Former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad lashed out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over the party's consistent electoral failures, claiming unwillingness within the party to address the issues, while pointing out that there's a lack of competence at the top leadership. Speaking exclusively with ANI, Ahmad took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi and said, "Even if Rahul Gandhi wants, he still can't take Congress below the 2nd position. The reason is that every other party is only in one state." Shakeel Ahmed claimed that Rahul Gandhi is "uncomfortable" about collaborating with popular, veteran leaders. "There are many leaders in Congress who have been politicians long before Rahul Gandhi became one. The day Rahul Gandhi ji won his first election, I won my fifth election. I believe he is uncomfortable sitting with those who don't think of him as their boss. I have felt this for a long time, but when you stay in party you don't say such things," Ahmad told ANI. He also alleged that Rahul Gandhi has a sense of superiority because of his Nehru-Gandhi lineage. "I used to tell him don't do this, don't do that. I think he used to feel offended that someone is telling me these things; I belong to the Nehru-Gandhi family. He feels that everything is given to Congress by his family," he said. Ahmed also alleged, "There is no internal democracy in the Congress party...In the Congress party, whatever Rahul Gandhi says is final." The former leader said that many Congress leaders who are "disappointed" do not raise their voices because they want to secure their next generation's future in the party. "There are many leaders in Congress who are disappointed, but their next generation has joined Congress. So they are in Congress even after facing humiliation," he said. When asked about Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's rift with the party's leadership, Shakeel Ahmed said, "I wanted vote for Shashi Tharoor (for the post of Congress President). But when I saw that the loyalists of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were seeking votes for Kharge ji. I voted for Kharge Sahib against my will as I did not want to waste my vote," he said. Tharoor has clearly signalled that there are some "issues" with him and the party, and he would like to discuss them with the party's leadership. "Whatever issues there are, I would have to discuss them with the party leadership, and I look forward to the opportunity to do so. I'm not entering into this issue in public at all," he said, earlier in the day. Tharoor has missed a key strategy meeting of the party to discuss the upcoming Kerala assembly polls, indicating his displeasure over the party's functioning. His absence came a few days after he was reportedly 'ignored' by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the party's "Mahapanchayat" organised in Kochi, Kerala, on January 19. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 11:01 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is set to present a special tableau at the 77th Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path, highlighting the nationwide implementation of the three new criminal laws that came into force on July 1, 2024. As per the MHA, the tableau will showcase the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, replacing colonial-era laws Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973; and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. The new laws, collectively referred to as the 'Naveen Nyaya Sanhita', mark a comprehensive overhaul of India's criminal justice system, replacing British-era statutes with a modern, Indian-centric legal framework. Described as one of the biggest legal reforms of the century, the new laws replace the colonial-era framework based on punishment with an Indian philosophy centred on justice, symbolised by the theme "Dand Se Nyay Ki Or" (from punishment to justice). The tableau will depict India's transition towards a modern, technology-driven, time-bound and citizen-centric justice system, aligned with the vision of a Viksit Bharat. Key technological advancements under the new laws will be prominently displayed, including e-Sakshya for digital evidence collection, the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) for biometric identification, and e-summon, which enables courts to issue digitally signed summons electronically. The tableau will also showcase technology-enabled court processes such as virtual hearings. The integrated functioning of police, forensics, prosecution, courts, and prisons under the Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) framework will be a major highlight. Mobile forensic units featured in the tableau will symbolise enhanced forensic reach and faster response at crime scenes. Swift response mechanisms will be depicted through integrated control rooms, improved surveillance infrastructure, including CCTV networks, and the growing role of trained women police personnel in field operations and response units. The tableau will also underline the introduction of community service as a reformative form of punishment, reflecting a more humane and progressive approach to justice. Additionally, the multilingual display of the new law books will emphasise the government's commitment to accessibility, inclusiveness and transparency, ensuring that citizens across the country can understand the reformed legal framework. Through this tableau, the MHA aims to convey India's decisive shift towards a professional, technology-driven justice system that strengthens constitutional values and builds public trust through certainty, speed and dignity in the delivery of justice. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 09:44 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe 'Granth Kutir', inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu in Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 23, has been developed to enhance awareness among the people regarding the rich cultural and literary heritage of India. "Granth Kutir has been developed at Rashtrapati Bhavan to enhance awareness among people about the rich cultural and literary heritage of India. The people can see the collection of books and manuscripts in the Granth Kutir during their tour to Rashtrapati Bhavan," the Rashtrapati Bhavan posted on X. Granth Kutir has a rich collection of manuscripts and books in 11 classical languages of India-- Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. The Granth Kutir showcases India's rich and diverse cultural, philosophical, literary and intellectual heritage. This Kutir has a collection of about 2,300 books in 11 Indian classical languages. The Government of India conferred the 'Classical Language' status to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali languages on October 03, 2024. Before that, six languages held the status of classical languages. The Granth Kutir collection covers a wide range of subjects, including epics, philosophy, linguistics, history, governance, science, and devotional literature, as well as the Constitution of India in these languages. Around 50 manuscripts are also part of the collection. Many of these manuscripts are handwritten on traditional materials such as palm leaf, paper, bark, and cloth. The Granth Kutir has been developed through collaboration with the central government, state governments, universities, research institutions, cultural organisations, and individual donors from across the country. The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, and institutions associated with them have supported this initiative. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is providing professional expertise in the management, conservation, documentation and display of manuscripts. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 09:08 PM IST | New Delhi | ANINearly a dozen schools in Ahmedabad received anonymous emails threatening bomb blasts on Friday, prompting police to conduct a thorough search of the institutions, during which nothing suspicious was found, officials said. The threats received by schools in the morning hours sent schools and parents into a tizzy, but later turned out to be a hoax, police said. Prominent institutions, including DPS, Army School, and Mahatma Gandhi International School, received emails threatening blasts, warning them against hoisting the tricolour on Republic Day and calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah "enemies of Khalistan", they said. "Around a dozen schools received these emails, and an extensive search was carried out with the help of the bomb detection and disposal squads (BDDS), but nothing was found on the premises. These emails have turned out to be hoaxes," said Rahul Tripathi, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Operations Group. The threat emails caused chaos in schools as the administrations informed the police and closed the schools for the day, asking parents to pick up their children as the premises were being searched for bombs. The city cybercrime branch will register an FIR and initiate a probe into the matter. According to the police, the email said there would be a bomb blast at 1.11 pm. "Modi-Shah are enemies of Khalistan...Save your children. Do not raise the Indian 'tiranga' in schools on January 26. Khalistan-Bangladesh zindabad," it said. An angry parent said that schools receive hoax bomb threat emails every now and then, and studies are getting affected because of this. "Strict steps should be taken so that senders of such emails do not dare repeat this. This has happened for the second or third time, and every time we have to rush to school to pick up our children," he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 06:23 PM IST | Ahmedabad | PTIAt least nine people have fallen ill after consuming contaminated drinking water in Mhow tehsil of Madhya Pradesh's Indore district, officials said on Friday. Cases of water-borne diseases were reported from the Patti Bazaar and Chander Marg areas on Thursday night, they said. Indore Collector Shivam Verma arrived in Mhow late at night and visited patients undergoing treatment at a hospital, and spoke to residents of the affected areas, an official said. Nine patients have been hospitalised, while a few others are recuperating at home, he said. The official said that personnel from the health department have been on site since Friday morning, under the direction of Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Hasani. A team from the Indore Medical College and other specialist doctors are also being sent to the scene, he said. Mhow MLA Usha Thakur also visited the hospital to meet the affected persons. Collector Verma directed the health department to ensure proper and effective treatment for all patients and has instructed the Mhow Cantonment Board to check the water quality and maintain cleanliness in the area. The government is closely monitoring the situation, Verma said. The affected areas will be surveyed, and residents suffering from any symptoms will be provided with appropriate treatment, and critical patients will be admitted to the hospital, he said. No patient is in critical condition at present, and some of them will be discharged during the day, he added. Last month, several people fell ill, and seven deaths linked to water contamination were reported in the Bhagirathpura area of Indore. While residents of the locality have claimed that the outbreak has claimed 25 lives so far, a status report submitted by the Madhya Pradesh government to the High Court on January 15 mentioned seven deaths, including that of a five-month-old boy. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 04:57 PM IST | Indore | PTIAfter a day of widespread snowfall, gusty winds and rain, the weather improved in Kashmir on Saturday even though night temperatures were seen below the freezing point across the valley, officials said. Some areas, especially in the higher reaches of Kashmir, received intermittent snowfall and rains till late Friday night, the officials said. On Friday, most parts of Kashmir received a major snowfall, with the first snowfall of the season, though light, in parts of Srinagar. The officials said that in the past 24 hours, moderate to heavy snowfall was recorded at most places of the valley, especially in the higher reaches, while the plains received light to moderate snow. There has been an improvement in the weather since Saturday morning, the officials said, adding, however, that the Meteorological Department has forecast light rain and snow at isolated places on Saturday and Sunday. Another western disturbance is likely to