Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda on Saturday greeted members of the RSS on the occasion of its foundation day.  

In a post on X, Shah said since its inception, the organisation has been doing a remarkable job of protecting Indian culture and inculcating the ideas of patriotism in youth. Swayamsevak Sangh, a unique symbol of discipline and patriotism, added Shah.

Nadda said RSS is the world’s largest voluntary organization committed to inculcating the spirit of service to the motherland, upliftment of culture and the powerful thoughts of nation first in the minds of every person.

“The contribution of @RSSorg in spreading national ideas in the society and nurturing the ideas of service to Mother India is commendable,” Nadda said in a post on X.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur on Vijayadashami.

The Union Home Minister said RSS is empowering every section by accelerating the work of social service and through its educational efforts, creating patriots dedicated to the country’s welfare.

“On the one hand, RSS is empowering every section by accelerating the work of social service, and on the other hand, it is creating patriots dedicated to the country’s welfare through educational efforts,” the senior BJP leader said.

In another post on X, Shah also greeted the people of the country on the occasion of Vijayadashami. He said Vijayadashami is a symbol of the victory of ‘Dharma’ over ‘Adharma’ and truth over falsehood.

“This festival of Vijayadashami inspires everyone to eliminate the evils within themselves and follow the path of ‘Dharma’ and humanity. May Lord Shri Ram bless everyone. Jai Shri Ram,” he said in the message in Hindi.

Vijayadashami marks the end of Durga Puja and commemorates Lord Ram’s victory over demon king Ravan.

In a separate message, Shah also paid tributes to BJP leader Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia on her birth anniversary. He said she was an epitome of simplicity and her courage and struggle during the Emergency played an important role in the restoration of democracy.

“The country will always remember Rajmata Scindiaji’s loyalty towards the country and her work for public welfare,” he said.

Scindia, who belonged to the Gwalior royal family, was a BJP vice-president and MP. She was born on October 12, 1919.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the Centre over the rail accident in Tamil Nadu, saying no lessons have been learnt despite many lives lost in numerous accidents and asked how many more families must be destroyed before the government wakes up.

Gandhi said in a post on X that the Mysuru-Darbhanga train accident mirrors the horrific Balasore accident, in which a passenger train collided with a stationary goods train. 

“Despite many lives lost in numerous accidents, no lessons are learned. Accountability starts at the top. How many more families must be destroyed before this government wakes up,” the Rae Bareli MP said.

According to reports, the Mysuru-Darbhanga Express, traveling at 75 mph, hit a stationary goods train on Friday in Tamil Nadu as it entered a loop line instead of the main line. At least 19 passengers were injured, and a coach caught fire.

Railway Safety Commissioner of Southern Circle, Anant Madhukar Chowdhary, inspected the Kavarapettai accident site where train no. 12578 Mysuru-Darbhanga Express had a rear collision with a goods train on Friday evening.

Hitting out at the Centre over the rail accident, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said: “Train accidents have become so common in the country that despite occurring one after another, neither any accountability is being fixed by the government nor any action is being taken.”

“Crores of common people of the country are forced to travel in trains running on the wheels of fear and chaos, risking their lives because the government has turned its back on the responsibility of safe train travel,” Priyanka said in a post on her WhatsApp channel.

Once again, an accident like Balasore has happened with the Mysore-Darbhanga Express in Tamil Nadu, she asserted. “When will this series going on for months stop? When will accountability be fixed,” she asked.

The Railway Board has confirmed that there have been no casualties reported so far in the passenger-freight train collision in the Ponneri-Kavarapettai section in Chennai Rail Division.

Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity at the Railway Board, released a video message shortly after the accident, stating, “We received information about the collision of the Bagmati Express with a freight train at the Kavarapettai station in the Chennai Division. The rescue and relief teams reached the accident site immediately.”

A 16-year-old Dalit girl who was allegedly raped by a man in Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh has died during treatment at a hospital, police said on Friday.

Additional Superintendent of Police (West) Sanjay Rai said the teenager was held hostage and raped on Sunday last week.

“The accused tied her hands and mouth and left her in a millet field in a seriously injured state. She was admitted to the SRN Hospital in Prayagraj where she was undergoing treatment and passed away last evening,” Rai said.

On the complaint of the victim’s mother, the police had registered a case against accused Anil Gupta under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, he said.

The 22-year-old accused was arrested on Monday after a gunfight with the police, they said. Murder charges have also been added to the case, police added. The body was returned to family after conducting the post-mortem, PTI reported.

In another incident from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi in November last year, a 19-year-old woman was hacked to death in broad daylight by two brothers, including the man accused of raping her.

According to reports, the woman butchered with an axe on the main road as scared villagers watched helplessly. Pawan Nishad was accused of raping her three years ago, when she was a minor. Reports said that Pawan and his associates had been harassing the woman, since then, to get her to drop the case lodged against him.

Pawan’s brother, Ashok Nishad, was an accused in a separate murder case and was released less than two days before the young woman’s murder. The officials explained that Pawan was out of jail by this time and the two plotted to confront the woman’s family and force them to close the case.