Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today launch a special discussion in the Lok Sabha, marking 150 years of the iconic patriotic composition ‘Vande Mataram’. The debate, spread over 10 hours, is designed to revisit the song’s historical journey, its role in the freedom struggle, and the contrasting political interpretations that surround it.

PM Modi expected to highlight the song’s legacy

The Prime Minister is likely to underscore how Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s work—first published on November 7, 1875 in Bangadarshan—became a rallying force during India’s struggle for independence.

Opposition benches are keenly observing the Prime Minister’s remarks as his recent comments on the song stirred a political argument. At an event marking the anniversary last month, he alleged that the Congress “removed important stanzas” in 1937, claiming the move weakened the essence of national unity. According to him, the decision “sowed the seeds of Partition” and divided the song.

The Congress, meanwhile, has maintained that the decision followed the advice of Rabindranath Tagore and was intended to respect the sentiments of people of different faiths.

Debate likely to get louder amid ongoing political friction

The Rajya Sabha version of the discussion will be opened by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. Members of the ruling alliance have been allotted three hours in the Lok Sabha session dedicated to the debate.

The matter has already seen flashpoints ahead of the Winter Session. A reminder issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat advising MPs not to use expressions like ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Hind’ during proceedings to “maintain decorum” triggered opposition backlash, with critics alleging that the government is uncomfortable with symbols of national identity.

The Winter Session runs until December 19, and early signs indicate that discussions around ‘Vande Mataram’ may remain contentious in the days ahead.

A newly surfaced video from a North Goa nightclub has revealed the horrifying moments leading up to a massive fire that claimed 25 lives, including five tourists, turning a night of music and dance into a fatal disaster.

Video shows flames erupting during performance

The visuals, recorded at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, show flames suddenly appearing on the ceiling just moments after fireworks were used during a musical act. What began as a regular Saturday night event — advertised on social media as a Bollywood Banger Night — quickly escalated into chaos as smoke and fire spread across the packed venue.

The clip captures the crowd enjoying the performance to the popular Sholay track ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ when the first sparks are seen overhead. Seconds later, the fire intensifies, triggering panic among those inside.

Fire safety clearance under suspicion

Although the exact cause of the blaze is yet to be confirmed, officials suspect the incident began after fireworks were set off indoors during the show. Authorities also believe the nightclub may not have had the mandatory fire department clearance, raising concerns over violations that could have worsened the tragedy.

Located around 25 km from Panaji, the nightclub quickly turned into a death trap as the blaze spread before many could escape.

As operational disruptions at IndiGo entered their fifth day, the Civil Aviation Ministry moved to prevent steep ticket price hikes by imposing fare caps across affected routes. The decision comes as hundreds of flights were cancelled, leaving passengers stranded at airports nationwide.

Ministry steps in to prevent “opportunistic pricing”

The ministry said it had taken note of unusually high fares being charged by some airlines during the ongoing travel disruption. Invoking regulatory powers, it ordered all carriers to follow newly prescribed fare caps until flight schedules stabilise.

According to the statement, the move aims to prevent any exploitation of travellers—especially senior citizens, students and those undertaking urgent medical travel—during the crisis. Airlines and online travel platforms will continue to be monitored through real-time fare data.

IndiGo told to clear refunds by Sunday evening

In a separate direction, the ministry asked IndiGo to ensure all refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights are processed by 8 pm on December 7. It also instructed airlines not to impose rescheduling fees for passengers whose plans were affected.

Hundreds of cancellations as pilot shortage triggers meltdown

IndiGo, which operates around 2,300 daily flights with a fleet of over 400 aircraft, has seen widespread cancellations due to a planning-related pilot shortage. Operational delays are expected to continue for several more days.

Scenes of severe inconvenience have unfolded at airports, with passengers reporting long waits, disrupted travel plans, and a lack of clarity from the airline.

IndiGo issues apology, promises gradual restoration

The airline apologised publicly, saying it understood the difficulties faced by passengers. IndiGo assured that refunds for cancelled flights would be processed automatically and added that full normalisation of domestic operations is likely between December 10 and 15, though recovery may take time due to the scale of disruption.

Minister claims crisis nearing resolution

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the situation is “on the verge of getting resolved”. He noted that major metro airports such as Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai had cleared most backlogs, and that IndiGo would resume operations with limited capacity before gradually increasing flights.