Terrorist Kill Migrant Worker, Injure Other In J&K

SRINAGAR, July 31: A non-local labourer from Chhattisgarh was killed, and another was seriously injured on Friday when terrorists opened fire on them at a brick kiln in Kilam village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.

This is the second terror attack in south Kashmir in the last two weeks despite a high security alert.

In the evening, terrorists opened fire on two brick kiln workers in village Kilam, which is 16 kilometres away from Kulgam town.

Both workers were injured in the attack. One non-local worker succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital, while the other was referred to Government Medical College, Anantnag, and later shifted to a Srinagar hospital for advanced treatment.

A senior police officer said that after the attack, the terrorists fled from the spot and a massive search operation has been launched in Kilam village and its surrounding areas. "The security forces are trying to trace the terrorists responsible for this attack."

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said that the labourer who was killed and injured in today's terror attack hailed from Chhattisgarh.

Today’s attack is the second terror attack in South Kashmir in July, and comes after the major terror attack in Baisaran, Pahalgam in April 2025.

Earlier, on July 22, terrorists shot dead a policeman at Lal Chowk, Anantnag district. The policeman was deployed on Amarnath Yatra duty. Both attacks took place despite a high security alert in the Valley, especially in South Kashmir, due to the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.

Attacks on non-locals have taken place after a gap of two years. Earlier, on April 17, 2024, a non-local vendor from Bihar, identified as Raja Shah, was killed by terrorists in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag district. On February 7, terrorists killed Amritpal Singh, a labourer from Amritsar in Punjab, in the old city area of Srinagar. Another non-local worker, Rohit Mashi, was injured and succumbed to his injuries on February 8.

On October 18, 2022, two migrant labourers from UP were killed after terrorists hurled a grenade at them in Shopian. Earlier, on August 11, suspected terrorists killed a labourer identified as Mohammad Amrez, a resident of Madhepura, Bihar, in Bandipora district in north Kashmir. On August 4, 2022, another migrant labourer was killed and two others injured in a grenade attack at Gadoora in Pulwama district. On June 3, a brick-kiln worker was killed in Budgam district.

No action against CJP protesters: Delhi government

NEW DELHI, July 30: The Home Department of the Delhi government on Thursday issued an order that no adverse legal action will be taken against people involved in the protests against the NEET-UG paper leak issue.

“The protection, however, shall not extend to persons having criminal antecedents, as mandated in the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court mentioned above,” it said, citing a verdict dated July 28.

If anyone has been arrested or detained in cases related to the protests, the process for reviewing the arrests and releasing the arrested persons will be undertaken “expeditiously”, as per the order.

“Government of NCT of Delhi does not propose to take any further adverse action against the individuals involved in the protests, and the matter shall be treated as closed without any future proceedings on this account,” the order said.

However, Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood clarified in a statement that this relief will not apply to individuals who already have criminal cases registered against them or those who indulged in violence, vandalism, or any other unlawful activities under the guise of the protest.

“Such persons will face action strictly in accordance with the law. The government fully respects the democratic right to peaceful expression, but no leniency will be shown towards those who disrupt law and order or engage in violent activities,” Mr. Sood said.

The CJP had said that the government’s agreement was to withdraw cases against “all protesters” and not take any action against them in the future in relation to the protests.

Rahul Gandhi seeks Amit Shah resignation over attack on student protesters

NEW DELHI, July 29: Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on union home minister Amit Shah, accusing him of ordering the use of pellet guns against students protesting at Jantar Mantar. He said Shah should be sacked over what he described as his incompetence.

Addressing a press conference, Gandhi said he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha because he had questioned Shah. He also claimed that he was asked to apologise, but said he would never do so.

“The leader of the Opposition is not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha. Multiple times I asked the speaker to bring order to the house so I could speak. Multiple times Rajnath Singh, Rijiju were allowed to speak, but I was not.. And the excuse was that I said something about Amit Shah, that he was responsible for the brutality that was carried out.”

"I was asked to apologise, but I will never ever apologise to the BJP, the RSS, or anyone else," Gandhi said, referring to his speech in the Lok Sabha.

Gandhi said that, as the Leader of the Opposition, it is his right to raise issues that are important to the country. “To me, the most important issue today, by far, is the following: this issue, where our students asked questions and were brutalised on the streets of Delhi.”

Referring to the alleged police brutality during demonstrations at Jantar Mantar on July 20, Gandhi said the students, who were peacefully asking questions to the government were brutalised, shot with pellet guns.

He also claimed that one of the students who was hit is “most likely to lose his eye.” Gandhi said that he has seen medical reports that show that the protestors were hit by pellet guns, shocked with batons and with lathis embedded with nails.

"They (protesting students) were shot with pellet guns. One boy who was shot with a pellet gun is most likely to lose his eye and may not be able to see. I have seen the AIIMS medical certificate, which shows that he was shot with pellet guns. Shock batons were used, not just normal lathis, lathis with nails. Where did the police get this idea from?..."

