Controversy has erupted in the United States after Indian-origin Congress candidate Jai Waingakar was criticized for campaigning in Hindi while addressing members of the ‘desi’ community in New Jersey.The controversy began when Indian American commentator Mehak Cook posted on Twitter reacting to a video of Waingakar speaking in Hindi about the rise of the “desi community” in the state.He said that Jai is replacing Americans in the US: “A candidate for the US Congress is running his entire campaign in a foreign language. Jai Vaingankar is not campaigning for Americans – he is campaigning for their replacement. This is not subtle anymore.”

Who is Jai Waingakar?

28-year-old Waingakar is a former Biden administration official and is contesting from New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District. His campaign has also recently highlighted strong early fundraising figures.According to his campaign, he raised nearly $110,000 in the first quarter of 2026, bringing his total to more than $260,000. This includes more than $150,000 raised in December 2025 when they launched their bid.A press release from the campaign stated that the funding came largely from grassroots support, with no contributions from corporate political action committees or special interest groups. The average online donation was reported to be $33.44.“We are running this campaign the right way, with real grassroots support from people who want a new generation of leadership in Congress,” Waingakar said.Jay said, “We are not taking a dime from corporate PACs or special interests, and that means we are accountable to the people we set out to serve. This early support shows that our message is resonating and that we are in a strong position to compete against elected officials twice our age, candidates who have run for office before or who have long-standing political networks.”Wangacker previously served as a special advisor in the Office of Policy at the U.S. Department of Energy. His work focused on energy policy, including clean energy initiatives and efforts to improve efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.He grew up in Hightstown, New Jersey, to immigrant parents and studied at the University of Pennsylvania. She later worked as a community organizer and in the community solar sector, focusing on increasing access to affordable energy.The campaign video that sparked controversy shows Waingakar speaking in Hindi while addressing the South Asian community, an important voter group in parts of New Jersey.He is of Indian descent and was raised in Hightstown, New Jersey by parents who immigrated from Mumbai before his birth.

New Delhi: Hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party dropped K Annamalai from the list of candidates for the upcoming elections, the party MP from Karnataka stunning surya on Friday described the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief as the “most popular leader” and claimed that the party has made him responsible for campaigning for all the candidates.Campaigning for the BJP in poll-bound Kerala, Surya said, “Annamalai is the most popular leader of the BJP, he has huge supporters not only in Tamil Nadu, but across the country. He has been given the responsibility to campaign for all the candidates in Tamil Nadu.”“Even today, he is in Keralam where he has a huge following. He is also campaigning in Puducherry, where people are crazy about him. I am confident that Annamalai’s popularity across Tamil Nadu and her campaign will translate into victory for BJP candidates across the state.”Earlier in the day, the BJP released its list of 27 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections after talks within the NDA alliance.While Tamilisai Sundararajan (Mylapore), Vanathi Srinivasan (Coimbatore North), and Union Minister L. While senior leaders like Murugan (Avinashi) have been fielded, Annamalai’s name is nowhere in the list.However, K Annamalai termed it his “responsibility” and said that he would continue to campaign for the upcoming assembly elections despite being absent from the party’s list of candidates in Tamil Nadu.Speaking to media persons after a public meeting in Kannur, Kerala, Annamalai described campaigning in Puducherry, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as his “role” for the BJP in the upcoming elections.He said, “In this election, my role is to campaign for the candidates all over Tamil Nadu. Right now, the party has given me the responsibility to campaign in Puducherry and Kerala till the 7th (April). From the 7th to the 23rd, I have to campaign for all the BJP and NDA candidates across Tamil Nadu. The party has given me this responsibility. I will fulfill that responsibility.”It is noteworthy that former IPS officer Annamalai is a key figure in the party’s aggressive expansion strategy in South India. He is often seen as a direct representative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, often appearing with him at major rallies.A total of 234 constituencies in the state will go to polls in a single phase on April 23 in Tamil Nadu. Counting of votes is to take place on May 4.

