Month: December 2025

“Mazza Aa Gaya” were quite literally the words on Delhiites’ lips last night, as they witnessed singer Sunidhi Chauhan’s electrifying performance at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The Delhi leg of ‘I Am Home’ tour, originally scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm, actually kicked off around 6:45 pm — earlier than expected. While the main acts are usually known for starting late, Sunidhi surprised everyone by taking the stage ahead of schedule and went on to keep the audience thoroughly engaged for over two and a half hours without a break.

No doubt, with her recent show, Sunidhi once again proved why she is called an “icon” of Indian music. Her powerful voice reverberated through the arena, bringing alive the emotions and beauty of her decades-long musical journey.

Her performance infused the Delhi air with nostalgia as she belted out one evergreen hit after another such as Dhoom Machale, Bumbro, Mast, Mehboob Mere, Beedi Jalaile, and many more. The list seemed endless, as she crooned nearly every iconic song from her repertoire, barely leaving any fan favourite untouched.

And just when the crowd thought it couldn’t get better, she saved the best for last. She concluded the evening with her blockbuster hit Sheila Ki Jawani, sending fans into an absolute frenzy.

Sunidhi’s gig was not just a feast for the ears, but for the eyes as well. She left everyone spellbound with her electrifying dance moves. Take a bow, Sunidhi! Her evolution over the years is truly commendable.

She knows exactly how to rule the stage, and of course, the hearts of public. Credits also go to her incredible team, including the dancers and singers, who were perfectly in sync and elevated the show to an entirely next level.

One of the main highlights of the evening was a surprise on-stage appearance by actor Sanya Malhotra, who hails from Delhi just like Sunidhi.

The Delhi girls wowed everyone with their dance on their hit song ‘Aankh’, which was released last year.

After shaking a leg with Sunidhi, Sanya thanked her for making her part of the show. She even posted a special shout-out for Sunidhi on Instagram.

“It’s a true pinch-me moment I’ve danced to @sunidhichauhan5 songs for so many years and getting to perform with her in Ankh music video and now on stage still blows my mind. I was in the van getting ready and couldn’t stop dancing, her energy and aura are such a gift to all of us. Thank you Sunidhi for your music and thank you for your kindness and your generosity there’s no one else like you,” she posted, adding some BTS moments from Delhi gig.

A few days ago, Sunidhi enthralled Mumbaikars with her concert. And it turned out to be truly memorable when she invited veteran singer Alisha Chinai on stage.

Sunidhi’s fans in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Indore, Lucknow and Kolkata will be in for a treat soon as the ‘Desi Girl’ hitmaker will travel to the respective cities to showcase her ‘I Am Home’ tour. (ANI)

National Mahila President of the Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad, Yamuna Pathak, alleged that recent incidents of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh reflect “systematic and organised persecution”, claiming they are not isolated events but part of a larger pattern.

“When 71 attacks across 30-plus districts follow the same blasphemy script, it vividly shows and proves the systematic targeting of Hindus. They are not isolated incidents. This is organised persecution of Hindus, not law and order failure,” Pathak said.

She alleged that false accusations of blasphemy were being used as “a mob mobilisation tool” to loot houses, assault families, desecrate temples, and kill members of the Hindu community.

“Blasphemy has become a licensed weapon to lynch Hindus, while the state watches in silence. When perpetrators roam free, and victims are blamed, it is no longer negligence; it is state-enabled majoritarian violence against a defenceless minority,” she claimed.

Pathak further said that reports of forced migration, fear, social boycott and targeted killings indicated what she described as “a slow-motion ethnic cleansing” of Hindus in the neighbouring country.

She criticised what she termed as “selective outrage” by global human rights organisations, alleging that bodies which protest elsewhere were “silent when Hindus are bleeding”.

“Human rights cannot be religion-specific. We demand international accountability, whether from the United Nations, global democracies or Bharat itself,” she said, urging India to intervene diplomatically, seek prosecutions and monitor minority safety in Bangladesh.

“Hindus are not asking for privilege. We are demanding the right to live without fear and without lynch mobs,” she added.

Meanwhile, members of the Indian and Bangladeshi Hindu communities in London staged a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission on Saturday against the killing of Hindus in Bangladesh.

During the protest, demonstrators played ‘Amar Shonar Bangla’, Bangladesh’s national anthem. Protesters raised slogans demanding an end to violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh.

The protest in London followed a wave of demonstrations in India on Friday over reported atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. (ANI)

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Sunday criticised Digvijaya Singh’s praise for the RSS’s organisational strength, calling it a “famous self-goal”.

Speaking to ANI, Tagore equated the RSS with Al-Qaeda, stating that both spread hatred and emphasising that the Congress party, with its 140-year history, should be the model for unity and a people’s movement, citing Mahatma Gandhi’s transformation of the party.

