A devastating collision involving a gas tanker and multiple vehicles on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway transformed a busy roadway into a fiery inferno on Friday morning, claiming eight lives and leaving over 40 injured. The accident, captured on CCTV footage, shows smoke quickly engulfing the street before a massive explosion rocked the area, resulting in extensive damage.

The fire triggered by the crash spread rapidly, burning at least 30 vehicles and filling the sky with thick black smoke. Flames from the blaze were visible from nearly a kilometer away, and a 300-meter stretch of the highway was left heavily damaged, causing significant traffic disruptions and long vehicle queues.

Emergency services, including ambulances and fire department teams, were dispatched promptly to the site. Efforts are ongoing to identify passengers from a bus caught behind the gas tanker during the accident. Authorities are also assessing the damage to establishments along the highway caused by the intense heat and flames.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar visited the injured at SMS Hospital in Jaipur, where a green corridor has been set up to expedite the transportation of patients from the accident site. According to Health Minister Khimsar, nearly half of those admitted to the hospital are in critical condition.

The incident has drawn attention to road safety measures and the handling of hazardous materials in transit, with authorities urging stricter adherence to safety protocols to prevent similar tragedies.

The Jaipur-Ajmer highway, a critical route connecting major cities in Rajasthan, remains partially closed as cleanup and investigation efforts continue.

The BJP today slammed the INDIA bloc led by the opposition parties over the scuffle that took place in Parliament. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan questioned Rahul Gandhi over the chaos, and called the opposition leaders Goons. He said that the country will never forget whatever happened in Parliament today.

The Union Minister stated that Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi just did a press conference, adding that they thought they would apologise for what they did today. He continued that their press conference displayed their arrogance. He further claimed that what Rahul Gandhi did today is unimaginable by a civilised society.

The BJP leader further claimed that the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi started pushing senior party leaders during the protest. He said that BJP MPs have complained about the incident and they will take all the required legal action.

The BJP leader also accused Rahul Gandhi of entering the Makar Dwar intentionally, adding that security personnel in fact told the Opposition to use the other space on the side to enter, but Rahul Gandhi came there on purpose.

Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi held a press conference just minutes before the BJP and accused the saffron party of trying to erase the memories and contributions of the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar.

The statements from both sides came after chaos unfolded outside Parliament on Thursday. Both the BJP and INDIA bloc MPs got engaged in protest, counter-protests, and now a police case has been lodged against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. These political slugfest occurred over a remark on BR Ambedkar by Amit Shah in Parliament during a debate on the Constitution.

While addressing the media, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP MPs of stopping opposition leaders and said that they were peacefully going to Parliament House from Ambedkar’s statue, but the BJP MPs did not let them go inside. He mentioned that the reality is that the BJP have insulted Dr BR Ambedkar, and the main issue that they want to erase is that there is a case against Narendra Modi’s friend Adani in the United States.

Furthermore, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also attacked the BJP MPs for trying to stop opposition leaders at the door. 

The no-trust motion moved by the Opposition against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has been rejected by the deputy chairman on the grounds that it was moved to mar the reputation of the Vice President.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh in his detailed order called the motion flawed, adding that it was drawn in haste to mar the reputation of the Chairman. While explaining the reasons for the rejection, the Deputy Chairman pointed out that the mandatory 14-day notice required to move such a motion was not provided.

Furthermore, he noted that Jagdeep Dhankhar’s name was misspelled in the notice. Nonetheless, one protocol that was adhered to correctly was securing the signatures of 60 MPs when the motion was submitted last week.

In the ruling, presented in the House by Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody, the Deputy Chairman stated that the impeachment notice is part of a deliberate effort to undermine the nation’s constitutional institutions and tarnish the reputation of the incumbent Vice President.

Reportedly, the motion, submitted under Article 67(B) of the Constitution, was backed by the Samajwadi Party, the Trinamool Congress and the AAP, leading to an uproar in the Upper House of Parliament.

Notably, for the first time in Rajya Sabha’s history, a motion to remove the Chairman was introduced. The INDIA bloc accused Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar of acting in a partisan manner, a concern that intensified during the winter session of Parliament.

This winter session has been marked by frequent clashes between the Opposition and the ruling party since it commenced on November 25. While speaking in defence of the Chairman in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, called him a farmer’s son who upheld the dignity of the House.

Slamming the opposition MPs, Rijiju added that they have no right to be members if they can’t respect the Chair, mentioning that MPs have taken an oath to protect the sovereignty of the country.