Megastar Rajinikanth on Thursday extended warm New Year greetings but with a filmy twist.
He shared one of the scenes from his film ‘Muthu’.
The 18-second clip from Muthu features Rajinikanth riding a chariot with Meena accompanying him. As she asks him if he is taking the correct route, he says, “who knows, trust God, trust your process and keep moving.”
“Wishing you all a very Happy New Year 2026. God bless,” he captioned the post.
Rajinikanth, affectionately known as “Thalaiva” (leader) by his legion of fans, remains one of the most revered and influential figures in Indian cinema. With a career spanning over four decades, he has starred in numerous films across languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English.
Some of his memorable movies include ‘Shivaji: The Boss’, Annaamalai, Thalapathi, Padaiyappa, Robot, Jailer, and others. (ANI)
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show-cause notice to an Air India pilot amid safety concerns on flights AI-358 and AI-357, pertaining to aircraft dispatch, Minimum Equipment List (MEL) compliance, and flight crew decision-making.
DGCA, in its notice, said that the pilot accepted the aircraft despite repeated snags and system degradation.
The civil aviation authority noted that there was a smell of smoke reported near a door in the AI-358 flight.
DGCA in the show cause notice said, “Whereas, it has been observed that M/s Air India Limited, during the operation of Flight AI-358 (and related operations of AI-357), serious safety concerns arose pertaining to aircraft dispatch, Minimum Equipment List (MEL) compliance, and flight crew decision-making.”
“Whereas, during the operation of Flight AI-358, the operating crew received PACK ACM L and Pack Mode advisories. And a smell of smoke was reported near the R2 door. Whereas repetitive snags related to the same systems had been recorded on five previous sectors, indicating a known history of system degradation,” the notice added.
The operating crew in AI-358, as per DGCA, accepted the aircraft without adequate understanding of MEL limitations, as on December 28, the conditions of the lower right recirculation fan were not aligned with the MEL ‘O’ conditions.
The notice stated, “Whereas, the aircraft VT-ANI was dispatched with incompatible MEL items, in contravention of CAR Section 2, Series B. Part 1. Paras 2.2 and 2.3. Whereas, despite the above, the pilots of Flights AI-358 and AI-357, including yourself, accepted the aircraft for operation with prior knowledge of repeated snags and existing system degradations.”
“Whereas, on 28.06.2025, there was non-compliance with MEL ‘O’ conditions pertaining to the lower right recirculation fan on Flight Al-358, in violation of CAR Section 2, Series B, Part 1, Para 5.3. Whereas, the operating crew accepted the aircraft without adequate understanding of MEL limitations and system interdependencies, contrary to the provisions of CAR Section 8, Series O, Part II, Para 3.1.2. Whereas the operating crew failed to adequately assess the combined operational and safety impact of multiple inoperative systems, as required under CAR Section 8, Series O, Part II, Para 4.5.1,” the aviation body said.
“Now, therefore, you are hereby directed to show cause within 14 days of receipt of this notice as to why appropriate enforcement action should not be initiated against you under the relevant provisions of the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements for the above-mentioned violations. Failure to submit your reply within the stipulated period shall result in the matter being decided ex parte based on the evidence available on record,” the notice read.
Earlier on December 22, an Air India flight bound for Mumbai was forced to return to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after departure on Sunday. Pilots of flight AI-887 opted to turn back as a precaution after detecting a technical glitch mid-air.
The crew operating flight AI-887 from Delhi to Mumbai returned to Delhi shortly after take-off due to a technical issue, in accordance with standard operating procedure. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended New Year greetings to the nation, wishing everyone an excellent 2026.
In a message shared on X, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the year ahead would bring good health and prosperity to all. He said he prays for success in people’s efforts and fulfilment in all that they do.
The Prime Minister also prayed for peace and happiness in society, extending his best wishes for harmony and well-being as the country enters the new year.
Earlier, Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi also took to X to wish people a happy New Year 2026, expressing hope that the year would bring good health, happiness, and success to everyone.
