NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Friday reacted sharply to the letter sent by New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani to jailed student activist Umar Khalid, saying “personal prejudices does not behove those in office.” Hitting out at Mamdani, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We expect public representatives to be respectful of the independence of judiciary in other democracies. Expressing personal prejudices do not behove those in office. Instead of such comments, it would be better to focus on the responsibilities entrusted to them.”

Mamdani, in the note, had said he often thinks about the former JNU student leader’s thoughts on bitterness. “Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume oneself. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you,” in the handwritten note, Mamdani said. The note, undated, was shared on X by Khalid’s partner Banojyotsna Lahiri last week, after Mamdani was sworn in as mayor in a midnight ceremony. Khalid, was arrested in September 2020 and charged under unlawful activities (prevention) act (UAPA) for allegedly conspiring to incite riots in Delhi, charges he has consistently denied. Khalid was granted temporary bail in December to attend his sister’s wedding. Khalid’s father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, earlier told TOI that the family met Mamdani early December last year during a visit to the United States to meet Khalid’s sister. Ilyas said he had sought time from Mamdani to congratulate him on his appointment and ended up meeting him and his wife for around half an hour. “He gave us time exclusively and we discussed many things, including Umar’s incarceration. We hoped he would fulfil the promises he has made for the people of New York,” he said. “We also spoke about what has been happening to my son and the developments around his case. Mamdani said he follows it and has read Umar’s letters from jail,” he added.“This prolonged incarceration itself is unjust, and that is why it has attracted international attention,” Lahiri said.

Mamata Banerjee at Kolkata march; MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal

Here are top five stories of the day:

Mamata Banerjee hits the streets: West Bengal CM leads Kolkata rally against ED raids on I-PAC

Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee led a protest rally in Kolkata on Friday against the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a day after the central agency conducted raids at the office of political consultancy I-PAC and the residence of its chief, Partik Jain. The rally was held near the 8B bus stand in Jadavpur, where a large number of TMC leaders and workers gathered, raising slogans against the alleged misuse of central agencies. Heavy police deployment was seen in the area. Read full story

The ministry of external affairs on Friday termed the remarks made by US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick that “PM Modi’s reluctance to call Trump” was the reason behind the delay in the trade deal between the United States and India, as “inaccurate.”In a media briefing MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “PM Modi and President Trump have spoken on eight occasions in 2025.” Read full story

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday warned the protesters, saying the Islamic Republic would “not back down” amid escalating unrest accusing “foreign-backed elements” of trying to destabilise the country. He also targeted Donald Trump, claiming the “hands of the US President are stained with the blood of Iranians” further asserting that the “arrogant” leader would eventually be overthrown. In a speech aired on state television, the 86-year-old leader said, “Everyone should know that the Islamic Republic came to power with the blood of hundreds of thousands of honorable people, and it will not back down in the face of saboteurs.” Read full story

The Madras high court’s chief justice has temporarily stayed the single judge’s order that directed the CBFC to grant a UA certificate. The matter has been posted for further hearing on January 21, after the Pongal holidays. Representing the Censor Board, the ASG stated that the single judge held the Chairperson’s January 6 letter to be without jurisdiction, but argued that the letter itself was never challenged before the court. He pointed out that no writ of certiorari was sought against the letter. The ASG further contended that the CBFC should have been given an opportunity to defend its position by filing a counter affidavit. Follow live updates

Indian women’s cricket team batter Jemimah Rodrigues recently shared a scary yet funny story from her childhood that left everyone shocked at the time. The incident happened when she was just eight years old, long before she became a World Cup hero for India. Jemimah recalled that she was at a church programme with her cousins. The kids were playing outside an auditorium while the adults were busy inside. Like most children, they were full of energy and mischief. Read full story

File photo: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge (Picture credit: ANI)