Showing a collage of five pictures of alleged brutality, Gandhi said minors and women protestors were hit and slapped. He added that plain clothes officers were also present at the protest site, and questioned their deployment.

“For me, the brutalisation of our students, the beating of our students is a fundamental issue.. It is an issue for students themselves who are being threatened today.”

Gandhi further alleged that students are being threatened through the use of facial recognition technology and claimed that the Bajrang Dal is being mobilised against them to deter them from holding similar protests in the future.

Displaying an image of Shah on a large screen, Gandhi said that any action taken by police forces under the union home ministry requires the home minister's approval. He also claimed that he saw union minister Jitendra Singh receiving calls from Shah during the Congress protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence.

"Now, here is the question: this gentleman over here (pointing to Home Minister Amit Shah's picture), as I understand it, is the Home Minister of India, and any action taken by police forces or forces associated with the Home Ministry requires his order. So, when we were at Parliament House, I saw with my own eyes Amit Shah calling police officers, the Home Minister ji, on the phone. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw (MoS) Jitendra Singh, the Minister, getting call after call from Mr. Amit Shah. So, he was pretty clear and aware of what was going on the street."

Gandhi said there were only two possibilities: either Shah knew about and ordered the use of force against the students, making him culpable, or he was unaware of it, making him incompetent. In either case, Gandhi said, Shah should "go."

"Now there are two possibilities. Possibility number one is that he gave the order to shoot people with pellet guns, beat people with lathis with nails, and use electric batons on people. Or he did not know it was happening. If he did not know it was happening, he is incompetent. And if he ordered it, he is culpable," Gandhi said.

“Take a good look at him, this is the man who is responsible for what happened to you. Of course he takes his orders from the prime minister but this is the man who beat you, thrashed you, humiliated you, who shot you with pellet guns. All I'm saying is be clear,” he added.

Gandhi continued his criticism of Shah, asking a question: Who reports to whom. He then noted that Delhi police, who was responsible for “part of the beatings” reports to ministry of home affairs, which is run by Shah. He added that the RAF, which reports to CRPF, the paramilitary force, also reports to the home minister.

“These forces that did the beating, that shot our students, both report to Amit Shah. There is no Haryana police operating in Delhi, no UP police operating in Delhi.. only Delhi police and RAF..”

Gandhi then showed a picture of a letter he said he wrote to Shah on July 25, seeking answers as to who ordered the use of force on protesting students.

“I wrote a very respectful letter to Shah – as home minister did you approve the use of lethal force, including pellet guns against students. It not, who did.”

In his letter, he asked Shah – if those seen in plain clothes were police officials or volunteers and who authorised their deployment. Gandhi claimed that he has not even received an acknowledgment if the home minister received the letter.

The Congress MP said the Opposition will ensure that every student who was “beaten” gets justice and those responsible for it will be punished.

"We will ensure that the students who were beaten, maybe not today, maybe sometime from now, but we will ensure that every single one of those students who was beaten gets justice. We will ensure that the people who shot our students with pellet guns will be punished. It's very simple for us to do. We have the photographs. We've collected all the videos and all the photographs. We know the police officers who have done it. So, you might think you're very smart, but accountability is going to come. This is our guarantee. This is our (opposition)'s guarantee to the students..."

Gandhi also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that merely putting a phone in front of one's face does not enable a person to connect with Gen Z.

"Prime Minister thinks that just because he puts a phone in front of his face, he suddenly becomes someone who is able to communicate with Gen Z. No. The problem is your image. The problem is what you have done to these students. The problem is how you have destroyed their future. The problem is what you have done to the economy. That's the problem. And that image is gone. So, the field is open for us. And I really thank the students. I'm very proud of them. And I don't like saying this, but they had the courage that their parents did not have," Gandhi said.

Lok Sabha passes tougher anti-paper leak Bill

NEW DELHI, July 29: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday insisted that “no shots were fired” at students during the July 20 protest in Delhi as the Lok Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. Dr. Singh also rejected Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered security forces to open fire at protesters.

The Bill, which proposes tightening penalties and introducing time-bound investigations and trials for paper leak cases, was passed amid continuing Opposition protests over the alleged police excesses against students during the NEET-UG agitation.

Soon after its passage, Shah hailed the legislation in a post on X, congratulating students across the country and describing the amendment as a measure that would “shield the dreams and aspirations” of the youth. “The Modi govt will spare no one who attempts to imperil the future of our students and will leave no stone unturned to ensure that they face the full wrath of the law,” the Home Minister said in his post.

However, he did not respond to the charges that Gandhi sought to raise inside the Lok Sabha during his speech.

Dr. Singh, who is the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and handles the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), responded to the charge while replying to the debate on the anti-paper leak Bill.

He said “utmost restraint was exercised” during the police action and “it was made sure that casualties do not happen”. Singh accused the Congress of attempting to politicise a legislation aimed at safeguarding the integrity of public examinations.

