Parliament Deadlock: BJP and Congress Clash Over '65 Lakh Deleted Votes' in Bihar and Short Winter Session

Former Indian envoy Talmiz Ahmad analyzes escalating Iran-US tensions, providing a perspective on the ground reality in Tehran following a high-level call between Iranian and Indian foreign ministers. Ahmad notes there is 'no evidence of a pullback' from American military rhetoric and attributes widespread Iranian protests to 'extreme economic privation,' while suggesting they lack the leadership for regime change. He also critiques India's 'low-key approach' to the crisis. Domestically, the focus shifts to electoral practices, with a significant 'cash for votes' controversy in Maharashtra ahead of the BMC elections. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Jayesh Vani alleges widespread corruption and failure of police to act. The report also examines the broader culture of election freebies, highlighting the 'Gift Raj' in Tamil Nadu and an incident in Madhya Pradesh where gifted silver coins were found to be fake. Additionally, the bulletin covers a political storm at Lucknow's KGMU following 'love jihad' allegations and vandalism.

This news bulletin reports on the escalating tensions in the Middle East as Iran issues a stern warning to Gulf nations hosting United States military bases. The speaker highlights that countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq have been cautioned that these bases will be considered 'legitimate targets' if Iran is attacked by American forces. Reports indicate that personnel at the Al Udeid air base in Qatar have been advised to leave following these threats. An unidentified speaker, a professor, warns that US military involvement in Iran 'will lead to disaster' and could inadvertently turn the Iranian leadership into heroes against 'American aggression'. The programme discusses the historical context of US-Iran relations, referencing the 1953 coup, and emphasizes that military intervention would violate international law and lack US Congressional consent. Qatar has responded with a formal statement calling for regional measures to ensure safety while seeking a path for dialogue to de-escalate the current crisis.

After the campaign ended for the BMC elections, many reports have emerged about candidates allegedly bribing voters.

On this Get Real India report, Dharmendra Sahu investigates a shocking case from Madhya Pradesh where retired railway employees were gifted fake silver coins. What was intended as a gesture of appreciation by the West Central Railway Zone turned into a 'bitter betrayal' when jewellers revealed the coins were mostly copper with minimal silver content. The discrepancy was discovered when former employees attempted to sell the coins to capitalize on rising silver prices. A vigilance inquiry has since revealed that the coins were supplied by an Indore-based firm following an order placed in January 2023 for 3,640 gold-plated silver coins. Of these, 3,631 reached the general store in Bhopal. The suspected fraud amounts to nearly 2,500 rupees per coin. Retired employees expressed that they feel 'cheated and insulted' by the incident, which has raised serious questions regarding the railway's procurement and purchase processes. The report highlights the emotional and financial impact on the veterans who served the national carrier.