“The RSS is an organisation built on hatred, and it spreads hatred. There is nothing to learn from hatred. Can you learn anything from Al-Qaeda? Al-Qaeda is an organisation of hatred. It hates others. What is there to learn from that organisation?” Manickam Tagore told ANI.

This comes after Digvijaya Singh shared a black-and-white photograph from the 1990s, found on social question-and-answer website Quora, showing a young Narendra Modi seated on the floor near senior BJP leader LK Advani at an event in Gujarat.

In a post shared on X, Singh noted that individuals who once worked at the grassroots level could rise through the organisational hierarchy to become Chief Minister and eventually Prime Minister. He described this as the “power of organisation”, while tagging senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, PM Modi, and the official handles of the Congress.

“I found this picture on the Quora site. It is very impressive. In what way did the grassroots swayamsevak of RSS and the worker of Jan Sangh @BJP4India sit on the floor at the feet of leaders and become the Chief Minister of the state and the Prime Minister of the country? This is the power of the organisation. Jai Siya Ram. @INCIndia @INCMP@kharge @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi @Jairam_Ramesh @narendramodi,” Singh’s X post read.

Manickam Tagore said that one should learn from an organisation like the Congress, which brought people together.

“Mahatma Gandhi transformed the Congress party into a people’s movement. Should this organisation learn from those organisations of hatred?” he said.

Manickam Tagore further said that Digvijaya Singh’s statement “does not help” in Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s struggle against the Central Government.

“Rahul Gandhi is completely with people, fighting for people against government monopoly. We should support him, and such a statement does not help in Rahul ji’s struggle,” he said.

Earlier, Manickam Tagore shared an ‘excellent’ own goal in a football match, writing, “Famous Self goal. We have one.”

Later, he added that there is “nothing to learn from Godse’s organisation other than Hate. Congress at 140 is still young, and fights hate.”

Digvijaya Singh later clarified that he had praised only the RSS’s organisational structure, not its ideology, and that he remains opposed to the RSS and PM Modi.

Meanwhile, the BJP seized upon Singh’s latest remarks to attack the Congress. Party National spokesperson CR Kesavan on Saturday said the comments had exposed what he termed the “autocratic and undemocratic” functioning of the Congress leadership.

“Will Rahul Gandhi show courage & react to the shocking Truth Bomb dropped by Shri. Digvijaya Singh’s tweet, which has totally exposed how Congress’s first family ruthlessly runs the party in a dictatorial manner, and also how autocratic & undemocratic this Congress leadership is?” Kesavan’s X post read. (ANI)

The victim of the Unnao rape case on Sunday expressed hope that the Supreme Court will deliver justice as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s order suspending the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

Speaking to ANI, the victim said, “I have faith in the Supreme Court that it will give me justice. I am raising the voice of every woman. Had the CBI taken action earlier, I would have got justice. His bail would have been rejected because he raped me. My father was killed. My family members were killed. The security of my family members and witnesses was removed. My husband was fired from his job. My children are unsafe at home.”

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal on December 29, challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision to suspend the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case.

A three-judge vacation bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will hear the plea of the CBI.

On Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court order that suspended the sentence and granted bail to former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case.

The SLP was filed against the Delhi High Court’s order dated December 23, 2025, which suspended Sengar’s life sentence pending disposal of his appeal and granted him bail subject to certain conditions.

Sengar was convicted in December 2019 in the Unnao rape case and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25 lakh. Though granted bail in this case, he will continue to remain in jail as he is serving a 10-year sentence in another CBI case related to murder. (ANI)

Pakistan is witnessing a renewed surge in flour prices as the Sindh government’s latest attempt to stabilise the market through subsidised wheat distribution has failed to yield results.

According to reports, flour mill owners have refused to lift government wheat stocks, citing alleged demands for illegal payments by officials of the Food Department, which has further aggravated the crisis, The Express Tribune reported.

According to The Express Tribune, millers claim officials demanded bribes ranging from Pakistani Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per bag to release wheat from government warehouses. In protest, mill owners have chosen to source wheat from the open market at higher rates, a move that has directly burdened consumers.

As a result, five-kilogramme flour bags are being sold for up to Pakistani Rs 630 in retail markets, while some mills are reportedly charging up to Pakistani Rs 650.

The situation has worsened amid allegations that specific traders newly included in the subsidised wheat scheme are misusing the policy.

These traders are accused of purchasing wheat at subsidised rates and reselling it in the open market at inflated prices, allegedly with the tacit support of officials within the Food Department. This move has angered flour mill owners, who see it as a distortion of the supply system.

In response, the Flour Mill Owners Social Welfare Association convened an emergency meeting at the Hyderabad Press Club, chaired by its president Haji Muhammad Memon. The association strongly opposed including traders in the subsidy framework, warning that such policies could create artificial shortages and market manipulation.

