Chennai, Aug 20: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a scathing attack against the Congress party saying the party’s decision to sing only two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ was not only anti-national but also an open defiance of law and appeasement eyeing “vote bank.”

Referring to the Congress Working Committee’s decision to follow only two paras of the national song, instead of its full rendition, Shah traced the history of partition and underlined the consequences suffered by the nation following the truncation of Vande Mataram.

In a statement posted on ‘X,’ the Union Home Minister alleged: “In 1937, for the sake of appeasement, it was the Congress itself that fragmented Vande Mataram into two parts.”

“From there, the two-nation theory gained strength, leading to the partition of the country. On the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, the Modi government corrected this historic mistake and gave the full song legal form. But under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, the Congress is once again treading the path of appeasement for the sake of its vote bank,” Shah charged.

The mistake of fragmenting Vande Mataram has happened once, and the nation has already suffered its consequences, he alleged.

“This is an appeal to the countrymen to unite and raise their voices against this appeasement by the Congress,” he added.

The CWC on Wednesday decided to abide by the 1937 resolution of its highest decision-making body on Vande Mataram, saying only two stanzas of the national song would be sung at all party events henceforth.

BJP president Nitin Nabin has slammed the Congress alleging the opposition party has become the “new Muslim League” for votes.

New Delhi, Aug 20: The Union home ministry on Wednesday authorised district collectors in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura (except tribal areas), and Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to grant naturalised citizenship to “fit and proper” applicants ordinarily residing in these regions.

The government notified the Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules 2026 on Wednesday, granting district collectors in these states and UTs the authority to process citizenship-seeking applications for “registration or naturalisation”.

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The district collectors in these states will replace the “Empowered Committees” and “Designated Officers” that previously held these powers.

In the gazette notification, the Home Ministry has authorised district collectors in these areas to “receive, scrutinise, and dispose” of such applications in accordance with the laid-down parameters.

The new rules apply to citizenship-seeking applicants ordinarily residing in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura, as well as the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. In Assam and Tripura, the rules specifically exclude tribal areas.

The new rules designate the district collector as the “competent authority” to receive requests for registration or naturalisation “electronically”.

The government has directed that all applications currently pending with those committees or District Level Committees in the specified regions be immediately transferred to the relevant collector.

Upon submission, the system will generate an automated acknowledgement. The collector will then verify all submitted documents and conduct any inquiries necessary to determine the applicant’s suitability.

“The Collector shall verify the documents submitted by the applicant, along with the application, conduct such enquiry as he considers necessary for ascertaining the suitability of the applicant, administer the oath of allegiance as specified in the Second Schedule to the Act and satisfy himself regarding the eligibility of the applicant under section 6B,” the notification said.

If the collector is satisfied that an applicant is a “fit and proper person”, they are authorised to grant Indian citizenship directly. As part of the final steps, the collector must administer the oath of allegiance as prescribed by the Act.

However, the new rules maintain strict requirements for applicants to appear in person.

“In case an applicant fails to appear in person to subscribe the application and take the oath of allegiance despite giving reasonable opportunities, the Collector shall reject the application,” said the notified rules.

The government has also rescinded previous orders “except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such rescission”.

At least nine people, including a four-year-old child, died and six were injured in an early Wednesday fire at a dingy five-storey building on Mirza Galib Street in central Kolkata that housed several hotels, police said. Five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze that erupted around 1.45 am. Police and Disaster Management Department personnel reached the spot for the rescue operation.

According to a senior official, 80 people have been rescued from the five-storey building. Speaking to PTI, Fire Department Minister Kaushik Chowdhury said the identities of those killed are yet to be established. The deceased include both Indians and Bangladeshi nationals, he said after visiting the site.

“We are trying to establish their identities. The situation inside this building is very bad. There are several hotels inside this building. I am shocked to see what was going on here,” Chowdhury said. Asked about the cause of the fire, the minister said that it could be because of a short circuit. “But a forensic examination would reveal what led to the blaze,” he said..

“The building management did not comply with basic safety and construction norms. It is alleged that there were several irregularities in the functioning of the hotel,” the minister added. The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital.

“Dense smoke made it difficult for firefighters to climb the staircase and reach the upper floors. While nine people have died, more deaths are feared,” a police officer told PTI.

“Our priority is to rescue those trapped and determine the reasons for the fire. The flames have been doused, but the building is very, very hot. The cooling process is underway,” he added.

West Bengal Fire Department headquarters is located close to the hotel building..

Another police officer said the building owner is currently absconding.

“A case is being registered at the New Market police station, with police initiating proceedings against the owner,” he said, adding that police have begun raids at the owner’s residence as part of efforts to trace him. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances that led to the fire and whether safety regulations were violated.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, CM Suvendu Adhikari is likely to visit the site of the fire.