Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of "destroying the idea of Manipur" while addressing a poll rally in Mizoram on Monday. He claimed Manipur is now like "two states" after months of deadly ethnic clashes that erupted over a proposed reservation policy change. Gandhi slammed PM Modi for not visiting Manipur where at least 175 people have died and 50,000 displaced since violence broke out in May. He alleged Modi cares more about Israel than the crisis in Manipur where homes were burnt, businesses lost and the internet cut. The Congress chief said women were molested and babies killed but Modi doesn't find Manipur important enough to travel there.

The INDIA alliance of 28 parties accused WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube of aiding BJP's "communal hatred" and suppressing opposition content in strongly-worded letters to Meta's Zuckerberg and Google's Pichai. It alleged platforms abet social disharmony and incite hatred, citing Washington Post exposes on WhatsApp and Facebook's role in BJP's campaigns. It accused Facebook and Google executives of blatant partisanship towards government per reports. The letter called it interference in democracy and said Meta and Google promote ruling party content while algorithmically suppressing opposition leaders. The bloc demanded neutrality from the tech giants' CEOs over allegations of propagating hate and unfairly favoring government.

The Congress Working Committee advocated an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid their severe flare-up that has killed dozens. The CWC statement extended Congress' long-standing backing for Palestinian rights to land, self-rule and dignified living. It pressed for talks on all outstanding issues fueling the conflict. Congress has historically been vocal on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. As Gaza rockets and Israeli airstrikes intensify violence, the CWC call aligns with global demands urging de-escalation and dialogue. It signals Congress prioritizing peace and its traditional solidarity with the Palestinian cause even as India expresses support for ally Israel.

The 2023 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Mizoram, and Chhattisgarh will be held between November and December. Voting for the five states will start with Mizoram on November 7. Chhattisgarh will vote in two phases coinciding with Mizoram's date (November 7) and Madhya Pradesh's date November 17. Rajasthan and Telangana will vote on November 23 and 30 respectively. Results for all states will be declared together on December 3. In the 2018 assembly polls, Congress scored hat-trick victories in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh but later lost power in MP after Jyotiraditya Scindia and 22 MLAs defected to BJP. In Chhattisgarh, Congress had won 68 of 90 seats with 43% vote share while BJP got just 15 seats. Around 16.1 crore voters are eligible to cast ballots in the significant 2023 elections seen as 'semi-finals' ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. [Image: Bloomberg]

Speaking at the Bridge India conference in London, BRS MLC Kavitha Kalvakuntla hailed the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill to increase women's legislative participation. However, she raised concerns over the lack of quota for OBC women in the bill, calling it worrisome. Despite lauding PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi, and former PM Deve Gowda for backing the bill over the years, Kavitha asserted the need to continue fighting for OBC women's rights. She highlighted Telangana CM KCR's efforts to pass the legislation. While calling the bill revolutionary, Kavitha underscored that excluding the OBC quota is an issue requiring redressal for truly inclusive women's representation. In her speech, Kavita also flagged concerns over women’s health issues being largely ignored across the world. [Image: Bridge India]

The INDIA Coalition condemned the BJP-led central government for a 'fresh attack on media' following Delhi Police raids on journalists associated with NewsClick. The INDIA bloc criticized the government's actions, alleging that they target those who speak the truth while ignoring those spreading hatred. They accused the government of attempting to control media outlets, compromising democratic values. The Opposition expressed solidarity with the media, including outlets like BBC, Newslaundry, Dainik Bhaskar, and NewsClick, emphasizing their support for freedom of speech and expression.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visited Amritsar's Golden Temple today and took part in 'kar sewa' by washing dishes along with other volunteers. This comes amid rising Congress-AAP tensions in Punjab over the arrest of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. Though AAP and Congress are allied nationally, Khaira's arrest has sparked regional rivalry. Rahul's visit is being seen as a spiritual, private one with the Congress requesting workers to not be physically present. Rahul Gandhi offered prayers at the Golden Temple before serving in the community kitchen. His Amritsar visit signals an attempt to ease intra-party stresses in Punjab.

Opposition leaders in India have criticized the BJP for giving election responsibilities to Lok Sabha member Ramesh Bidhuri in Rajasthan's Tonk district. Bidhuri had faced backlash for derogatory comments against BSP MP Danish Ali during a parliamentary session. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal accused the BJP of rewarding hate by appointing Bidhuri in a district with a significant Muslim population. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and TMC MP Mahua Moitra also questioned Bidhuri's new role. The move is seen as an attempt to sway Gurjar votes in the region. Bidhuri had earlier received a show-cause notice from the BJP over his remarks, though no further action was taken.

Speaking at the 20th Vibrant Gujarat Summit, PM Modi recalled how the previous UPA government was indifferent and obstructed the state's progress. He accused central ministers of refusing to attend the summit and intimidating foreign investors from investing in Gujarat. Despite the lack of cooperation and incentives, investors still came due to good governance, fair policies and transparency under his leadership, PM Modi said. He blamed the then central government for seeing Gujarat's development through a political lens, creating roadblocks and not extending cooperation. PM Modi said central ministers would assure him of attending but later refuse due to pressure. He highlighted how Gujarat continued its upward trajectory through investors' faith despite the UPA government's attempts to undermine its growth story.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sack the "incompetent" BJP chief minister of Manipur as a first step to control the ongoing turmoil. In a tweet, Kharge alleged that violence against women and children has been weaponized in Manipur, turning it into a battlefield under BJP rule. He slammed Modi for not visiting Manipur despite 147 days of suffering, and said the horrific targeting of students has shocked the nation. Kharge said it's apparent that violence against women and children was used as a weapon in this conflict. He stated that the prime minister must sack the incompetent BJP CM as the first move to curb any further turmoil in Manipur. The Congress has been criticizing the government over the Manipur situation.