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Modi government’s foreign policy, accusing it of inconsistency and compromising India’s strategic interests. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oft-repeated line, “Main desh ko jhukne nahi dunga” (I will not allow the country to bow), Kharge said current developments show “the complete opposite”.In a post on X, Kharge cited two recent issues to underline his criticism. The first relates to reports suggesting the Centre may lift restrictions imposed on Chinese companies from bidding for government contracts. The curbs were put in place five years ago following the deadly Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops in 2020.“The ban on Chinese companies, in place for five years, is being lifted,” Kharge said, adding that the sacrifice of Indian soldiers in Galwan had earlier been “insulted” when China was given a “clean chit”. He alleged that allowing Chinese firms back into government tenders amounted to rolling out a “red carpet” for them, questioning the government’s stand on national security.As per news agency Reuters, the Centre is considering rolling back rules that required companies from bordering countries, including China, to undergo special registration and security clearances before participating in public tenders. The proposed move is seen as part of efforts to ease supply bottlenecks and revive stalled infrastructure projects, especially in sectors such as power. Any such change would require approval from the Prime Minister.Kharge’s second criticism focused on US President Donald Trump’s repeated public comments on India’s purchase of Russian oil. He accused Prime Minister Modi of remaining silent despite Trump “commenting daily” on the issue.“Modi ji is averting his gaze. The ‘sir’ business looks more like surrender,” Kharge said, suggesting that India’s position on Russian oil exports was being questioned without a firm response from New Delhi. The “sir” reference was a jibe at recent remarks by Trump in which he recalled India’s long wait for US defence equipment. Trump said India had ordered 68 Apache helicopters but had to wait nearly five years for delivery, prompting PM Modi to approach him. “Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please? Yes!’ I have a very good relationship with him. He’s not that happy with me, because they are paying a lot of tariffs now, but they have now reduced it substantially, because of Russia,” Trump said, referring to India’s oil purchases from Russia.Kharge further argued that foreign policy should prioritise national interest above all else.He said the Modi government’s approach has weakened India’s long-standing commitment to non-alignment and strategic autonomy. “The Modi government’s foreign policy swings like a wild pendulum — now this way, now that — and it is the people of India who are paying the price,” he added.The Congress chief’s remarks come at a time when New Delhi and Beijing have been taking cautious steps to stabilise ties after years of strain. India and China have resumed some people-to-people exchanges, including direct flights, even as restrictions on Chinese foreign direct investment remain in place.Kharge maintained that these shifts reflect a lack of coherence in foreign policy, arguing that major decisions with long-term implications should be guided by consistency and national interest rather than short-term pressures.

Mahua Moitra along with other TMC leaders protested outside Amit Shah’s residence (ANI image)

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Friday accused the Centre of misusing central agencies after she was detained by Delhi police while protesting outside union home minister Amit Shah’s office against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on political consultancy firm I-PAC in Kolkata.Reacting after her detention, Moitra alleged that the ED was being used to target political opponents and steal sensitive electoral information.

“You have seen how the government is using the ED as their agency to steal information, election strategy of their political opponents. ED was sent to the office of our political consultant for dacoity of information. They are talking about some 7–8 years old coal scam; you didn’t get time to gather information in all these years. Mamata Banerjee showed how to fight against them. People of Bengal will teach them a lesson,” she said.Earlier, as she and other TMC MPs including Derek O’ Brien were taken away by police, Moitra posted on X, claiming force was used during the detention. “Amit Shah’s cops dragging us in police vans to police station. Bring it on BJP Bengalis — you’ll be eaten by the Bengal Tigress, Mamata Banerjee,” she wrote.Speaking to reporters, Moitra also objected to the detention of protesters, stating, “Even here, we are protesting peacefully, yet you can see how we are being picked up — every time, you see it for yourself, how they drag us away.”TMC MP Kirti Azad in a post on X wrote, “Detained at Parliament Street Police Station. No FIR has been registered so far. We have not been told the reason for the same. No senior officer is available. If this is what is happening to elected members of Parliament, we can understand what must be the plight of a common man.” Meanwhile, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad defended the ED raids, drawing parallels with the fodder scam investigation involving RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.Addressing a press conference Prasad said, “This raid is similar to the one during the fodder scam case against Lalu Prasad. He was later arrested, but he never stormed the CBI office as Mamata Banerjee did. What link does Mamata have with that firm?”The protest followed ED searches at multiple locations linked to I-PAC in Kolkata on Thursday, including the residence of its chief, Pratik Jain. I-PAC provides political consultancy services to the TMC and manages parts of the party’s IT and media operations.Meanwhile, the TMC on Friday moved the Calcutta High Court seeking restraint on the “misuse and dissemination” of documents and data seized during the ED searches. The party has termed the raids politically motivated and aimed at intimidating it ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. CM Banerjee further alleged that party documents, hard disks and sensitive data were being seized under the guise of an investigation.Questioning the role of the ED and Amit Shah, Banerjee said, “Is it the duty of the ED, Amit Shah to collect the party’s hard disk, candidate list?… The nasty, naughty Home Minister who cannot protect the country and is taking away all my party documents. What will be the result if I raid the BJP party office?”She also linked the agency action to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal, alleging that voter names were being deleted ahead of the polls.“On one side, they are deleting the names of all the voters by carrying out the SIR in West Bengal…Because of the elections, they are collecting all the information about my party,” she said. Banerjee further dared the BJP to fight the TMC politically if it wanted to win Bengal.