impact Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, under the influence of which, light to moderate rain/snow is likely at most places, with the possibility of heavy spells with thunder/gusty winds at a few places, from Monday night to Tuesday forenoon, the officials said. Afterwards till February 3, the weather is likely to stay mainly dry, but partly cloudy. Meanwhile, the night temperature in Srinagar settled at a low of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius on Friday night, the officials said. At the Srinagar airport, flight operations, which were suspended due to heavy snowfall before, resumed after snow was removed from the runway. Gulmarg, in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir at a low of minus 12.0 degrees Celsius, they said. The tourist resort of Sonamarg, in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, was the second coldest recorded place at minus 10.5 degrees Celsius. The Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, the officials said. The minimum temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town of the Valley, settled at minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius and Kupwara minus 4.0 degrees Celsius, they added. The Kashmir Valley is currently under the influence of 'Chilla-i-Kalan', a 40-day period of extreme cold during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point, and the chances of snowfall are the highest. 'Chilla-i-Kalan', which began on December 21 last year, ends on January 30. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 02:56 PM IST | Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) | PTIOdisha's Nabrangpur district has been declared "Naxal-free" after nine Maoists surrendered in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, police said Saturday. Seven women were among these surrendered Naxalites. They were carrying a total bounty of Rs 47 lakh. The surrendered Naxalites were operating in Nabarangpur and Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district, an official said."With their surrender, Nabarangpur district has become free from Naxal activity," police said in a statement. The district has witnessed several incidents of Naxal violence, including the assassination of BJD MLA Jagabandhu Majhi and his personal security officer, PK Patro, on Sept 24, 2011. The Maoists had also attacked the Kundei police station in Raigarh block on July 16, 2010. "However, there has been no major trouble in the district after 2011," a police officer said. Of the state's 30 districts, Maoist influence now remains confined to pockets of just seven districts -- Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, and Boudh, he said. "Nabarangpur becoming free of Naxalites is a major achievement, with the Centre's target of eliminating Left-Wing Extremism from the country by March 31 approaching," he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 12:53 PM IST | Bhubaneswar | PTIThe hearing on taking cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet filed against businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a money laundering case linked to UK-based defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari was postponed on Saturday. The Rouse Avenue Court in the national Capital will now hear the matter on February 26. The hearing was deferred after the ED sought additional time from the court to submit certain documents related to the prosecution complaint. The court expressed displeasure over the delay and made it clear that it was granting the agency a final opportunity to place the required documents on record before the next hearing. The chargesheet has been filed in connection with a money laundering case linked to Sanjay Bhandari, who is accused of possessing undisclosed assets abroad. The case involves a renewed investigation into earlier allegations related to foreign assets and illegal financial transactions. The case pertains to alleged overseas assets and financial transactions connected to Bhandari, who is already facing proceedings in connection with holding undisclosed assets abroad. The ED had named Vadra as an accused after completing its investigation and sought cognisance of its prosecution complaint. During the probe, Vadra’s statement was recorded in July 2025 under Section 50 of the PMLA. Bhandari, the prime accused in the case, is already facing charges in connection with undisclosed overseas assets. He left India in 2016 and has since been declared a fugitive economic offender by a Delhi court. The ED’s investigation stems from a series of income-tax raids conducted on Bhandari in 2016, which reportedly uncovered emails and documents pointing to his links with Vadra and his associates. The ED has previously attached multiple properties in India said to be linked to Vadra or entities associated with him, claiming they represent proceeds of crime generated through Bhandari’s offshore dealings. Meanwhile, in another matter, the ED has told a Special Court that Vadra received Rs 58 crore as proceeds of crime from an allegedly tainted land deal in Gurugram. Of this, Rs 53 crore was routed through Sky Light Hospitality and another Rs 5 crore through Blue Breeze Trading. As part of its investigation, the Central agency provisionally attached 43 immovable properties worth Rs 38.69 crore, identified as direct or value equivalent to proceeds of crime. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 12:53 PM IST | New Delhi [India] | IANSAs a cold wave continues to grip northern India, Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount Abu, has been witnessing extreme winter conditions, with frost forming on grasslands and icy layers covering water bodies as temperatures dipped sharply over the past few days. Usually, winter conditions begin to ease after Basant Panchami, but Mount Abu has experienced the opposite trend over the last three days. Following a cold wave on Friday, Saturday morning, January 24, turned out to be the coldest and most bone-chilling day of the current winter season. The minimum temperature reportedly plunged to a staggering minus 7 degrees Celsius today, marking the lowest reading this winter. The severity of the cold was evident across the region as thick layers of ice formed on ponds and small water bodies, resembling ice sheets seen inside deep freezers. In several areas, water