Members stated that any flour crisis would rest squarely on the shoulders of the Sindh Food Department, as cited by The Express Tribune.

Mill owners also criticised the wheat quota allocated to them, describing it as insufficient to meet public demand. They raised concerns about the quality of wheat stored in government warehouses, alleging it was unfit for human consumption and calling for immediate laboratory testing and certification.

The association urged the provincial government to increase wheat quotas, ensure a supply of clean, quality grain, and eliminate corruption in the food supply chain, according to The Express Tribune. (ANI)

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Sunday hailed the party’s history on its 140th Foundation Day, announcing that he has written a book on Mahatma Gandhi.

Taking a jibe at the BJP for replacing MGNREGA with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, the Congress leader asked, “Is it possible to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from history?”

He added that he had planned to build 100 Congress offices, out of which 70 have been completed.

DK Shivakumar said, “In Congress, those who sit on the stage are not leaders; the workers working at the booth level are the real leaders, and our Congress party was established 140 years ago. We are called Congresspeople. This history is not for others.”

“What history does the BJP have? We were born for the independence of this country. Is it possible to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from history? I have written a book on Gandhi. I will have it released by President Mallikarjun Kharge. I have planned to build 100 Congress offices; 70 have already been built. We are going to build state and district Congress buildings in Bengaluru. We will discuss this in the next cabinet,” he said.

Congress party members have consistently opposed renaming MGNREGA to the G-Ram-G Bill, which was ultimately passed in both houses of the Parliament. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday announced that the party will launch a nationwide ‘Save MNREGA’ campaign from January 5, making the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) the central focus of a mass movement.

The Indian National Congress celebrated its Foundation Day today. The party was founded on December 28, 1885, in Bombay (Mumbai) in the presence of 72 delegates at the Das Tejpal Sanskrit College. Its founder, General Secretary, was AO Hume, and Vyomesh Chandra Banerjee was made president. (ANI)

Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon, author of ‘Operation Sindoor: The Untold Story of India’s Deep Strikes Inside Pakistan’, took a dig at Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar after he confirmed that India had damaged military installation and injured personnel at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi’s Chakala.

Ishaq Dar invited embarrassment by acknowledging the impact of India’s strikes during Operation Sindoor.

Speaking to ANI, Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon referred to Dar as a “compulsive liar” while stating that, at the end of the day, he admitted the truth. However, Lt Gen Dhillon slammed the Pakistani minister for downplaying India’s strikes and claiming only one out of 80 Indian drones hit their air base.

Lt Gen Dhillon said, “Ishaq Dar is a compulsive liar. But at the end of the day, he also tells the truth. When they say that 80 drones were fired by India, and they could hit 7, and only one hit Nur Khan, causing some minor damage and some minor injuries. Their own Samaa TV website on August 14, 2025, on their Independence Day, published the names of 138 awardees for gallantry award who were killed in Operation Sindoor by Indian actions, and they were awarded posthumously. If 138 were awarded posthumously, that means at least 400 to 500 people had died during Operation Sindoor because of military action.”

Further, the author claimed that all eleven Pakistani air bases suffered damage.

“For him to say that some minor injuries don’t add up. Nur Khan’s base was in flames. Pakistani civilians put out the videos. All eleven of their air bases were severely damaged. We have shown separate images and videos of the damage that was done, but they will continue to tell their lies,” he said.

Ishaq Dar, during the year-end press briefing on Saturday, stated that India had sent multiple drones over Pakistani territory within 36 hours, and one drone damaged the military installation, highlighting the scale and precision of the operation.

“They (India) send drones towards Pakistan. In 36 hours, at least 80 drones were sent… We were able to intercept 79 drones out of 80, and only one drone damaged a military installation and personnel were also injured in the attack,” the Foreign Minister claimed.

India had launched Operation Sindoor to target terror camps in Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals.

According to the I&B Ministry, India successfully destroyed nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen facilities and killing over 100 terrorists.

Operation Sindoor was followed by retaliation from Pakistan, leading to a four-day conflict from May 7 to May 10. Following the heavy damage, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO, and they agreed that both sides would cease all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea on May 10.

Further, Lt Gen Dhillon responded to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s claim that he was advised to take shelter in a bunker during the May escalation, stating that their top military and political leadership, including Asim Munir, was inside the bunker when India struck terror and military bases.

“Asif Ali Zardari is Mr 10 per cent of Pakistan. He has a black past and is the most corrupt politician. That’s why they have put him in a corner and made him a President who has no say. Even Asim Munir was inside the bunker when India attacked. All the political leadership, all the military commanders, were in the bunkers. Only their soldiers were fighting it out, and they got killed. Even this is a lie that he knew it 4 days in advance. If they knew it four days in advance, why couldn’t they stop a single missile from hitting nine targets? If a four-day warning was given to the military and they could do nothing, it only shows their military is useless,” he said.

