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Rahul Gandhi accuses Centre over undercounting Covid deaths in India, says numbers don’t lie, govt does

Over the last weeks, as thousands of dead bodies flooded the country’s crematoriums, floated down the Ganga and were found buried on the riverbank, foreign and Indian media questioned the official figures, which currently stand at 3.11 lakh.

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5 years ago

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Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi

As several media reports have claimed that the Covid death toll in India is being under-reported, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the central government over undercounting of Covid death numbers in the country. Citing a New York Times estimate of Covid deaths in India, Gandhi tweeted that numbers don’t lie, govt does.

In his tweet, Gnadhi said the country’s total Covid death count could be around 6 lakhs in a conservative scenario, 1.6 million in a more likely scenario and 4.2 million in a worse scenario.

Over the last weeks, as thousands of dead bodies flooded the country’s crematoriums, floated down the Ganga and were found buried on the riverbank, foreign and Indian media questioned the official figures, which currently stand at 3.11 lakh.

The Congress has repeatedly accused the Centre of under-reporting death data. Rahul Gandhi had targeted the Central government earlier too over the unclaimed bodies in river Ganga and the queues outside hospitals. He had tweeted that the countless dead bodies flowing in rivers, lines in hospitals up to miles, the right to life security is taken away! PM, take off those pink goggles that lets you see nothing except for Central Vista.

At a press conference earlier this month, senior party leader P Chidambaram and Shaktisinh Gohil had said the 2000-plus bodies buried on the banks of Ganga and the bodies floating down the river had confirmed their suspicions. They had also cited a report in a Gujarati newspaper which claimed a huge mismatch in the death data from the government and from crematoriums and said they had confirmed the figures independently.

India recently breached the mark of three lakh deaths due to coronavirus, becoming the third country to cross the grim landmark after the United States and Brazil. India has been reporting thousands of deaths over the last several weeks, leading to crippling shortages of medical oxygen and hospital beds in several parts of the country. Nearly 1,00,000 Covid deaths have been reported in May alone.

While the Centre that has been under sharp criticism over its handling of the Covid-19 situation attributes the unprecedented rise in cases to the mutant variants of the virus and people’s laxity, experts believe that the recently-held events like the Kumbh Mela and Assembly elections led to the spike in infections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently had an emotional moment while remembering people who lost their lives to Covid-19. Interacting with healthcare professionals and other frontline workers in his Varanasi constituency through a video conference, PM Modi choked with emotions briefly as he noted that the virus has snatched so many of our near ones.

Read Also: Bollywood reacts to what if Twitter, Facebook are banned in India

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his 57th death anniversary. Remembering his great grandfather, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, evil unchecked grows, evil tolerated poisons the whole system.

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Acharya Balkrishna acquitted in 15-year-old forged documents case

Acharya Balkrishna has been acquitted by a Dehradun CBI court in a 15-year-old case involving allegations of obtaining a passport using forged documents.

Published

2 hours ago

on

September 8, 2026

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Acharya Balkrishna, a close associate of Yoga Guru Ramdev and general secretary of Patanjali Yogpeeth, has been acquitted in a 15-year-old case involving allegations of obtaining a passport using forged educational and other documents.

The Special Judicial Magistrate (CBI) court in Dehradun also acquitted Naresh Chandra Dwivedi, who was accused of providing the alleged forged documents to Balkrishna.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the case and began its investigation in 2011 following a complaint alleging that Balkrishna was a Nepali national who had obtained an Indian passport using forged documents.

The case involved allegations related to the procurement of a passport on the basis of forged educational and other documents. After a prolonged legal process, the court acquitted Balkrishna and Dwivedi.

The Special Judicial Magistrate (CBI) court in Dehradun acquitted both accused in the case.

Naresh Chandra Dwivedi was facing allegations of providing forged documents to Balkrishna. The court’s verdict brought the 15-year-old proceedings to an end with the acquittal of both accused.

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Delhi buildings over 50 years old may face safety audits after Satya Niketan collapse

The Centre is considering regular safety audits of DDA buildings more than 50 years old following the deadly Satya Niketan collapse.

Published

2 hours ago

on

September 8, 2026

By

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

The Centre is considering a plan to conduct safety audits of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) buildings that are more than 50 years old, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Monday.

The proposal comes a day after a five-storey building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan collapsed, killing seven people and trapping several others under the debris.

Khattar said the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is examining the proposal for safety audits of older DDA buildings. Under the plan, such buildings could undergo audits at intervals of 10 years, five years and three years.

Safety audits proposed for older DDA buildings

According to the minister, the government is looking at a system under which DDA buildings crossing the 50-year mark would undergo periodic safety assessments.

The proposal is aimed at identifying structural safety concerns in ageing buildings and ensuring that necessary action can be taken.

Khattar also said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi should take action at its own level to prevent similar incidents.

“I am deeply saddened by the heart-wrenching incident that occurred yesterday at Satya Niketan in Delhi,” Khattar said.

Proposal follows Satya Niketan building collapse

The proposed safety audit plan comes after a five-storey building in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus, collapsed on Sunday.

The building collapsed during repair work, killing seven people. Twelve people were rescued during the operation, according to the report.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of ageing and vulnerable structures in the national capital.

Khattar’s proposal specifically concerns DDA buildings that are more than 50 years old, while the minister also called for action by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to prevent such incidents.

Possible audit intervals under consideration

The ministry is considering safety audits at different intervals, including:

  • Every 10 years
  • Every five years
  • Every three years

The details of the proposed system, including how the audits would be implemented, are yet to be finalised.

The proposal comes amid heightened scrutiny of building safety in Delhi following the Satya Niketan collapse.

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Nandigram bypoll on October 6 after Suvendu Adhikari vacates seat

The Election Commission has announced October 6 as the polling date for the Nandigram bypoll, with votes to be counted on October 9.

Published

15 hours ago

on

September 7, 2026

By

Suvendu-Adhikari

The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the Nandigram bypoll in West Bengal, with voting set to take place on October 6. The counting of votes will be held on October 9.

The by-election has been necessitated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari vacating the Nandigram Assembly seat after winning the constituency as well as Bhabanipur in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Adhikari decided to retain Bhabanipur and give up his Nandigram seat.

The Election Commission said the poll process will formally begin with the issue of the gazette notification on September 9.

Nandigram bypoll schedule

According to the election schedule, candidates can file their nominations until September 16. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on September 17, while September 19 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

Polling in Nandigram will be conducted on October 6 and votes will be counted on October 9. The Election Commission has said the entire election process will be completed by October 11.

Why is a Nandigram bypoll being held?

The Nandigram Assembly seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the constituency.

Adhikari had contested the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur and won both seats. He subsequently chose to retain Bhabanipur and vacate Nandigram, making a by-election necessary for the constituency.

The Nandigram contest is also significant because Adhikari had defeated Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee from the constituency in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election.

Rejinagar bypoll also scheduled

The Election Commission has also announced a by-election for the Rejinagar Assembly constituency in West Bengal. The Rejinagar seat became vacant after Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir gave it up.

Polling for Rejinagar will also be held on October 6, with counting scheduled for October 9.

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