Congress leaders at the CWC meet

NEW DELHI: Calling “decimation of MGNREGA” a one-man decision of PM Modi like demonetisation, Congress brass of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi announced a nationwide campaign from January 5 to force the government to restore the job guarantee scheme.They argued the disbanding of the job scheme will devastate the rural economy, seriously hurt the SC/ST/OBC/women/minorities/poor, burden the states, and divert the money to billionaires like Adani.The announcement came after a marathon meeting of Congress Working Committee that discussed the Modi government’s contentious replacement of MGNREGA with VB-GRAMG.​​After discussing the issue over three hours, the CWC members read out a five-point pledge that Congress “vows to lead a MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan from January 5, 2026… to oppose by all democratic means possible the attempt to convert the rights of the workers to a government dole”.Following up on the elaborate brainstorming, Congress fielded its top duo of Kharge and Rahul to brief the press in a bid to send out a message of intent that would resonate beyond the party circles. Rahul expressed confidence that entire opposition will be united in the future course of action to seek restoration of MGNREGA.“Those dependent on MGNREGA are angry. That anger will cost this govt heavily. Remember, the government had to take back the three farm laws after the way the farmers and the opposition fought against them,” Kharge warned.Rahul said MGNREGA was “destroyed singlehandedly by the PM” without studying the matter. “I am told the PMO took this decision, even the minister and the Cabinet were not asked,” he alleged, calling the move as reflective of “one man show” of present times in which “Modi does whatever he wants to do”.“It will benefit Adani in full measure. That is the purpose of this – to take money from the poor and hand it to people like Adani,” he said.CWC also discussed SIR, and Kharge spoke about the nexus between the BJP and the EC. It was said that party units and BLAs should take care that the votes of marginalised communities are not deleted.Kharge mocked the Modi government’s claims to have made India the fourth largest economy, in which Adani, Ambani can take unlimited money as bank loans, but govt could not bear 30% of the MGNREGA budget that has now been shifted to the states under the new law. He said the extra financial burden will stall development work in states.

Mumbai: The filing of nomination papers for the BMC 2026 elections continued at a measured pace on Saturday, with 35 nominations filed across the city even as 1,294 nomination forms were distributed from 23 Returning Officer (RO) offices. With this, the total number of nominations filed so far stands at 44, while over 10,343 forms have been issued since the process began on December 23.Nomination forms can be filed between December 23 and 30, from 11 am to 5 pm daily. The highest number of nominations filed so far has been from the C and D wards, followed by M East, while several wards are yet to see a single candidate formally enter the fray. As the election process gathers momentum, the civic body has simultaneously tightened scrutiny on compliance, reiterating mandatory documentation requirements for candidates and warning of strict action against officials and contractors violating election-related norms.Toilet Usage Certificate Mandatory:The BMC has reminded candidates that submission of a toilet usage certificate or self-declaration along with nomination papers is mandatory, in line with directives of the State Election Commission (SEC), Maharashtra. Failure to submit the certificate during scrutiny empowers the Returning Officer to reject the nomination. The requirement, introduced under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan through amendments to the Maharashtra Act in 2016, mandates that candidates contesting local body elections must certify regular use of a toilet—either a private toilet at their residence or a community toilet. The BMC clarified that no photographs of toilets or individuals are required for certification. The rule applies irrespective of whether the candidate owns or rents a house.Election Staff Training: Attendance Mandatory:Ahead of polling, the BMC has also issued a stern warning to officials and staff appointed for election duty. Attendance at mandatory training sessions scheduled between December 29, 2025, and January 9, 2026, is compulsory, failing which criminal action will be initiated, officials said. Addressing a training review meeting at the civic headquarters, Joint Commissioner (Assessment and Collection) Vishwas Shankarwar said polling staff form the backbone of the election machinery, and any lapse in understanding procedures could compromise the credibility of the voting process. Training will cover EVM handling, mock poll procedures, polling material management, postal voting and post-poll protocols, and will be conducted at seven locations across Mumbai.Special Duty Officer (Elections) Vijay Balamvar said the sessions will include step-by-step technical demonstrations through computer-based presentations to eliminate confusion on polling day.

‘Drishyam 3’ makers recently announced that the film would release on October 2, 2026 owing to its significance from the first film. The film starring Ajay Devgan and Tabu conspicuously left out Akshaye Khanna‘s name from the credits, raising concerns on the actor’s presence in the film. Thereafter, reports started pouring in on how Khanna had quit the project over remuneration issues amid ‘Dhurandhar’s success and usage of a wig for the film. Now, in a recent interview, producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has revealed the concerns surrounding Khanna’s exit from the much-awaited thriller.