surfaces froze completely overnight, highlighting the intensity of the cold wave. Visuals from the region showed frost-covered surroundings and residents braving the harsh conditions. A thick layer of frozen dew was also observed on grasslands in rural pockets of Mount Abu, including Salgaon and the Chand Mari firing range. Nearby ponds were seen covered with solid ice sheets, underlining how low temperatures had dropped through the night and early morning hours. The cold conditions persisted throughout the day, with biting winds adding to the discomfort. Even after 9 am, locals were seen warming themselves around bonfires along roadsides, as the sun offered little relief. The cold spell continued well into the evening and night, making it one of the harshest winter phases in recent years. Tourists visiting Mount Abu for sightseeing expressed surprise at the extreme cold following Basant Panchami. Many said the weather stood in stark contrast to conditions in their home cities. Despite wearing heavy winter clothing, several visitors were seen keeping their hands tucked into pockets, rubbing their palms together while sipping hot tea and snacks to cope with the freezing temperatures. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 11:57 AM IST | Mount Abu (Rajasthan) | ANIVisiting Rajasthan's desert city of Jaisalmer is set to become slightly costlier, with the municipal council deciding to levy a passenger tax on vehicles entering the city.Tourists arriving in private vehicles or taxis will have to pay the tax at designated entry points. The move has received approval from the state's Local Self-Government Department, according to an official. He said toll checkpoints will be set up on Barmer Road and Jodhpur Road, and the tax will be collected as vehicles enter the city limits. The rates are fixed at Rs 200 for a 35-seater bus, Rs 150 for a 25-seater bus, Rs 100 for a five-seater car, and Rs 50 for taxis and other cars, the official said. Jailsalmer Municipal Commissioner Lajpal Singh Sodha said the tax is aimed at improving civic services and managing heavy tourist traffic during the peak season. "Thousands of tourists come to Jaisalmer every year, which causes pressure on basic infrastructure. The Municipal Council does not get revenue to maintain basic facilities. Following the state government's directions, the council decided to collect tax from vehicles entering Jaisalmer," Sodha said. He said they will start levying the new tax once the gazette notification is released. The council is planning to digitise the tax collection system so that people do not face problems, he added. The levy will be in addition to entry tickets at major tourist sites such as Sonar Fort, Patwon Ki Haveli, Bada Bagh, Kuldhara and Sam sand dunes. Private vehicle movement near Sonar Fort will be restricted. Traffic lights will also be installed at 10 major city intersections to ease congestion and reduce accidents, officials said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
24 January,2026 11:57 AM IST | Jaipur | PTIJammu Security forces and the Indian Army on Friday gunned down a Jaish-e-Mohammed commander-level terrorist after a high-stakes operation in Parhetar village in Kathua district. The operation and searches had been underway for more than a week. Providing details on the operation, SSP Kathua Mohita Sharma said, "The Joint operation of J&K Police, Indian Army and CRPF was started, today the situation was a hostage situation, but our brave police jawans rescued the civilians, and fierce gunbattle took place." The Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist of Pakistan was identified as Usman. He was active from 2024, and six terror acts were registered against him, including the killing of civilians and security forces. Three of his hideouts have been busted so far, along with the natural caves he used, and one was a man-made hideout. Describing the joint operation by J&K Police and the Indian army, SSP Mohita Sharma said, "After the encounter, when he escaped, our search operation continued in this entire forest area. During this operation, there was a major contact with him, and three hideouts were also busted. " She further said, "Today, we received another specific input around 1 PM. It was from Parhetar village stating that he was in a house and had taken some civilians hostage. We immediately moved our party there, and our CRPF and Army personnel were also with us, forming a cordon." Explaining how the incident ended, SSP said, "Then, a small JKP (Jammu and Kashmir Police) party, setting a great example of bravery, first evacuated the civilians from there and then went straight into the house. They snatched his weapon. and shot him. It did come to a full-blown combat situation, and he fired first from inside. As soon as we entered, our party displayed exceptional bravery - the kind of bravery for which the JKP is famous throughout the country and the world - in snatching his weapon and shooting him. " "He is a very dreaded terrorist who has been active in this area since 2024. He is a commander-level terrorist, goes by the name Usman, and he has carried out six terrorist attacks since 2024, in which civilians have died and our forces' personnel have also been martyred. He is a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist, An M4 weapon was recovered," Kathua Mohita added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 January,2026 10:15 AM IST | Kathua | ANIADVERTISEMENT
-1769275541971_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Rahul Gandhi is uncomfortable about collaborating with popular, veteran leaders, said Shakeel Ahmad. File Pic")
-1769270271470_d.png "MHA to highlight ‘Naveen Nyaya Sanhita’ in its tableau at the Republic Day parade in Delhi. PIC/PTI")
-1769174013176_d.png "Panic created at multiple Ahmedabad schools as hoax bomb threats trigger police search. Representational image")
-1769165159694_d.png "Some patients have been discharged from hospital following treatment, authorities said. Representational pic")
-1769244170131_d.png "Some areas, especially in the higher reaches of Kashmir, received intermittent snowfall and rains. File Pic")
-1769238170877_d.png "Representational Image")
-1769237638415_d.png "Robert Vadra. File Pic")
-1769235854725_d.png "Representational Image. File Pic")
-1769234820185_d.png "Representation pic")
