5 stories you must read today, November 16: From BJP minister calling Raja Ram Mohan Roy ‘British agent’ to India’s defeat in 1st Test against South Africa and more

Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar has triggered a fresh controversy by calling the 19th-century social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy a "British agent" at a Birsa Munda Jayanti event in Agar Malwa, Parmar. "He worked as their broker in the country. There was a vicious cycle of religious conversions that he started," Parmar said. The state BJP unit distanced itself from Parmar’s statement, saying that it is the minister’s personal view. Read more

A senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Baldev Raj Arora’s son, Naveen Arora, was allegedly shot dead in Punjab’s Ferozepur by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants Saturday evening. The incident took place near the Baba Noor Shah Wali dargah, when Arora, who ran a dupatta shop in the main bazaar, was walking home. He was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead, police said. Read more

Marking the first statement from the Iranian government regarding the status of its nuclear programme after Israel and the US bombed its enrichment facilities in June, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday Tehran is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country. However, he maintained that Iran has an "undeniable" and "inalienable" right to enrich uranium for peaceful. Read more

Jammu and Kashmir L-G Manoj Sinha on Sunday ruled out any terror conspiracy in the blast at Nowgam police station that killed nine people and injured 32 others. According to officials, the blast took place while authorities were taking samples of the material seized during the probe into a terror module linked to the Red Fort car blast on November 10. Sinha announced a magisterial inquiry into the Nowgam incident. Read more

India suffered a defeat at home on Sunday as they went 1-0 down to South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series at Kolkata. Chasing a modest 124-run target on a pitch turning square, India were bowled out for just 93, losing by 30 runs and slipping to their fourth straight home Test defeat against a SENA side on day 3. The loss marked India’s second loss under coach Gautam Gambhir in a Test match at home while chasing under 150 runs. Read more