Across India, the New Year 2026 was welcomed with fireworks, prayers and public gatherings. Cities, hill towns and religious centres witnessed celebrations as people marked the occasion with family and friends.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 50th meeting of PRAGATI – the ICT-enabled multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation – earlier today, marking a significant milestone in a decade-long journey of cooperative, outcome-driven governance under his leadership.
The milestone underscores how technology-enabled leadership, real-time monitoring, and sustained Centre-State collaboration have translated national priorities into measurable on-the-ground outcomes, an official release said.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister reviewed five critical infrastructure projects across sectors, including roads, railways, power, water resources, and coal. These projects span five States and have a cumulative cost of more than Rs 40,000 crore.
Prime Minister noted that over the years, the PRAGATI-led ecosystem has helped accelerate projects worth more than Rs 85 lakh crore and supported the on-ground implementation of major welfare programmes at scale.
Prime Minister said that since 2014, the government has worked to institutionalise delivery and accountability, creating a system where work is pursued with consistent follow-up and completed within timelines and budgets. He said projects that were started earlier but left incomplete or forgotten have been revived and completed in the national interest.
Prime Minister concluded by stating that PRAGATI@50 is not merely a milestone; it is a commitment. PRAGATI must be strengthened further in the years ahead to ensure faster execution, higher quality, and measurable outcomes for citizens.
On the occasion of the 50th PRAGATI milestone, the Cabinet Secretary made a brief presentation highlighting PRAGATI’s key achievements and outlining how it has reshaped India’s monitoring and coordination ecosystem, strengthening inter-ministerial and Centre-State follow-through, and reinforcing a culture of time-bound closure, which resulted in faster implementation of projects, improved last-mile delivery of Schemes and Programmes and quality resolution of public grievances. (ANI)
Manish Srivastava Hindvi, the Congress spokesperson, says federalism does not finds any mention in the dictionary of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Centre under BJP has not only put a noose on the working of its own state governments, but has also placed puppet governors in the states ruled by other parties, in order to carry forward their nefarious agenda. In a candid Q&A session with Rajat Rai of Lokmarg.com, Hindvi also discusses his party’s plans to counter the saffron agenda.
Q. As the principal Opposition party in Parliament, how do you see the importance of federalism in a country as diverse as India?
Ans. Federalism is the root of a model of governance that is pro people and pro-democracy but the idea is completely missing from the work culture of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It is quite obvious that the Centre does have some interference in the working of the state governments but making a state government (be it of the BJP or any other party) literally helpless and keep looking towards the Centre for even a smallest work or decision is not acceptable in a healthy and transparent democracy. This `dangerous’ model is quite visible in the state runs by the BJP and to keep its agenda going, and in state run by other parties, it has appointed Governors who work on the directions of the Centre and keep hindering the smooth working of state governments.
Q. Do you believe federalism, where power is decentralised, is steadily getting weakened in India after Narendra Modi took over the reins in 2014? If yes, please give examples to support your view. Also, there have been allegations from several regional parties that the BJP wants a strong Centre which can influence areas and power that come under States list as per the Seventh Schedule. Do you find any merit in such allegations?
Ans. Federalism is indeed steadily getting weakened ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014 and eventually, the BJP wants to keep all kinds of power in its hand and run the states from the Centre. Leave aside the states having a BJP government, there are burning examples like Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in the past where, for example, the governors used to sit silently on bills passed by the Vidhan Sabha and the shamelessness fell to such an extent where at times, the Supreme Court has to interfere. Another fresh example of how federalism is choked to death – the MNREGA, which was started by the UPA government and the beneficiaries were those at the end of the social chain, used to work on a model that started from the poor (labours) who were, in a way, the decision makers. Now, it has literally been quashed and replaced by a model where everything – be it work days, kind of work, mode of work, etc. – will be decided by the Centre. Is it not murdering federalism in broad daylight? A strong Centre is a basic need for strong and flawless governance (at both Centre and states) but this is missing in the NDA government. It only wants to eventually concentrate all kinds of decision making power in its hand and keep the states choking for fresh breath.