The Minister said the amendments reflected the government’s willingness to “learn from experience” after the implementation of the 2024 anti-paper leak law. So far, 52 FIRs had been registered since the original law came into force and suicides linked to paper leaks had declined, he informed the Lok Sabha.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sharpened the government’s response outside the House, accusing Gandhi of misleading the House by alleging that Shah had ordered firing on students.

“The Home Minister or any other Minister does not give an order for firing. These are not in the domain of Ministers. Such orders are passed by the Magistrate or the SDM [Sub-Divisional Magistrate] present at the spot. How can he not know this basic thing?” Rijiju asked, adding that Gandhi had failed to engage with the substance of the legislation during the debate.

Abhijeet Dipke questions anti-paper leak bill

NEW DELHI, July 29: Narendra Modi should quit the Prime Minister's post and “become an influencer”, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has said. He took a swipe at the PM over his Instagram videos, where he was seen addressing the youth.

“I think [PM Modi] should become an influencer. He is doing very well at that,” Dipke told reporters at his hometown in Maharashtra on Wednesday. “If he is such a good influencer, then he should leave the Prime Minister's chair, become an influencer, and let someone else do the job.”

Commenting on the anti-paper leak bill passed in the Lok Sabha, Dipke said legislation alone would not solve the problem unless it was implemented effectively.

“I think bills will keep coming, but until the intentions of these people are right, nothing can happen. Many good laws have been made in this country through reforms. One law after another gets passed here,” he said.

He also referred to the PM's proposed fast-track court for paper leak cases. “Narendra Modi had promised a fast-track court three days ago, and people were very happy, thinking there would be a fast-track court for paper leak cases. But what happened?”

“The very first hearing itself was postponed because the CBI's counsel did not show up. So you can make whatever laws you want, but until the people implementing them are good, what is the point of those laws?” Dipke said.

Abhijeet Dipke warns govt of 'massive protest' if 'witch-hunting' of students doesn't stop

NEW DELHI, July 28: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) chief Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday warned of another round of "massive protests", alleging that students were being harassed by the police amid the ongoing agitation over the NEET issue.

In a post on X, Dipke said the party would organise a large-scale peaceful demonstration if the alleged action against students continued. He also accused the government of unfairly targeting those taking part in the protests.

Issuing a warning to the government, Dipke wrote, "If the harassment of students at the hands of the police continues, the Cockroach Janta Party will respond with a massive peaceful protest soon."

He further urged the government to stop what he described as the targeting of students. "The Govt must stop targeting and witch-hunting students."

While the protest has ended following the Centre's acceptance of one of the group's key demands, CJP leaders insist their campaign is far from over.

Dipke said calling off the agitation did not mark the end of the movement. In a post on X, he said the CJP had "a long way to go" and described the conclusion of the protest as "just the beginning."

He also demanded compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide during the examination controversy. The Centre has, however, said it will provide the maximum possible compensation to the affected families.

'Massive betrayal': CJP claims Supreme Court order on student FIRs contradicts govt promises

NEW DELHI, July 28: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday said the Supreme Court's interim order allowed authorities to continue investigating FIRs registered during the nationwide student protests. The order was contrary to the assurances given by the Centre during negotiations that ended the protests at Jantar Mantar, the CJP said.

Chief spokesperson Saurav Das said that the party’s understanding with the government was that FIRs against protesters would be withdrawn.

“The Supreme Court has now said that FIRs that were already registered will not be withdrawn. This is not what was discussed in our negotiations with the government,” Das said in an interview.

"Our understanding with the government was different, and we expect it to fulfil the assurances it gave us. The conditions being imposed by the Supreme Court are not acceptable to us,” he added.

On X, Saurav Das said the Supreme Court should not be "politicised" for the government's gains and its orders should not be used to target genuine protesters.

"The Supreme Court cannot be politicised for government’s gains. Its orders cannot be weaponised to achieve those gains. A solemn guarantee was given before the nation. Those ought to be honoured. All FIRs ought to be withdrawn," Das said.

He added that if any criminals were found among protesters, police ought to take action through legal procedures instead of using FIRs to target others.

"If criminals roamed, police must apply for cancellation of bail in their old cases. Must also answer why they were roaming so freely in society. But government can’t use this excuse to pursue FIRs so it can later target genuine protesters," he said.

Das added that the youth would not accept such action and said the CJP would continue to support protesters who participated in the movement.

Das said the Supreme Court’s order should be seen as "in addition" to the CJP’s demands and asked the government to honour its commitments made to protesters.

"If the Supreme Court is acting in the interest of the youth, we welcome such orders or judgments. We, on the other hand, have been active on the ground for a long time, and we have certain demands that must be met; that is the most important thing," said Das. earlier in the day.

He said one of the party's key demands was the withdrawal of all FIRs against protesters and an assurance that no retaliatory action would be taken against them in the future.

