Kiren Rijiju alleged an opposition conspiracy to incite violence duringanti-SIR protests .Suvendu Adhikari ordered a probe after aKolkata stampede killed 19.Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi, Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar ofvote theft and vowed they would face justice.- JD Vance called his
H-1B visa remarks “imperfect” after India’s objection. - Protests in France largely destroyed a historic town hall in Limoges.
Here are the top news stories of the day:
Kiren Rijiju alleges conspiracy to trigger violence during anti-SIR protests
Union minister Kiren Rijiju accused opposition leaders and what he called “anti-India gangs” of conspiring to incite violence during protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He alleged that attempts were made to provoke unrest similar to incidents in Bangladesh and France, asserting that regime change in India could happen only through elections. Read full story
Bengal CM orders probe into home guards after Kolkata Puja stampede kills 19
West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered an investigation into temporary home guards deployed at Kolkata’s Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal, where a stampede killed 19 people and injured 25. He alleged that guards dropped ropes separating entry and exit routes to shelter from rain, worsening the crowd surge. Read full story
Rahul Gandhi says PM Modi, Shah and CEC Kumar will face justice over ‘vote chori’
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of involvement in alleged “vote chori”, asserting they would face justice. Addressing a public meeting in Goa, he also claimed the BJP’s “expiry date” was approaching and urged voters to give Congress a full majority in the 2027 Assembly elections.
JD Vance calls H-1B remarks ‘imperfect’, says criticism was aimed at companies
US Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged that his description of H-1B visa holders as “indentured servants” was “imperfect”, clarifying that he was criticising employers and the visa system, not foreign workers. His clarification follows India’s strong objection to the “deeply offensive” terminology, which it said carried painful historical and colonial connotations. Read full story
Historic french town hall destroyed in fire during cost-of-living protests
A 143-year-old town hall in Limoges, France, has been largely destroyed after protesters set it ablaze during demonstrations over rising living costs and public services. The town hall served as a hub for French Resistance activities during Nazi occupation and hosted Belgium’s government-in-exile in 1940. Read full story