Wig demand and sudden exit

According to Bollywood Hungama, the producer said Akshaye Khanna also demanded a wig just days before shooting was about to start. Since ‘Drishyam 3’ is a sequel the makers felt this would create continuity problems. Reportedly, the makers were ready to talk but suddenly Akshaye said he did not want to do the film at all.

Pathak said, “We had signed an agreement with Akshaye Khanna. His fees also got locked after a lot of renegotiations from his side. He insisted that he would like to wear a wig. But (director) Abhishek Pathak convinced him that it wouldn’t be practical, as it would result in continuity issues since Drishyam 3 is a sequel. He understood his point and agreed to let go of that demand. However, the chamchas around him advised him that he would look smarter if he donned a wig. So, he again requested the same. Abhishek relented and was even ready to discuss this point with him. But then, he informed us that he doesn’t want to be a part of the film at all.”

‘Dhurandhar’ comment caused anger

Kumar Mangat Pathak said Akshaye believed Dhurandhar worked only because of him. The producer strongly disagreed. He said Dhurandhar was not a solo film and many factors made it successful. He added that if Akshaye does a solo film it may not even collect fifty crore in India. He said some actors do ensemble films and after success they start thinking they are superstars. “There was a time when Akshaye was nothing. That’s when I made Section 375 (2019) with him. Even then, so many people told us not to work with him because of his unprofessional behaviour. His energy on set is absolutely toxic. Section 375 got him recognition. Later, I signed him in Drishyam 2 (2022). He has got all the big offers only after Drishyam 2. Uske pehle woh 3-4 saal tak ghar pe baitha hua tha (Before that, he was sitting at home for 3–4 years),” revelaed Pathak.

Legal action and replacement

The producer also shared that Akshaye loved the ‘Drishyam 3’ script when he heard it at his Alibaug farmhouse. He even called it a five hundred crore film. After that the fee was fixed, an agreement was signed and advance was paid. Costumes were also designed. When Akshaye backed out it caused heavy losses to the makers. Because of this legal action has already been started against him.Pathak further revealed, “Also, it’s important to note that the Drishyam franchise is fronted by Ajay Devgn. Chhaava is a Vicky Kaushal film along with Akshaye. The same goes for Dhurandhar – it’s Ranveer Singh’s film. If Akshaye does a solo film, it won’t even collect Rs. 50 crores in India. Forget the lifetime, if he thinks he has become a superstar, then he should try mounting a superstar budget film with some studio and see who greenlights his film with that kind of budget. Some actors do ensemble cast films and after those movies become big hits, they start thinking that they are the star. That’s exactly what has happened with him. He thinks he’s a superstar now. Success has gone into his head. He told us, ‘Dhurandhar is working because of me’. He needs to understand that multiple factors worked in favour of Dhurandhar.”Jaideep Ahlawat to replace Akshaye Khanna in ‘Drishyam 3’Now latest reports have suggested that Akshaye Khanna has been replaced by Jaideep Ahlawat in ‘Drishyam 3’. The makers have moved on and are focusing on completing the film.

Khalistanis counter-protest Hindus outside Bangladesh high commission in London

LONDON: A protest by Hindus over the lynching of Dipu Das and general persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh outside the Bangladesh high commission in London was met with a counter-protest by Khalistanis on Saturday.More than 500 protesters, mostly Bangladeshi and Indian-origin Hindus shocked by the brutal lynching of garment factory worker Dipu Chandra Das on Dec 18 in Mymensingh, joined the protest and shouted “Hindus Lives Matter”. They carried placards calling for justice for Das, for minorities to be saved, and raising the incarceration of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.A digital van drove around with flashing images that read “Hindus have right to live.”The protest, organised by Bengali Hindu Adarsha Saangha (UK), was peaceful. Protesters stood behind barriers, on the opposite side of the road to the mission.Then around 10 men arrived directly in front of the high commission holding yellow Khalistani flags, shouting anti-India and anti-Hindu slogans, and praising the recently assassinated extremist Sharif Osman Hadi. Police then arrived to keep the two sides apart.One of the organisers, Prajjwal Biswas, from West Bengal, said, “I don’t know why Khalistanis are protesting as this is not their cause. They are trying to instigate us.”Bangladesh-born Shuchishmita, whose wider family still live in Bangladesh, said, “The persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh is something that has been going on for centuries and no media speaks about it. I am here to ask for justice for the Hindu community. We shouldn’t tolerate what is happening.”Vikram Banerjee, a British PIO whose family migrated from then East Pakistan to India, said: “We want India and the UK to take assertive action. Many innocent Hindus are in grave danger. Western media have ignored the Dipu Das lynching, the British public do not even know about it.”