"We expected a written guarantee regarding this to be issued by today (Tuesday), and for all those detained or arrested to be released," he said. Das said the party had already announced at a press conference on Monday that it would be "compelled to call for a major protest in Delhi once again" if the government failed to keep its word.

"Whatever the Supreme Court says should be 'in addition' to our demands. Our demands must be met first; the government should then comply with whatever the Supreme Court says or whatever relief it grants. That is our demand," he said.

The Supreme Court, in its interim order, said no coercive action should be taken against student protesters without a criminal record in cases linked to the CJP protests.

It ordered the release of eligible detained students, asked authorities to preserve CCTV footage and other electronic evidence, and called for a fair investigation into the injuries suffered by both protesters and police personnel. The court, though, did not order the withdrawal of existing FIRs and allowed investigations to continue.

Das said he met government representatives on Tuesday evening, during which they showed him the Supreme Court order, which allowed investigations into existing FIRs to continue.

Das said the government cited the Supreme Court’s written order to argue that the matter had become sub judice. He added that he sought a written guarantee from officials but had received no response till Tuesday 11 pm.

"I want to tell the government: you are about to commit a massive betrayal of the country's youth. We have made it clear that we will not accept any order or decision that violates the guarantee given by the government. You must honour the promises made to the students," Das said.

He added that the government must keep its word on any future decisions taken in the interest of students, warning that failure to do so would force the CJP to announce another major protest in Delhi and other states.

"We will launch a nationwide protest once again, as we remain committed to working in the best interests of students," he said.

'Who allowed use of pellet guns, AK-47 on students?': Priyanka calls Pradhan's garlanding ‘shameful’

NEW DELHI, July 28: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a sharp attack on the Centre during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, questioning the alleged use of force against students protesting over examination irregularities.

She demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah explain who authorised the use of pellet guns during the protests. Priyanka Gandhi also criticised the alleged use of tear gas, lathi-charge and water cannons, accusing the government of suppressing the voices of young people and calling for accountability over the police action.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Priyanka Gandhi questioned the government's reliance on yet another committee to reform India's examination system.

"Hon'ble Speaker, this is what I want to say to the Hon'ble Prime Minister through you," she said. "That maybe they should change their advisors. Creating new committees won't work. No matter who their president is."

She invoked the earlier Radhakrishnan Committee, saying previous recommendations had remained unimplemented.

"The Radhakrishna Committee was also formed to reform the system. To date, one of his recommendations has not been implemented," she said. "And in this new committee there is an ex IB chief, owner of an IT company and there is also a 'gaumutra' (cow urine) expert."

CJP's ultimatum to Centre regarding protesters' arrest: ‘Will be forced to protest again’

NEW DELHI, July 27: The CJP on Monday issued an ultimatum to the Centre, claiming a breach of agreement amid alleged reports of students' arrests in Bihar and West Bengal. Citing reports of detention of volunteers in Delhi as well, the CJP said it would be “forced to sit on protest again.”

“Dear @JPNadda @DrJitendraSingh ji, We are observing a complete breach of the agreement regarding no police action against the protestors. Hundreds of students have been arrested in Bihar and Bengal, and hundreds are being surveilled/harrassed in Delhi and other states,” CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said in a post on X.

“Multiple reports are emerging in Delhi around detention of volunteers supporting protestors with logistics,” he added.

CJP demanded the immediate withdrawal of FIRs against the protestors, calling for the students to be released. “We demand that all the FIRs against the protestors be immediately withdrawn, students be released and no future FIRs be filed (in line with our agreement) by Delhi police / Central investigative agencies / Police in BJP-allied states, FAILING WHICH WE WILL BE FORCED TO SIT ON PROTEST AGAIN,” Ranka said.

The CJP further asked for a written agreement around legal cases by Tuesday.

Bihar govt relents, to withdraw youth protest-linked cases, release all arrested after CJP, Oppn threaten new stir

PATNA, July 27: The Bihar government late on Monday said that it will withdraw all cases registered against protesters before evening and release those arrested in a statewide crackdown on demonstrators who took part in last week's agitation in support of the protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to press for former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

“No adverse legal action - punitive/retaliatory - shall be taken by the Government against any individual participating in the protests before 6 PM on July 26, across the entire state,” an announcement by the state home department said.

“Furthermore, all the persons arrested/detained in connections with the cases registered before the stipulated date, shall be released immediately,” a statement by the state home department’s special secretary Kshtranil Singh said.

The government’s decision came amid sharp criticism of Bihar police’s continued crackdown against the protesters, and sending hundreds of young protesters to judicial custody.

Police said 694 people were detained across the state in connection with the July 25 strike, jointly organised by the All-India Students’ Association (AISA) and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) in solidarity with the CJP’s agitation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Of these, 355 youths were remanded in judicial custody, while 339 minors and others were released after age verification.