Speaking during an event on Saturday, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari revealed that during New Delhi’s retaliatory strikes in May, his Military Secretary urgently advised him to move to a bunker for safety, highlighting the intense fear gripping Pakistan’s top leadership amid the Indian operation.

Despite a warning from Zardari’s Military Secretary, the Pakistani President offered only rhetoric, stating that he had refused to enter the bunker. (ANI)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, alleging that the party’s legacy is marked by historic failures, including the Partition, the loss of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Addressing a press conference, Bhatia said that on the party’s foundation day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was attempting to highlight the party’s achievements but failed to acknowledge what he described as its historical mistakes.

“On foundation day, Congress’s remote-controlled president, Mallikarjun Khadge, was trying to explain Congress’s achievements. I must say that PoK is the legacy of the Congress Party, Partition is the legacy of the Congress Party, and the 1984 riots are the legacy of the Congress Party. Giving our land to China is the legacy of the Congress. Mallikarjun Kharge is so helpless, all he does is serve the fake Gandhi parivaar without caring for the country,” Bhati said.

The BJP spokesperson also referred to statements made by senior Congress leaders, claiming they themselves had acknowledged internal issues within the party.

“Senior Congress party leaders Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor admitted that there is no democracy left in the Congress party,” Bhatia said.

Congress party’s 140th Foundation Day was celebrated today and it was marked by a flag-hoisting ceremony at Indira Bhawan, attended by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, along with several other senior leaders.

On the occasion today, Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Modi government for allegedly “suppressing people’s rights”.

“During Sonia Gandhi’s presidency of Congress, the UPA government expanded protection of people’s rights… When Dr Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, the RTI, RTE, Food Security, MGNREGA, Forest Rights and Land Acquisition laws were enacted.

“In the last 11 years, the Modi government has weakened Congress-built institutions. RSS-BJP leaders have disregarded the national flag, Constitution, Ashoka Chakra, and Vande Mataram. They suppress people’s rights, have no connection to the freedom movement, and today are taking away the rights of the people,” Kharge alleged.

The Indian National Congress was founded on December 28, 1885, in Bombay (Mumbai) in the presence of 72 delegates at the Das Tejpal Sanskrit College.

Its founder, General Secretary, was AO Hume, and Vyomesh Chandra Banerjee was made president. (ANI)

Congress leader Sachin Pilot shared plans for MGNREGA for Congress on the occasion of the party’s foundation day on Sunday.

Addressing party workers, Pilot described the Congress as the oldest and most organised political party in the world, with a legacy rooted in the freedom movement and the strengthening of democratic institutions.

“It is our party’s foundation day, and I feel that our party is the most organised and oldest party in the world.”, said Pilot.

He said the foundation day was an occasion not only to celebrate the party’s history but also to reflect on how its values, principles and ideas could be taken to people across the country.

On the Congress party’s foundation day, the senior leader said the party would renew its commitment to its core values and launch a nationwide campaign against what it alleges is an attempt to weaken the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Pilot announced that the Congress would begin a countrywide campaign from Thursday to oppose what he termed a “conspiracy” to end MGNREGA, claiming that the government’s policies were gradually eroding the rural employment scheme.

“The Congress will launch its campaign across the country starting today against the conspiracy they have hatched to end MGNREGA. We will face the remaining challenges and firmly present our side in the cases that are in court.”, he said.

He said the party would raise the issue at all levels to protect the interests of rural workers and vulnerable sections of society.

Congress party members have consistently opposed renaming MGNREGA to the G-Ram-G Bill, which was ultimately passed in both houses. INC national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday had announced that the party will launch a nationwide ‘Save MNREGA’ campaign from January 5, making the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) the central focus of a mass movement.

Pilot also weighed in on the RSS and Digvijaya Singh issue, which raised questions about the unity among Congress members.

To explain the situation, he said, “Congress party is united. The country needs a strong opposition. We intend to strengthen the organisation. In our party, we have the right to speak about our thoughts.”

He added that Digvijaya Singh said what he wanted, but the encompassing goal of every Congress member is to strengthen the opposition leaders.

“He said whatever he had to, and after that, he also gave his clarification. All the Congress leaders have only one goal to strengthen Kharge and Rahul ji,” added Pilot.

This comes after Congress leader Digvijaya Singh reiterated on Saturday that he remains firmly opposed to the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) but admires its organisational capacity.

What fanned the rumours of internal differences within the Congress was his comment on the party’s organisational strength. Singh said, “I can say this much that there is room for improvement, and every organisation should always have room for improvement,” he said. (ANI)