR choose to partner them.

Also READ: 5 players Delhi Capitals (DC) can target in the IPL 2026 auction

4. Venkatesh Iyer (Indian Batting All-Rounder)

The release of Venkatesh Iyer was a calculated financial risk, as KKR is expected to aggressively buy him back at a more reasonable price than his previous ₹23.75 crore retention fee. Iyer offers the indispensable dynamic left-handed top-order batting and can contribute overs of medium-pace, addressing the need for versatile Indian all-rounders. His high ceiling as a match-winner remains crucial to KKR’s domestic core, and his reacquisition ensures a strong, proven domestic talent is immediately injected back into the top half of their batting line-up, which is essential for team balance and continuity.

5. Kartik Sharma (Indian Wicketkeeper-Batter)

The most pressing vacancy for KKR is a frontline Indian wicketkeeper-batter after releasing all their keepers. Kartik Sharma, an uncapped 20-year-old and former DC player, is widely tipped to be the highest-paid uncapped player and KKR’s primary target for this role. Sharma is praised for his fearless, power-hitting ability (T20 SR over 162), making him a potential middle-order finisher alongside Rinku Singh. Securing this highly-rated domestic talent not only solves the crucial Indian keeper vacancy but also strengthens their death-overs batting firepower at a low base price, providing excellent value for a franchise looking to build for the long term.

Also READ: 5 players Chennai Super Kings (CSK) can target in the IPL 2026 mini-auction

Home loan borrowers are set to get relief as several major banks have started cutting lending rates after the Reserve Bank of India lowered the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on December 5, 2025. Following the repo rate cut from 5.50%, lenders have moved to reduce MCLR-, RLLR- and RBLR-linked rates, paving the way for lower equated monthly instalments (EMIs) or shorter loan tenures for eligible borrowers, depending on individual loan terms. HDFC Bank has reduced its Marginal Cost of Funds-based Lending Rates (MCLR) by up to 5 basis points across tenures. After the revision, HDFC Bank’s MCLR now ranges between 8.30% and 8.55%, compared with 8.35% to 8.60% earlier, benefiting borrowers with loans linked to this benchmark, according to an ET report. Punjab National Bank has cut its Repo Linked Lending Rate (RLLR) from 8.35% to 8.10%, inclusive of a 10 basis point Benchmark Spread Premium, with effect from December 6, 2025. In a notification to the BSE, the bank said the revision followed the RBI’s repo rate cut announced on December 5. Bank of Baroda has revised its Benchmark Retail Loan Lending Rate (BRLLR), lowering it from 8.15% to 7.90%, according to a disclosure on the BSE website, offering marginal relief on retail loan interest costs. Indian Bank has also reduced its repo-linked benchmark lending rate, cutting RLLR from 8.20% to 7.95%. The revised rates came into force on December 6, 2025, and apply across the bank’s assets portfolio, as per an official press release. Bank of India announced a reduction in its Repo Based Lending Rate (RBLR) from 8.35% to 8.10%, effective December 5, 2025. In a regulatory filing, the bank said the rate cut was in response to the RBI’s downward revision of the repo rate. Bank of Maharashtra has lowered its retail loan rates as well, slashing home loan interest rates from 7.35% to 7.10% and car loan rates from 7.70% to 7.45%. The bank has also waived processing fees on these loans, reducing upfront costs for borrowers, as per a post shared on X by the lender. With multiple banks realigning lending rates after the RBI’s policy move, borrowers linked to floating-rate home and retail loans can expect EMIs to ease in the coming months as the rate cuts reset across loan benchmarks.

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