Violence was reported from at least 13 districts, with Patna recording the highest number of detentions.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das welcomed the move, calling it a “big relief."

“A big relief to students and protesters in Bihar, hours after our latest Press Conference declaring possible Delhi protests if guarantees not honoured,” he posted on X.

CJP to launch website linking protesters with lawyers, Kapil Sibal announces ₹1 crore legal fund

NEW DELHI, July 27: The Cockroach Janta Party will launch a website which tracks legal action taken against protesters and will connect them to lawyers, Rajya Sabha MP Kabil Sibal said on Monday. Sibal further announced ₹1 crore as legal aid for the website, and urged lawyers across India to contribute to the fund.

“This CJP will create a framework to track what happened at which place, which student or protester was affected, and what action has been taken against them,” the Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate said while addressing a press conference along with CJP spokesperson Saurav Das.

Sibal said the website will also identify lawyers who can help the students fight legal battle. “They will create a website where lawyers willing to provide legal assistance can register their names, location and the kind of help they can offer,” Sibal said.

He added, “I will contribute Rs. 1 crore, and urge lawyers across India and others to also contribute to this fund so that wherever the law is misused and false cases are filed against peaceful protesters, we will stand with them. Our lawyers will support them across India.”

Meanwhile, the Congress too on Monday “unequivocally” condemned the alleged attacks on students, and offered legal support for those who were served a legal notice, detained, were asked to appear for questioning, or had any of their social media posts taken down. “…Please contact our CKG Legal SOS at 9811867474,” Congress said in a post on X.

Cong deploys its Gen-Z leaders to announce legal aid for protesters

NEW DELHI, July 27: The Congress has announced a legal-support helpline for students facing police or administrative action over their participation in youth-led protests over the NEET-UG paper leak and related issues, with activist Gurmehar Kaur, who works with its youth wing, sharing details.

“We unequivocally condemn all the attacks on students. The Modi government had promised during the negotiations that no student would be picked up and that there would be no police action against them,” the party posted along with a video of the press conference on Monday, referring to the Cockroach Janta Party's protest that ended after senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister in Narendra Modi's cabinet.

“But today, there is a list of FIRs that have been filed against students in West Bengal and Bihar,” Gurmehar Kaur said.

She was accompanied by Vinod Jakhar, president of the Congress wing National Students' Union of India, and Youth Congress office-bearer Richa Singh who is from Bihar; they also spoke on the occasion.

The Bihar BJP government later in the evening announced it's withdrawing all such cases and releasing those arrested.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has pointedly blamed Union home minister Amit Shah for the police action — an issue that the Congress sought to raise in Parliament too.

The Congress announced support via the ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ (CKG) legal SOS helpline at 98118-67474.

A similar, though separate, announcement was made by the CJP.

The Congress has been holding its own protests and rallies led by Rahul Gandhi on similar issues, but preferred a parallel track as the CJP aggressively billed itself as “apolitical”.

Rahul guns for Amit Shah over ‘pellets fired’ at CJP march as Parliament session resumes

NEW DELHI, July 26: Dharmendra Pradhan is gone from Narendra Modi's cabinet, and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) stir is over, but Congress-led Opposition isn't closing the file yet, as Monday sees resumption of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. The House — disrupted since the session began on July 20, also the day CJP's ‘Sansad Chalo’ march faced violent police action on the streets near Parliament — is set for a two-track clash now, one involving home minister Amit Shah as the target after Pradhan.

The government is keen to push further with its promise of exam reforms. The bill for a tougher law against paper leaks is set for Monday, after Modi also formed a committee under all-season technocrat Nandan Nilekani of Infosys and Aadhaar fame.

But the INDIA bloc led by Rahul Gandhi wants to keep the spotlight on the July 20 police action, the Gen-Z-driven online-offline energy of the protest having already pushed the Modi government onto the back foot.

Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi already announced his target on Saturday after Pradhan resigned.

“Someone's hand was broken, someone's leg, someone's rib. Pellet guns-like deadly weapons were used, and many were injured so severely that they became critical. These are all directly the responsibility of home minister Amit Shah,” said Gandhi, who ran a parallel protest-cum-awareness drive on paper leaks for weeks even as the CJP came on the scene on the NEET-UG paper leak.

On Sunday, in a letter to the home minister, Gandhi asked whether he had personally cleared the use of pellet guns and other force against protesters.

"I met 19-year-old student Sahil Lochab, who is now in severe pain and is likely to lose an eye because he was shot with pellet guns," the Congress MP wrote. “Security forces deployed in Delhi answer ultimately to you, so I ask: As Home Minister, did you approve the use of lethal force, including pellet guns against students? If not, who did?” the letter said.

He also asked who had authorised the deployment of men in plain clothes seen beating students with lathis, and whether they were police personnel or “volunteers”.

Separately, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose has moved a notice under Rule 267 seeking suspension of the day's business on Monday to allow an immediate discussion on the alleged use of “lethal and semi-lethal force” against protesters, including reports of pellet gun injuries attributed to the Rapid Action Force.

