Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday for his controversial remarks linking women's education to population control. Modi said such statements amounted to insulting the country and questioned why Opposition leaders remained silent. A controversy erupted when Nitish Kumar spoke graphically in the Bihar assembly about how educating women helps reduce fertility rates. His comments drew uproar from BJP members but no condemnation from his allies. Nitish Kumar apologized on Wednesday saying he felt ashamed, but PM Modi attacked him and the Opposition for not speaking out against the remarks that were seen as demeaning to women.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar issued an apology after facing backlash for his explicit comments in the state assembly regarding the role of women's education in population control. Kumar clarified that his statements on women's education were misinterpreted, expressing regret if his words had offended anyone. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of girls' education in reducing Bihar's fertility rate, which has dropped from 4.2 to 2.9 percent. His remarks led to protests, with BJP legislators denying him entry into the assembly initially.          

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's explicit comments on population control, emphasizing the impact of girls' education on fertility rates, have ignited controversy in the state assembly. While some, including Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, defended Kumar, several women BJP legislators condemned his remarks as vulgar and demanded a ban. The comments were made in the context of a released caste survey report detailing economic conditions. Despite calls for restraint, the Chief Minister's statements have triggered a heated debate on social norms and public discourse.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealed its third list of candidates for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections, slated for November 25. Mahendra Singh Rathore is set to challenge incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot from the Sardarpura constituency, despite earlier speculation about Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's candidacy. The list comprises 58 names, bringing the total BJP candidates declared for the Rajasthan polls to 182. Notably, seven women candidates feature in this list. Former minister Jaswant Singh Yadav secures the ticket from Behror, while Jagat Singh, son of ex-Congress leader Natwar Singh, is fielded from Nadbai in Bharatpur.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, facing allegations of accepting a cash bribe to ask questions in Parliament, walked out of a Lok Sabha Ethics Committee meeting. Moitra, accompanied by opposition MPs, objected to "filthy questions" posed by the committee chief, BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, regarding her relationship with businessman Darshan Hiranandani. Moitra denied the bribery accusations, attributing them to a "sour personal relationship." Opposition MPs defended her, stating the shared ID was used only for legitimate parliamentary purposes. The tense cross-examination session led to Moitra and others leaving the meeting.

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notice to Apple, demanding evidence to support their assertion of a 'state-sponsored attack.' This move comes after opposition leaders, including prominent figures, received alerts from Apple about potential compromise attempts on their iPhones. The IT Ministry has sought clarification on how Apple determined the attack's nature and the risk of remote access and data leakage. Opposition members have raised cybersecurity concerns, prompting scrutiny. The issue has sparked political debates, with the government facing questions and demands for parliamentary committee investigations. [ Photo courtesy: screengrab from ANI/X ]

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has chosen not to appear for Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning related to an alleged liquor policy scam. Kejriwal labeled the summons "illegal" and accused the BJP of orchestrating it for political motives, aiming to impede his activities and possibly arrest him. This move comes amid ongoing investigations into the Delhi government's excise policy, with Kejriwal's party alleging a BJP strategy to target INDIA alliance leaders before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Kejriwal's response heightens political tensions, reflecting the deepening rift between the parties.

As per reports by India Today, TMC MP Mahua Moitra's parliament account was accessed 47 times from Dubai. The revelation comes a day ahead of her Ethics Committee appearance over 'cash-for-query' allegations. Moitra admitted sharing credentials with friend Darshan Hiranandani but denied financial motive, affirming questions were her own. India Today sources allege Moitra undertook 14 unaccounted overseas trips as MP without informing Speaker's office, including to the UK, UAE, and US between 2019-2023. Allegations stem from a complaint she raised sponsored questions for monetary rewards from Hiranandani's Dubai-based family. Fresh scrutiny on unauthorized access and alleged unreported visits complicates Moitra's position as the ethics probe looms.

The Centre hit out at opposition MPs who shared Apple warnings of hacking attempts on their phones. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw termed them "compulsive critics" of PM Modi trying to distract people from progress. He referred to Apple's statement that such notifications have been issued in 150 countries and can be false alarms. The minister said the government has ordered an investigation and asked those who received the messages, including Priyanka Chaturvedi and Mahua Moitra, to cooperate. He said this comes ahead of state polls and 2024 general elections. Earlier, Apple responded that it doesn't attribute such warnings to any specific attacker.

Apple issued a statement saying the hacking warnings sent to Indian opposition leaders could potentially be false alarms. The tech giant said it doesn't attribute such notifications to any specific attacker. This comes after at least 7 opposition leaders claimed receiving emails from Apple warning of "state-sponsored attackers" trying to compromise their iPhones. Apple said detecting sophisticated attacks relies on imperfect threat signals. MPs like Mahua Moitra, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Shashi Tharoor had shared screenshots of the warnings. This follows last year's inconclusive Pegasus spyware findings on analyzed phones by a Supreme Court panel.