A new report has made a significant revelation about the future of Gautam Gambhir as the all-format head coach of the India National Cricket Team.

The report claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reached out to the legendary batter, VVS Laxman, for the Test head coach job after India’s series loss to South Africa.

Gautam Gambhir struggling as India head coach in Tests

Since becoming the all-format head coach, Gautam Gambhir has steered Team India to the ICC Champion Trophy 2025 and the Asia Cup 2025 triumphs in a quick span of time.

Your daily dose of cricket!

India have shown sheer dominance in T20I cricket and instilled fear in the minds of the opposition teams, and in ODIs, they have delivered good performance under Gambhir.

However, when it comes to Test cricket, things have been quite doom and gloom. In the purest format of the game, Gautam Gambhir’s India have struggled badly, and a lot of questions have been raised over the head coach’s tactics.

Gambhir has been under fire for relying more on the all-rounders in a format that demands specialists to get the job done. Also, the head coach has tried to implement a T20I-style formula in Test cricket, which hasn’t worked, and India have been at the receiving end of shocking Test series losses.

Gautam Gambhir oversaw 2 home Test series whitewashes

In his first Test series as head coach at home, Gambhir guided India to a 2-0 triumph over Bangladesh. However, what came next was horrendous as the Indians were whitewashed by the Kiwis at home. It was the first-ever 0-3 clean sweep that India suffered at home in cricket history.

Following that, India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 1-3. The new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship started with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, and a young Indian team drew the series 2-2.

Things started looking good from thereon as India also whitewashed West Indies at home 2-0, but the hosts suffered yet another setback when the Temba Bavuma-led South Africa humbled India with a dominant 2-0 clean sweep.

BCCI looked at VVS Laxman as Gautam Gambhir’s replacement

Now, a report in PTI has revealed that someone who matters in the BCCI had once again informally approached VVS Laxman to check if he would be interested in becoming the Test head coach after India’s loss to South Africa.

VVS Laxman, who was initially seen as Rahul Dravid‘s successor as head coach, denied the job and stated that he is happy being the ‘Head of Cricket’ at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Gautam Gambhir has signed a deal till the 2027 ODI World Cup, but that contract could prematurely end depending upon India’s performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, as the jury is still out on whether he is the right person to remain at the helm, especially in Test cricket.

“Gambhir does have a strong backing within the power corridors of Indian cricket, and obviously, if India retain the T20 World Cup or at least reach the final, he would be seamlessly continuing with his assignment. However, it would be interesting if Gambhir continues in Tests too,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

“His advantage being (that there) aren’t too many alternate options in red ball format since VVS Laxman isn’t interested in coaching the senior Test team,” the source added.

The report also claimed that there is chaos in the Indian dressing room currently, and players aren’t feeling as secure as they did during Rahul Dravid’s tenure.

Also Read: Gautam Gambhir enjoys vacation in England as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma forced into Vijay Hazare Trophy grind

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Supreme Court (Picture credit: ANI)

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of concerns linked to the definition of the Aravali Range, signalling fresh judicial scrutiny of an issue that has sparked protests and debate over mining and environmental protection. According to news agency ANI, a three-judge vacation bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will hear the matter on Monday.The court’s decision comes amid widespread concern over how the Aravali hills are being defined for regulatory purposes, particularly in relation to mining activities. The definition accepted earlier by the apex court has triggered objections from environmentalists and civil society groups, who fear it could weaken conservation safeguards for one of India’s oldest mountain systems.The Union environment ministry has moved to address some of these concerns by deciding to further expand areas where mining will be prohibited across the Aravali range. The ministry has directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify additional landforms and zones where mining should be banned, beyond areas already under restriction.Currently, only about 0.2 per cent of the Aravali’s total area of around 1.4 lakh sq km is eligible for mining, and the new exercise could reduce this further.The ministry has said this step would “further enlarge the coverage of areas protected and prohibited from mining in the entire Aravalis, keeping in mind the local topography, ecology and biodiversity”. States spanning the Aravali range, including Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, have also been told not to grant any new mining leases until a comprehensive Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) is finalised.The controversy centres on a 100-metre height-based definition of Aravali hills adopted by the Supreme Court on November 20 for mining-related decisions. Under this definition, a hill is identified as a landform rising 100 metres or more from the lowest enclosing contour, with nearby hills within 500 metres grouped as a range. Environmentalists argue this approach could significantly shrink the area officially recognised as Aravali hills, as much of the range is low-lying.Despite the criticism, the environment ministry has maintained that the new definition does not dilute mining controls and that existing safeguards remain in place. It has also clarified that for mines already in operation, state governments must ensure strict compliance with environmental norms and Supreme Court directions.