INDIA bloc parties are thus expected to raise the issue in both Houses. Delhi Police has denied that its personnel used pellet guns during the protest; the CRPF, under whose remit the RAF falls, has not issued a public response to the specific allegations.

The Centre, meanwhile, is set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha on Monday, to be moved by minister of state Jitendra Singh, who has also served as the government's interlocutor with protesters alongside health minister JP Nadda.

The bill had already been announced by Modi in a midnight video before Pradhan's resignation came as the CJP and Rahul said the demand was “non-negotiable”.

The bill, which did not suffice on its own to calm the protests, proposes to substantially raise penalties under the original 2024 law.

For individuals, the minimum jail term rises from three to five years and the maximum from five to 10 years, while the maximum fine increases five-fold to ₹50 lakh.

Service providers face fines of up to ₹5 crore, up from ₹1 crore, and blacklisting of up to eight years.

Directors or senior management of service provider firms face a minimum five-year term, up from three, with fines up to ₹5 crore.

For organised crime linked to paper leaks, the minimum term rises to seven years and the minimum fine to ₹10 crore.

The bill also introduces strict timelines requiring investigations to be completed within two months, and Special Fast Track Courts to try cases on a day-to-day basis and conclude trials within three months of the chargesheet being filed. Appeals would go to a minimum two-judge High Court bench, to be disposed of, as far as possible, within three months.

Besides the government and Opposition's two tracks, there is a brewing demand for another minister to quit. Road minister Nitin Gadkari has been facing public criticism over alleged damage to vehicles due to ethanol-blended petrol E20.

Some of the meme-driven commentary that accompanied the demonstrations has turned toward Gadkari, with a separate group planning a protest in Delhi on July 31.

Nandan Nilekani to lead exam reforms

NEW DELHI, July 26: Nandan Nilekani's appointment on Sunday to head the Narendra Modi government's new exam-reform task force follows a pattern that goes back around two decades. Successive governments, of different parties, have brought the technocrat back for policy work. In that sense, it's only the latest turn in a career that has now spanned both the Congress and BJP.

Modi's latest move comes as the largely GenZ-driven protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) forced major decisions over the past week.

Exam reforms are not new territory altogether for Nilekani. Around eight years ago, the Supreme Court constituted a seven-member panel, chaired by retired judge GS Singhvi, that included Nilekani among others, to investigate irregularities in the Staff Selection Commission's CGL/CHSL 2017 exam.

The panel did submit a report, which the court cited in 2020 to conclude there wasn't enough evidence the entire exam process had been compromised. A fresh petition in 2025 said the committee’s report has never been made public, and argued that the underlying problems it was meant to fix had never really been addressed by the government. The plea was dismissed early this year as having too wide an argument, but the petitioner was told he could file one specifically about implementation of the committee’s report.

Amidst this, the NEET-UG leak in May sparked mass protests led by the CJP, leading to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister, and Modi's steps such as forming the panel with Nilekani.

Born in 1955 in Bengaluru (then Bangalore), Nilekani studied electrical engineering at IIT Bombay, and in his first job at a company met NR Narayana Murthy. The two of them, with others, started Infosys in 1981. He would go on to run Infosys as CEO from 2002 to 2007 and chair its board in various capacities since.

He was the founding chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in the rank of a cabinet minister from 2009-2014, his Infosys bio noted. His high-profile work with the government sector indeed started after the idea for a national identity number came up during the Congress-led UPA era in 2006 under PM Manmohan Singh, conceived as a fix for leaky subsidy programmes. The UIDAI was constituted under the Planning Commission in January 2009, and Nilekani was hired that June for the execution of what came to be known as Aadhaar.

He went on to also chair the Technology Advisory Group for Unique Projects (TAGUP), tasked with the IT architecture behind the tax network and the pension system.

In 2014, the technocrat tried to become a politician too. He quit the UIDAI to contest the Bangalore South seat on the Congress ticket. He lost to the BJP's Ananth Kumar.

As Narendra Modi became PM, economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said, Aadhaar was in danger of being shelved given the BJP's opposition to it while out of power. Nilekani reportedly got a meeting with the new prime minister and made his case in person; Modi heard him out in June 2014, and Aadhaar was folded into his governance model.

Two years on, after the demonetisation of high-value notes, Modi brought Nilekani onto a committee mapping India's path towards digital payments at scale. “India has the underlying digital financial architecture in place to get this going,” Nilekani said at the time.

Nilekani has credited the previous UPA government for “initiating the vision” and the NDA government for “seeing the wisdom” of the project and taking it through to its “logical culmination” by putting in place a legal framework for Aadhaar to be used for subsidies and beyond. When Aadhaar drew fresh fire in 2017 over being made mandatory for tax filings, he said: “Demonising Aadhaar is not going to solve any problem.”