अयोध्या के रुदौली इलाके में दिनदहाड़े ज्वैलर्स की दुकान में डकैती की सनसनीखेज कोशिश का मामला सामने आया है. तीन अप्रैल को कोठी बाजार स्थित एक सराफा दुकान पर एक लड़की ग्राहक बनकर पहुंची। आभूषण देखने के बहाने उसने दुकानदार को बातों में लगाया और अचानक पिस्तौल दिखाकर धमकाया। लड़की करीब 26 ग्राम सोने के आभूषण लेकर मौके से फरार हो गई. इस घटना से इलाके में हड़कंप मच गया, लेकिन पुलिस ने त्वरित कार्रवाई करते हुए महज 2 घंटे में ही पूरे मामले का खुलासा कर दिया.

बुर्के की आड़ में रची गई थी साजिश
पुलिस जांच में पता चला कि यह पूरी घटना एक पूर्व नियोजित साजिश थी. लड़की ने अपनी पहचान छुपाने के लिए बुर्का पहना था. उसका प्रेमी पहले से ही दुकान के बाहर मोटरसाइकिल लेकर खड़ा था। जैसे ही युवती आभूषण लेकर बाहर आई तो दोनों तुरंत बाइक से भाग निकले।

सीसीटीवी फुटेज से मिली अहम जानकारी
घटना के तुरंत बाद पुलिस ने आसपास के सीसीटीवी कैमरे चेक किए. फुटेज में पूरी घटना साफ दिख रही थी और सबसे खास बात यह थी कि बाइक का नंबर भी दर्ज हो गया था. इस सुराग के आधार पर पुलिस ने त्वरित कार्रवाई करते हुए महज 2 घंटे के अंदर दोनों आरोपियों को गिरफ्तार कर लिया.

गिरफ्तार अभियुक्त एवं बरामद सामान
पुलिस ने बाबा बाजार निवासी पायल कोरी (21 वर्ष) और मवई निवासी राहुल कुमार (21 वर्ष) को गिरफ्तार कर लिया है। उनके पास से करीब 5 लाख रुपये के सोने के आभूषण, अपराध में इस्तेमाल बुर्का, प्लास्टिक पिस्तौल, मोबाइल फोन (ओप्पो और वीवो), पिट्ठू बैग और सुपर स्प्लेंडर मोटरसाइकिल बरामद की गई है।

खिलौना पिस्तौल से करते थे वारदातें
जांच में यह भी पता चला कि राहुल ने पहले ही बाजार से नकली पिस्टल और बुर्का खरीद लिया था. ये दोनों एक ही तरीके से लूट की योजना बनाते थे. लड़की दुकान पर जाकर गहने दिखाने को कहती थी और फिर दुकानदार को खिलौना पिस्तौल दिखाकर डरा देती थी और गहने लेकर भाग जाती थी.

पुलिस की त्वरित कार्रवाई से मामला खुला
वरिष्ठ पुलिस अधीक्षक गौरव ग्रोवर के निर्देशन में पुलिस टीम ने त्वरित कार्रवाई करते हुए मामले का पर्दाफाश कर दिया. पुलिस ने दोनों आरोपियों के खिलाफ संबंधित धाराओं में मामला दर्ज कर लिया है और आगे की कानूनी कार्रवाई की जा रही है.

(रिपोर्ट:अनूप कुमार अयोध्या)

Authorities in the United States have increased the reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the person responsible for the murder to $5 million. Shakeel KhanThe 50-year-old restaurant owner was shot dead in 2019.Khan, a Pakistani‑American, was shot dead outside his restaurant, Halal Bites, on Riverside Drive in Johnson City on the evening of March 30, 2019. Police say he was shot and killed when he was closing his business for the night.Despite years of investigation by local and federal law enforcement, no one has been arrested in connection with the murder. The case remains open and active, and authorities continue to appeal for help from the public.In 2020, police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. That initial offer resulted in no arrests, and now, six years later, the department has increased the funding to $5 million.Now, the Rewards for Justice Program of the United States Department of State has publicly announced a new offer of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the person or persons involved in the murder of Khan in any country. The reward is being described as a high-value incentive to encourage suggestions from the public.The FBI’s Albany Field Office in Binghamton, New York, is working with the New York State Police and the Johnson City Police Department on the investigation. All three agencies are appealing for information from anyone who may have information about the crime.Authorities say they believe someone at the scene may have vital information and are urging people to come forward. Investigators are asking witnesses, acquaintances and others in the community to contact them if they can help shed light on what happened.Khan’s family and friends have also expressed their desire for justice and said they hope the increased reward will lead to success. Investigators say anyone with information can contact the FBI or local police for assistance in the case.