No nation can progress unless small shopkeepers and traders are protected and given ease of doing business, Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday. Kejriwal made the remarks while addressing the maiden meeting of the Punjab State Traders Commission in Mohali, where he was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The former Delhi chief minister said that through the commission, local markets will be upgraded, and long-pending small issues of shopkeepers will be resolved. He said the purpose of the commission is to make the tax system simpler, more transparent, and trader-friendly. “Till now, in our country, traders and businessmen have been viewed with a very negative mindset. No matter which government or which party ruled, everyone treated traders as thieves,” Kejriwal said. “I pray that one day our government is formed at the Centre and we free you from GST. There is a kind of tax terrorism going on,” he said. Kejriwal termed the traders also a victim of politicians, who, he said, only remember them during elections and then, once in power, to extort money till the next election. “I come from a trading family. I understand the pain and suffering of a trader. You may remember how, as children, we used to go to the village during summer holidays. My uncle there had a grocery shop at the bus stand. During summer vacations, many times I would manage the entire shop alone for days. I understand the pain of a shopkeeper,” he said. The AAP leader said the governments always talk about big investments everywhere. “But no one ever paid attention to the small shopkeeper running a grocery store, a clothing shop, a bread shop, a tile shop, or shops in small markets.” Attacking the rival parties in Punjab, he said that after their run was over, neither the Akali Dal nor the Congress would have dared to go among the public and seek honest feedback. “After four years, they would face such abuse that I do not think the Congress government would have had the courage to pass around a microphone in a public gathering and say, speak whatever you want … If it had happened during the Akali Dal government, the microphone would not have returned,” he said.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor (PTI file photo)

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday once again appeared to strike a balanced tone. While expressing respect for the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and calling him the founder of Indian democracy, Tharoor also said it was necessary to acknowledge Nehru’s mistakes, adding that blaming him alone for India’s problems is unjustified.Speaking at the fourth edition of the Kerala Legislative Assembly International Book Festival (KLIBF), Tharoor spoke on the BJP government’s treatment of Nehru’s legacy.

“I am a fan of Jawaharlal Nehru, but not an uncritical fan. I greatly admire his mind and outlook, and I have deep respect for him, though I cannot support all his beliefs and policies 100%. Many of the things he did deserve the highest appreciation. Most importantly, it was Nehru who firmly established democracy in India… I would not say that they (the Modi government) are anti-democratic, but they are certainly anti-Nehru. Nehru has been turned into a convenient scapegoat,” he said.Recalling the 1962 India–China war, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said, “In some cases, their (Modi government’s) criticism may have a basis. For instance, the 1962 defeat against China can partly be attributed to some of Nehru’s decisions.”He then turned his focus to the ruling BJP, adding, “But what they do now is blame Nehru for everything, regardless of the issue.”In recent times, Tharoor’s stance and political alignment have come under close scrutiny. Unlike many other party leaders, he does not always adhere to strict partyline statements, often appearing less comfortable with unquestioned loyalty to the Congress high command.Reflecting on his journey as a writer, Tharoor said his love for reading began in childhood due to asthma. With no television or mobile phones, books became his constant companions.He revealed that he wrote his first novel at a very young age, though it was later lost to an ink spillage. His biography of Sree Narayana Guru marks his 28th book.Tharoor also mentioned that while reading habits are declining globally, Kerala continues to lead in reading culture. He said he wrote “The Great Indian Novel” in 1989 as a satirical work, a genre that was largely absent in India at the time.Addressing the younger generation, Tharoor suggested that shorter books with fewer pages may be more appealing to readers who struggle to find time. He also fondly recalled his college days at St Stephen’s College, Delhi, remembering a stage production where he played Antony while filmmaker Mira Nair portrayed Cleopatra.

JAIPUR: Rajasthan’s anticorruption bureau (ACB) Thursday registered a case in an alleged Rs 2,000-crore scam linked to state govt’s midday meal scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic.ACB officers said the FIR names 21 accused, including officials of Rajasthan State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd (Confed), representatives of private firms and suppliers, who have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery and misuse of govt funds.According to ACB, when schools were closed during the pandemic, a decision was taken that packs containing pulses, oil, spices and other essentials would be supplied through Confed under the midday meal scheme. The material was to be supplied in accordance with FSSAI and Agmark standards, with doorstep delivery to students across the state.Following complaints of large-scale irregularities in 2020-21, ACB registered a preliminary inquiry. Officers said it revealed officials conspired to rig the tender process by tweaking the eligibility norms. As a result, qualified firms were kept out of the bidding process, ensuring contracts were cornered by favoured companies. These firms allegedly further sublet the work to shell entities, creating a fake supply chain of non-existent suppliers and transporters, with little or no actual procurement or delivery.The investigation also found that in several cases, fake bills were generated and submitted without any actual purchase or supply, and govt payments obtained on the basis of bogus and inflated invoicing. In many cases, it is suspected substandard materials were supplied, but falsely certified as meeting prescribed quality and safety norms.A financial loss of about Rs 2,000 crore was estimated to have been caused to the state exchequer, ACB said. Based on the findings, an FIR was registered against Confed officials, central warehouse staff, private individuals and firms involved.