He served on an RBI committee too — the High-Level Committee on Deepening of Digital Payments, from January 2019. The commerce ministry added him to its Open Network for Digital Commerce council in 2021, the government's attempt to loosen Amazon and Flipkart's grip on Indian e-commerce.

The committee now formed by Modi on exam reforms will comprise a multidisciplinary group of domain experts:

Technology expert Nandan Nilekani
Former ISRO chairman S Somnath
Former Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka
IIT Madras director V Kamakoti
Former education secretary Anita Karwal
Logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena

Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns As Education Minister

NEW DELHI, July 25: After a month-long massive student agitation in Delhi seeking his resignation over exam irregularities and NEET paper leaks, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned. Pradhan sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

He announced the move on his X handle just hours before the third round of talks between the Cockroach Janta Party and the Centre. After Pradhan's resignation, the CJP announced the withdrawal of its protest on Saturday evening after the meeting with Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh.

Pradhan's resignation was the main demand of the protesters camping at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for over a month.

The talks between the CJP and the Centre were deadlocked over the demand for Pradhan's resignation. On Saturday morning, the CJP had made it clear that there can be no discussions if government refuses to sack Dharmendra Pradhan.

The key demands put forth by the protesters were:

Resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan; No legal action against the student protesters; and
Compensation for the families of students who died by suicide after NEET paper leak.

After the third round of talks with the ministers, the CJP announced that the Centre has agreed to their demands and they are calling off the protest.

In his X post announcing his resignation Pradhan said: "I hold deep respect for the aspirations, sentiments, and rightful expectations of the youth of this country. Realising the dreams of India's young generation has been the moral resolve of our political and social life. I express my gratitude to Hon'ble Prime Minister for the opportunity given to me to serve the nation under his visionary leadership."

"It is my resolve that we will not allow the youth power of the country to be trapped in a web of confusion," Pradhan added.

"Keeping in mind that anti-national forces should not take advantage of the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, that the unity of the nation remains intact, that the future of even a single student of India does not get entangled in legal complications, and that our children devote their time to studies and focus on building their careers -- I have submitted my resignation to Hon'ble Prime Minister.

The protest site at Jantar Mantar erupted in celebration the moment news of Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation arrived.

Reacting to the news of resignation, the CJP posted: "Long Live Student Power."

"We have done it," CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said, announcing the news of Pradhan's resignation from the Jantar Mantar stage.

"They used to say that no one resigns in this government. But we have done it."

The student protests, which have spread of dozens of cities across the country in the last few days, had become a big political issue with the Opposition throwing its weight behind the movement and cornering the government.

Pradhan gone, Congress shifts focus to Amit Shah

NEW DELHI, July 24: Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation from the post of Union education minister may have met the principal demand of the student-led agitation, but pressure on the Narendra Modi government is likely to continue, as was clear from Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's plan of action hereon.

With Parliament set to take up an amendment bill for significantly stricter punishments for paper leaks, the Congress has sought to shift the debate to accountability for the police action against the Cockroach Janta Party march in Delhi on July 20.

At a press conference after Pradhan resigned on Saturday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi called the resignation “a very significant victory” for students but argued that the issue was far from over.

Referring to the July 20 protest march towards Parliament, Gandhi alleged that students had suffered grievous injuries during the police crackdown and held Union home minister Amit Shah directly responsible as Delhi Police is under the Centre.

“Someone's hand was broken, someone's leg, someone's rib. Pellet guns-like deadly weapons were used, and many were injured so severely that they became critical. These are all directly the responsibility of home minister Amit Shah,” said Gandhi, who ran a parallel protest-cum-awareness drive on paper leaks for months.

“The demand is clear. From the organisers of this attack to the implementers, accountability must be fixed for everyone... Mr Amit Shah, you will have to answer for this,” he said in a post on X too.

NEET victims’ families seek reforms, say Pradhan’s resignation not enough

For many parents, who lost their children by suicide after National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026 paper was cancelled, resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan is not enough.

Most of the parents said the government never understood pain of the students who appeared for NEET and their parents. They also expressed their anguish at the police for assaulting students in New Delhi and making Pradhan resign only after the pressure of students.

They called for structural changes in education so that no papers are cancelled in future due to leak or any other examination malpractice.

Father of a 21-year-old NEET aspirant of Uttar Pradesh’s Kheri district, who had died by suicide in May, lauded the peaceful protest by students despite “brutal” attack by the police on them and sought education reforms to prevent something similar in future.

His son had appeared for NEET for the third time. On Saturday he accompanied his wife to a Lucknow hospital, who is in a trauma after their son’s death.

“Any compensation cannot bring back my son to life. The void cannot be filled. I hope the protest will prevent such tragedies in future,” he said. He added if Pradhan would have resigned soon after the protest started, violence at Jantar Mandar could have been avoided.