Q. Are minorities in Uttar Pradesh feeling increasingly marginalised amid a rise in Hindustan forces both at the state as well as Central levels? Please substantiate your views with examples.
Ans. Minorities are definitely not feeling safe not only in UP or any other state but across India due to the narrative that the BJP is setting since day one of its coming to power. I will not go into specific incidents but its agenda is quite evident from its team of `aggressive’ leaders who are only into giving provocative statements that eventually passes down the line to its last level of workers. Let’s begin with UP CM Yogi Adityanath who recently said in the UP Vidhan Sabha that he will deliver such a treatment to offenders that they will not be in a position to read `Fatiha’. What is this? Is this permissible in a healthy and secular democracy? Then there are other state and national level leaders like Hemanta Bisva Sarma, Ramesh Bidhuri, Anurag Thakur, etc., who it appears, have been given the job to start and end their days with such provocative and offensive statements to hurt the minorities. This has not only given free hands to their workers down the line but has also helped fringe groups like X Sena, Y Dal, Z Rakshaks, etc., to operate and disturb social harmony without the fear of the law of the land.
Q. Does the Congress have a political strategy to push back divisive communal forces? Do you think the Congress can effectively strengthen federal forces in the country?
Ans. We are the only party that stands with the oppressed irrespective of his/her social, ethical or religious beliefs and it was visible from the 4000 km of Bharat Jodo Yatra that was taken up by our leader Rahul Gandhi from Kashmir to KanyaKumari. The only message that was conveyed throughout the Yatra and that still resonates in our working at all levels is the `Mohabbat Ki Dukan’ which is strongly gaining popularity amongst the masses. We also make it a point to reach out to each and every oppressed person and the incidents of Kushinagar and Behraich are examples where we were the first to reach out and make sure that the incident does not go unnoticed and the government was forced to take action.
As far as strengthening the federal forces is concerned, I would like to start from the scratch when, in 1947, we were handed over only a piece of land and it was with great effort and pain that we devised a federal structure – from the Centre to the state to the Panchayat level – to run the country peacefully and effortlessly. Though some loopholes are left in any type of governance, it is the moral duty of every government (BJP, Congress or any other) to fix it rather than pin pointing it and making an issue out of it.
Q. What are the limitations and challenges before a regional party while countering a powerful political network like the BJP?
Ans. This is true that a regional party has less or limited resources and power as compared to a national level party especially when it is in power in the Centre. If at all a regional party dares or appears to offer some resistance to BJP or its vote bank, central agencies like ED, CBI, I-T are put into work to harass local leaders in all possible manner. The fresh example was of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren who was `tortured’ in all possible manners to break down and eventually shun politics. However, hats off to his wife Kalpana Soren who stood strong and helped his husband ward off all kinds of pressures. The sentiments of the people of Jharkhand were also with Soren which also helped as a cushion and enabled him to come out more strongly. Similar was the case with the BJD in Odisha where not only its CM Naveen Patnaik bid adieu to politics but the party is also in shambles.
Q. The BJP is seen as cannibalizing its own regional allies, gradually weakening them and then pushing them to margins. This was seen in Maharashtra recently. Why do you think BJP feels threatened by regional political groups, including its own allies?
Ans. There are many live examples of this phenomenon – that eat up your allies and finish your opponents – Shiv Sena and Akali Dal are now in the history books and JDU is slowly and steadily following the same fate. If you observe TV debates in connection with Bihar politics, you clearly see one thing – while two of BJP leaders are advocating the leadership of Nitish Kumar, another set of leaders is justifying a change of guard in Bihar. This is a burning example of the state of mind of BJP – to ally and eventually finish its allies. This is done only for the sake of the regional vote bank of such parties as BJP’s strong vote bank comprises mainly of the middle class and upper class voters and to penetrate the OBC, SC, ST, etc., vote bank, they need regional allies who are lured inside NDA and eventually sacrificed for the sake of the vote bank they enjoy.
