NEW DELHI: Congress’ pictorial post on social media, seemingly portraying PM Modi without his head, caused a furore in BJP. The governing party said the image echoed the Islamist “sar tan se juda” call recently made by a Pakistan diplomat in London, who had mocked Indian diaspora with a throat-slitting gesture.
Congress posted the image with “gayab jimmedari ke samay (missing instead of taking responsibility)” as the caption on its X handle by cropping Modi’s head out of what appeared to be an old picture of the PM, with his trademark clothes forming the outline. It did not mention the PM’s name.
Congress defended the post through the day, arguing that it did not show anyone’s name or face. However, with the image going viral on social media, the party deleted it in the evening.
Significantly, it was only on Monday that the party, alarmed at its netas making controversial remarks like the one debunking the account of kin of Pahalgam victims that terrorists had marked out non-Muslims before killing them, had said only party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi represented the party’s stand.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the post once again exposed sincerity of Kharge’s and Rahul’s claim of supporting govt in responding to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. “This is not an innocent post by Congress. It is a sinister design to weaken the integrity of Bharat,” he told at a presser.
“On one hand, PM Modi and Army have taken a vow to destroy the power which has looked at India with an evil eye, while on the other, its the evil of terror demonic power… Pakistan’s thinking and Congress’s thinking,” Bhatia alleged, mocking Congress as “Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress”.
BJP IT dept head Amit Malviya said on X, “Congress leaves little doubt with its use of ‘sar tan se juda’ imagery. This is not a political statement; it is a dog whistle aimed at its Muslim vote-bank and a veiled incitement against the PM.”

Stick to party stand: Congress

Following the controversy over the ‘Gayab’ post, Congress on Tuesday instructed all party netas and workers to stick to the CWC resolution on the Pahalgam attack and said any deviation would be seen as a serious breach of discipline. It is learnt that AICC general secretary KC Venugopal has written to all state units and party functionaries in this regard.
Congress also took down the ‘Gayab’ post amid a feeling within the party that BJP’s campaign alleging “sar tan se juda” had undercut the mileage the party had sought to generate through letters to the PM seeking a special session of Parliament on the terror hit.
The party was also disappointed that the post, with allegations of being “distasteful”, dented the positive feedback about the party’s stand extending support to the govt over the terror attack.
The delayed response in taking down the post was said to be due to the leadership’s late focus on the issue. Earlier, AICC social media chairperson Supriya Shrinate defended the post, with a detailed video of how Modi has been “missing” since the attack.

NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday urged Kashmiris to disassociate themselves from terrorism not just in principle, but in practice.
Addressing a press conference, RSS leader Indresh Kumar said the people of Jammu and Kashmir must unite under a common national identity.
“The time has come for Jammu and Kashmir to reject terrorism and truly disassociate from itself terrorism, not just in theory but in practice, to find a path towards a solution,” Kumar said.
“A voice should rise from Jammu and Kashmir saying that we are Indians first, then Kashmiris, Dogris, or Punjabis. We should respond with this voice loud and clear,” he added.
Indresh Kumar also criticised the Congress party over its “Gayab” (missing) jibe, which accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not taking responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
“Congress leaders can only digest their food when they abuse the Prime Minister. If the army is going to fight, they will oppose the Army commander. They will not do any good work for society but will defame those who do,” he said.
“This has become their political method, which is very condemnable,” the RSS functionary added.
This statement follows after Congress shared a poster featuring the word “Gayab” (missing) placed over an image of a kurta, pyjama, and black footwear. The outfit appears to be worn by someone, but the figure has no visible face.
Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Prime Minister of putting party and politics above the country by absenting himself from the all-party meeting convened to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, choosing instead to attend an election rally in Bihar.

NEW DELHI: BJP on Tuesday strongly objected to Congress‘ “Gayab” jibe which accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not taking responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
This follows after Congress shared a poster featuring the word ‘Gayab’ (missing) placed over an image of a kurta, pyjama, and black footwear. The outfit appears to be worn by someone, but the figure has no visible face.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya accused the grand-old-party of using the “Sar Tan Se Juda” imagery and said that the “dog whistle” was aimed at its Muslim vote bank and a veiled incitement against the Prime Minister.
“The Congress leaves little doubt with its use of “Sar Tan Se Juda” imagery. This is not merely a political statement; it is a dog whistle aimed at its Muslim vote bank and a veiled incitement against the Prime Minister,” Malviya said.
“It is not the first time the Congress has resorted to such tactics. Rahul Gandhi, on multiple occasions, has both instigated and justified violence toward the Prime Minister. Yet the Congress will never succeed, for the Prime Minister enjoys the love and blessings of millions of Indians,” he added.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also attacked Congress and accused it of speaking the language of Pakistan and such terrorist jihadists.
“Recently, just as a staff member of a Pakistani embassy in the UK took an action of beheading, the Congress party displayed an image depicting the beheading of Prime Minister Modi,” Poonawalla said.
“This shows a mindset of beheading, and now the Congress party has started speaking the language of Pakistan and such terrorist jihadists. While opposing Modi, at a time when the country needs to unite, they are speaking Pakistan’s language and showcasing acts similar to those adopted by terrorists on their social media handles,” he added.
This comes a day after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Prime Minister of putting party and politics above country by absenting himself from the all-party meeting convened to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, and choosing, instead, to attend an election rally in Bihar.
“When our pride was hurt, the PM was delivering an election speech in Bihar…. He should bear in mind that the country is supreme; parties and religion come second. Everyone should be united for the country,” Kharge said, calling Modi’s absence a “misfortune” and a “shame.”

