Raghav Chadha Punjab voter list deletion row; BJP vs Opposition on Ram Mandir CEO

The Ram Mandir Trust has appointed retired Air Marshal Jitender Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer, sparking a sharp political clash. The Congress and its allies questioned the decision, linking it to the Chanda chori controversy and Operation Sindoor, while the BJP defended the decorated veteran. Separately, a political showdown erupted over India's latest GDP growth figures. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the 7.8% quarterly expansion amid global turbulence, the Congress challenged the revised methodology and data credibility. Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Secretary Saurabh Garg rejected claims of data manipulation, defending the robust collection mechanisms and transparency. Meanwhile, in Punjab, a row broke out after Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha's name was removed from the draft electoral roll under the Election Commission's special intensive revision exercise. Chadha alleged political vendetta by the state government, while the Aam Aadmi Party dismissed the charge, claiming he had shifted his residence to Delhi.

A detailed address outlines the governance and policy transformation in Uttar Pradesh, focusing on the state's transition from the bottom three to the top three economies in India. Key factors behind this growth include strengthened security, single-window clearance for investments, and strict action against criminal syndicates. Significant emphasis is placed on reforms in basic education introduced since 2017 under Operation Kayakalp, which renovated 1,36,000 out of 1,46,000 council schools with smart classes, digital laboratories, clean drinking water, and separate toilets. Free uniforms, bags, books, shoes, socks, and sweaters are currently provided to 1.6 crore children. These measures, combined with data analysis, helped reduce the school drop-out rate from around 19-20% to below 3%. Furthermore, educational access has expanded by upgrading Kasturba Gandhi Vidyalayas up to Class 12 across 825 development blocks, alongside the development of integrated CM Composite Vidyalayas, PM SHRI schools, and Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas for children of labourers.

A political storm has erupted in Punjab ahead of the assembly elections after Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha's name was removed from the state's draft voter list under the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision exercise, marked as permanently shifted. The deletion is not final, and claims can be filed through Form 6. Chadha alleged political vendetta by the Aam Aadmi Party government, while AAP leader Harpal Cheema rejected the accusations, claiming Chadha resides in Delhi and calling for an investigation. Opposition leaders questioned the removal, alleging political bias in the electoral roll revision.

A political and economic debate has erupted over India's latest Gross Domestic Product growth figure of 7.8 per cent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the growth rate, noting that India's economy has maintained momentum despite global conflicts and supply chain disruptions. However, opposition parties, including Congress, questioned the numbers and the downward revision of previous estimates. The Centre explained that earlier calculations used the 2011-2012 base series, whereas recent figures use the 2022-2023 base year series. Union Minister Piyush Goyal defended the data, asserting that ministers do not manufacture figures and criticising opposition narratives. Saurabh Garg, Secretary of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, dismissed allegations of data manipulation, stating the updated methodology adheres to international best practices following extensive consultations with experts, the IMF, and the United Nations. Garg emphasised that India's digital data sources like GST and UPI, alongside a 10,000-strong field survey machinery, ensure transparent and verifiable macroeconomic statistics.