Q. There are voices of change of guard in the UPA by some of its partners as Rahul Gandhi is also the LoP. What are your views on this?
Ans. One thing is for sure that only a national party can run a government at the Centre and it is also a fact that it is also not quite possible without the assistance of regional parties. Regional parties do have an urge to move to central politics and they have limitations of being limited to only a state or a region. There are voices in some regional partners but there is nothing going as such inside the UPA for a change of guard. Additionally, the BJP keeps running narratives of differences between allies of the UPA regarding the leader of UPA but we, as a team, remain intact with the sole motive of returning to the Centre in 2029.
Q. There are also allegations on some regional parties like AIMIM and the BSP of participating in Vidhan Sabha elections to help BJP. Your views?
Ans. In a democracy, everyone has the right to contest elections and it will not be fair to term any party as a B team of BJP or any other party. In a democracy, if any entity contests elections, it may be beneficial to some and on the other hand, someone else may incur some kind of loss. However, the fight at present is even bigger – to fight against dictatorship and to fight for survival – as the BJP is making all efforts to finish all its opponents by hook or by crook.
Q. Does Congress has any plans to go solo in any of the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections as concerns are being raised in the inner circle of the party. Your views?
Ans. At present, our `Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ is going on at all the 403 Lok Sabha seats at grass root level and the UPA is united for a single cause – forming a government at the centre in 2029. As far as going solo in any election is concerned, there is no such discussion at present and a decision, if any, will be taken by our central command.
At least four people have died, and more than 149 have been hospitalised in Indore after consuming contaminated water, prompting the state administration to step up emergency measures.
Indore District Magistrate Shivam Verma said that treatment is being provided to all affected individuals as per the Chief Minister’s directions. He said approximately 149 people are currently hospitalised, with their conditions being closely monitored.
The District Magistrate said survey teams are conducting door-to-door checks to identify more affected persons and prevent further spread of illness. He added that nearly 2,700 houses had been surveyed till Tuesday, and the exercise is being extended to nearby areas as well. ANM and ASHA workers are also visiting households and distributing ORS packets to residents as a preventive measure.
In a strict disciplinary action, the administration has suspended the Assistant Engineer (AE) and Zonal Officer (ZO) responsible for water supply, and the concerned sub-engineer has been relieved of his duties. An investigation is underway to ascertain the source of contamination and ensure a safe drinking water supply to the affected areas.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the contaminated water incident at Indore’s Bhagirathpura, and the government would not tolerate any negligence, especially in areas with water supply complaints.
MP CM Yadav on Wednesday met people undergoing treatment after falling ill due to alleged consumption of contaminated water in Indore.
Addressing the media here, Yadav said, “A problem with the drinking water supply came to light, resulting in a large number of people falling ill with vomiting and diarrhoea and being admitted to various hospitals. Upon becoming aware of the situation, immediate action was taken, and within two to three days, more than 40 thousand people were screened. Of these, 2,456 suspected cases were identified, and 212 were admitted to hospitals. 50 patients have recovered and been discharged, and 162 patients are still admitted.”
“Today, I visited four-five hospitals and met all the patients undergoing treatment. Everyone’s condition is stable, and proper treatment is being provided in the hospitals. Primarily, action has already been taken against the concerned official for negligence. We have stated that the government will not tolerate any negligence under any circumstances, especially in areas where there are complaints related to water supply. A thorough investigation will be conducted to prevent such incidents in the future,” he further said.
The death toll in the contaminated water incident has increased to seven so far. The Chief Minister announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and free treatment for all affected people.
Earlier, Yadav expressed grief over the incident, paid tributes to the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for those undergoing treatment. He also directed strict action against the concerned officials responsible for the lapse.
Two officials have been suspended, while one has been dismissed from the service. (ANI)
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