Stock market today (AI image)

Stock market today: Indian equity benchmark indices, BSE Sensex and Nifty50, opened in green on Tuesday. While BSE Sensex went above 80,600, Nifty50 crossed 24,450. At 9:23 AM, BSE Sensex was trading at 80,605.31, up 387 points or 0.48%. Nifty50 was at 24,441.45, up 113 points or 0.46%.
Indian equities showed significant gains on Monday, influenced by multiple factors including no fresh developments in India-Pakistan relations, robust corporate performance and positive movement in major stocks like Reliance. Market observers anticipate continued stock-specific movements due to ongoing fourth quarter results announcements.
The S&P 500 remained largely stable on Monday during volatile trading, affected by large-cap stocks as investors anticipated crucial economic indicators and results from major US corporations.
Asian equities opened cautiously as market participants awaited corporate earnings reports and economic data releases this week to assess the impact of President Donald Trump’s trade policies.
Gold rates declined on Tuesday due to improving trade relations between the United States and its trading associates, reducing its safe-haven demand, whilst market participants waited for US economic indicators to evaluate the Federal Reserve’s strategy.
The US dollar showed minimal recovery on Tuesday from significant losses as uncertainty persisted regarding trade war de-escalation with China, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicating that China needs to initiate discussions.
Oil prices decreased in early Asian trade on Tuesday as market participants reduced their demand outlook, influenced by the continuing trade dispute between the United States and China, the largest global economies.
Foreign portfolio investors shifted to net purchases of Rs 2,474 crore on Monday. Domestic institutional investors offloaded shares valued at Rs 2,818 crore.

Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Suryavanshi celebrates his century during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 cricket match between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, in Jaipur. (PTI Photo)

On Sunday, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket and smashed the second fastest ton in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The 14-year-old raced away to a century off just 35 balls in just his third IPL 2025 match. His knock was studded with 11 sixes and seven fours and Rajasthan Royals chased down a 209-run target in 15.5 overs.
“It is a very good feeling. It’s my first hundred in the IPL and it’s my third innings. The result has shown here after the practice before the tournament,” the player of the match, Suryavanshi, said.
“I just see the ball and play. It has been a dream to get a 100 in the IPL, and today, it materialised. There is no fear. I don’t think much, I just focus on playing.”
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s century was also the quickest by an Indian in the IPL, bettering Yusuf Pathan’s 37-ball effort for Rajasthan against the Mumbai Indians in 2010.
Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest century in IPL history.

Here’s a list of 5 fastest centuries in the IPL history over the years
1. Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 30 balls
175* vs Pune Warriors India, Bengaluru, 2013
2. Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals) – 35 balls
101 vs Gujarat Titans, Jaipur, 2025
3. Yusuf Pathan (Rajasthan Royals) – 37 balls
100 vs Mumbai Indians , Brabourne, 2010
4. David Miller (Punjab Kings) – 38 balls
101* vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mohali, 2013
5. Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 39 balls
102 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Bengaluru, 2024

Fewest innings taken by an Indian player to score an IPL ton
3 – Vaibhav Suryavanshi (RR)*
4 – Priyansh Arya (PBKS)
4 – Paul Valthaty (KXIP)
4 – Manish Pandey (RCB)
10 – Rajat Patidar (RCB)

BENGALURU: Tech entrepreneurs, startup founders, and venture capitalists are broadening their investment horizons by acquiring stakes in sports teams. This strategic diversification demonstrates their understanding of sports leagues as effective channels for community development, brand establishment, and asset creation.The expansion beyond established sports like cricket and football signals a transformation in India’s sporting landscape, with business leaders identifying untapped potential in sports leagues.
Accel partner Prashanth Prakash, along with Zerodha’s Nikhil Kamath and Curefoods’ Ankit Nagori, acquired the Bengaluru Badgers franchise in the Global eCricket Premier League (GEPL), a structured esports league organised by JetSynthesys. Separately, Swiggy, together with cricketer Rishabh Pant, co-owns the Mumbai Pickle Power team in the newly launched World Pickleball League. PhonePe founders Sameer Nigam and Rahul Chari, meanwhile, bought the Mumbai Meteors team in the Prime Volleyball League earlier.

Unlike celebrity ownership models that dominate traditional leagues, these founders and investors are bringing an entrepreneurial lens to sports. “We intentionally positioned GEPL to attract builders – founders and VCs who understand zero-to-one growth, who can scale ecosystems, not just invest in them,” Rajan Navani, founder and CEO of JetSynthesys, told TOI. For Prakash, backing a team in GEPL was like evaluating a startup.“Two things stood out for us,” he said. “First, the right to win – whether the underlying technology creates a sustainable moat. Second, whether this is a pull product for the next decade. In India’s Gen Z landscape, this has that potential.”
Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, an early supporter of JetSynthesys, believes the intersection of sports and technology is a natural evolution. “We need to reimagine how the physical and digital worlds come together,” he said. “Leagues like GEPL are about building new economic activity – creating players, owners, leagues, and sponsors in ways that didn’t exist before.”
Navani pointed out that franchise owners like Prakash and Kamath are not just financial backers. “They are partners helping to shape the league,” he said. “They understand the value of investing early, building brands, nurturing communities, and thinking globally from day one.” Unlike traditional corporate investors, many of these founders bring operational expertise, agility, and a long-term horizon to team ownership.“In large business houses, a team might be one among many investments,” Navani said. “With founder-owners, the focus, involvement, and strategic thinking are different.”
If successful, this emerging model could reshape how sports franchises are built in India. Future leagues – across e-sports, volleyball, and pickleball – could be increasingly seeded by startup-style builders rather than conglomerates or celebrities.