Here are the day’s top stories:

‘Outright insult to Parliament’: Opposition castigates Centre for allowing EU leaders to visit J&K

The Opposition on Monday criticised the Centre for allowing a 28-member delegation of European Parliament members to visit Jammu and Kashmir but preventing Indian politicians from doing so. The European leaders met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi before their scheduled unofficial visit to the region on Tuesday.

P Chidambaram taken to AIIMS for a brief period after he complains of stomach ache

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Monday evening after he complained of a stomach ache. He was discharged soon after. The former finance minister is in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody in the INX Media case till October 30.

Assembly election results show that Congress’ decline is over, says Salman Khurshid

Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Monday said the results of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana showed that the party’s decline was over. The former Union minister claimed that the Opposition party had emerged out of a period of confusion and self doubt.

‘Fake news’: Siddaramaiah attacks BJP after party tweets video of him discussing caste politics

Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday claimed that a video that the Bharatiya Janata Party had shared of him discussing caste politics with other Congress leaders was “fake news”. In the video, Siddaramaiah was heard saying that the Lingayats were not as much with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa as they used to be, and the Vokkaligas no longer fully backed former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

Jammu and Kashmir: Six civilians injured in grenade attack in Sopore, say police

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday said six civilians were injured after suspected militants threw a grenade at a bus stand in Sopore town. The incident came two days after injured six soldiers of a Central Reserve Police Force team were injured in a grenade attack at a checkpoint outside a hospital in Srinagar.

Super Cyclone Kyarr likely to veer off towards Oman, Goa and Karnataka get relief from rain

Cyclone Kyarr, which has been categorised as a super cyclonic storm, is likely to hit the coast of Oman around October 31, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. Kyarr is the first super cyclone in the Arabian Sea since 2007, when Cyclone Gonu ravaged Oman’s coast.

Naga National Political Groups ask state MLAs to clarify their position on Centre-NSCN(IM) talks

The Naga National Political Groups that have been holding talks with the Centre since 2017 on Monday said state legislators must clarify their position on the dialogue between the insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isaak-Muivah) and the government.

European Union delegation meets PM Modi and Ajit Doval a day before visiting Kashmir

A 30-member group of European Parliament members met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday ahead of their visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The European parliamentarians are on an unofficial visit to the region.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal claims post-Diwali pollution levels are lowest in five years

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that the post-Diwali pollution level in the national Capital was the lowest in five years, the Hindustan Times reported. The Central Pollution Control Board’s website showed that the Air Quality Index in Delhi at 1 pm was 351, in the “very poor” category.

Kerala nun expelled by congregation files second appeal with Vatican, seeks Pope’s views

The nun from Kerala who was expelled by the Franciscan Clarist Congregation for her “lifestyle”, has written to the Vatican saying that the congregation took disciplinary action against her for participating in a protest by a group of nuns, demanding the arrest of bishop Franco Mulakkal, PTI reported on Monday. Mulakkal was accused of raping a nun multiple times and is out on bail in the case.

Shiv Sena blames BJP-led central government for sluggish market during Diwali

The Shiv Sena on Monday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre for the sluggishness in the market during Diwali. The Shiv Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, said that incessant rains have continued around Maharashtra despite the end of the monsoon season, destroying crops and making the lives of farmers harder.

India’s common identity is citizenship, not Hinduism, says Agnivesh on Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks

Social activist Agnivesh on Monday lashed out at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat for describing all Indians as Hindus. He said citizenship, not Hinduism, is the “sole common identity” of all Indians. Agnivesh was referring to Bhagwat’s speech on the occasion of Vijayadashami earlier this month.

Tamil Nadu: Efforts to rescue boy stuck in borewell makes slow progress because of rocky terrain

The efforts to reach and rescue two-year-old Sujith Wilson, who has been trapped in an abandoned borewell since Friday evening, in Nadukkatupatti village in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli district is likely to take another 12 hours, NDTV reported. It has been more than 60 hours since the boy fell into the borewell.

Bengaluru: DK Shivakumar criticises tax department for issuing notice for gifting phones to MPs

Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Sunday criticised investigative agencies for issuing a notice to him for gifting phones to MPs. He was granted bail by the Delhi High Court in an alleged money laundering case on October 23. The leader was in judicial custody for 50 days following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on September 3. The former minister was given a rousing welcome by party workers after his arrival in Bengaluru on Saturday evening.

Maharashtra: BJP, Shiv Sena meet governor separately for Diwali, but deny discussion on power tussle

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena met Maharashtra’s governor separately on Monday amid an ongoing tussle over the formation of the next government in the state, even as both parties denied the meetings were related to the matter. Leaders of the two parties said the meetings were meant to exchange Diwali greetings.

Kashmir: Imran Khan urges people not resort to ‘jihad’, says it’s against interest of Pakistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday urged the people of Kashmir to not engage in “jihad” against Indian armed forces. Jihad is an Arabic word that literally means a struggle for a noble cause. The country observed a “Black Day” in protest against India’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy and the security lockdown imposed in the state since August 5.

Delhi: Air quality becomes ‘severe’ after Diwali night, but is better than recent years

The air quality in Delhi worsened on Monday morning after Diwali celebrations as the index reading touched the 463 mark at 10 am, which falls in the “severe” category. The real-time air quality index, given by the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, or SAFAR, was better than the reading recorded on the day after Diwali in recent years.

Tamil Nadu: Officials start drilling new borewell to reach two-year-old trapped underground

A new borewell is being drilled to rescue two-year-old Sujith Wilson, who fell into a 600-feet borewell in Nadukkatupatti village in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli district on Friday night. Several attempts by rescuers to reach the toddler, who has been stuck in the borewell for more than 40 hours, have failed.

Kyarr intensifies to become first super cyclone in Arabian Sea in 12 years, Coast Guard on alert

Cyclone Kyarr has intensified to become the first super cyclonic storm in Arabian Sea since Cyclone Gonu devastated Oman’s coast in 2007. According to the India Meteorological Department, the cyclone’s centre was about 630 km west-southwest of Mumbai at 2.30 pm on Sunday.

Modi celebrates Diwali with troops in Rajouri in first visit to J&K since special status was revoked

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district to celebrate Diwali with Indian Army soldiers. The prime minister lauded the soldiers for their “monumental service” to the nation. This was Modi’s first visit to the state since his government revoked its special constitutional status by hollowing out Article 370 of Constitution, and imposed restrictions on public movement and a communications blockade.