Mother of 18-year-old NEET aspirant, who died by suicide in Nagpur on May 20, said those responsible for her death should be punished. “Resignation is fine but I would like to thank the children who fought for my child and faced police bullets and batons. I want that those responsible for paper leak and assaulting students should be severely punished,” she said.

Her father said, “Justice was served today. The resignation will not bring back my daughter, but it will at least give peace to her soul.” On compensation, he said, “After her death, my relatives helped me repay the debt taken for her education. If I receive compensation, I will use it to clear the remaining dues.” His wife participated in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in Nagpur.

Father of NEET aspirant from Rajasthan’s Kotputli-Behror district, said, “Governments must understand this pain that the students undergo while preparing for competitive exams and take strict measures to prevent such incidents.”

He added that the government was not willing to accept their mistake after so many children died. “It was only after so many students protested and faced police lathis and refused to leave Jantar Mantar that they agreed. Pradhan did not resign on his own. It was under pressure of these kids,” he said, adding that compensation cannot bring his daughter back.

“I hope that government would be serious on reforms in the examination system which must be completely transparent and fair.”

Mother of 23-year-old NEET aspirant from Dehradun said that Pradhan’s resignation showed that the government has accepted its mistake, although belatedly.

“My daughter died because of no fault of her. She was in severe depression as it was her last chance. The government cannot understand her and our pain. Compensation cannot bring her back but structural reforms can prevent such tragedies in future,” she said, holding the Central government directly responsible for death of NEET aspirants following examination cancellation.

In Berhampur town, the mother of a 20-year-old NEET aspirant who died by suicide last week after failing to crack the Re-NEET exam said the resignation of Pradhan means nothing to her. “She was our only asset. How does it matter to us if Pradhan resigned? But as mother I would say only bright students should make it to NEET and not those who get through by unfair means,” she said.

Brother of a 19-year-old deceased NEET aspirant who died by suicide in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj district, said the CJP protest has helped people to understand the pain of NEET aspirants as his sister’s suicide note saying ‘she will not be able to bear it anymore’ had gone viral during the protest. “Today, I can sleep as I feel that my sister has got some justice,” he said. Her younger sister died by suicide after appearing for NEET re-examination.

Swelling crowds, defiant mood as protest stays firm at Jantar Mantar

NEW DELHI, July 24: Even as activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his hunger strike and a delegation of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held a second round of talks with the central government on Friday, the mood at Jantar Mantar Road remained defiant. The main protest site was jam-packed, with people by evening waiting between 50 and 100 minutes in a serpentine queue that stretched to the Janpath metro station on Tolstoy Marg.

Delegations large and small, including lawyers, NGO workers, farmer unions, and groups from neighbouring states, arrived carrying banners and placards to record their presence.

Pankaj Singh, a resident of Rohini, said he had to wait for two hours before he could enter the site. “I felt like I was missing out on something historic, so I had to come. I’ve seen the reels of police violence. They mistreated wrestlers earlier, too. The government handles every issue like this,” he said. All around, the air vibrated with a mix of patriotic songs and aggressive slogans from roaring clusters of young protesters.

From the main stage, CJP leaders congratulated the protesters for their support, and declared that the protest would continue, though Sonam Wangchuk had finally ended his indefinite fast after 26 days.

“By risking his own life, Sonam sir has awakened an entire nation, and we are all grateful for what he has done for the country, but the protest at Jantar Mantar will continue. It is not a protest of one person or CJP alone; it has become a youth movement. We demand resignation of the education minister,” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced.

He also mocked the central government over reports that union ministers were told at Friday’s cabinet meeting to increase their presence on social media platforms such as Instagram where this movement had gained large traction.

The sentiment resonated across the crowd. Satish Deshpande, who travelled from Madhya Pradesh, insisted the demonstration must continue. “Once the momentum flags, the government will crush this movement just like it did with others. Now is the time to stand united,” he said.

At the site, the protesters have set up a ‘wall of shame’ showcasing photographs that captured images of police personnel assaulting protesters during the July 20 “Chalo Sansad” march organised by the CJP. It has demanded FIRs against police officers involved in violence or sexual harassment, and asked citizens to upload photos and videos on its website to help identify the security personnel.

While demands for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation echoed from the stage, organisers repeatedly appealed to the protesters to keep the movement peaceful and not clash with security personnel so that the negotiations did not get derailed.

At the Sansad Marg barricades outside the NDMC headquarters, a volunteer appealed for calm over loudspeakers: “Sonam Wangchuk has broken his fast, and talks are underway for our remaining demands. Do not do anything that causes these talks to fail.” There had been no major standoff between protesters and police through the evening.

‘No cases against peaceful July 20 protesters’: Wangchuk shares govt's assurance which made him end fast

NEW DELHI, July 24: Hours after ending his indefinite fast in the presence of union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh and his wife, activist Sonam Wangchuk said the government has assured him in writing that there would be no action against protesters.

In a video message on his official X handle, the activist shared the written assurance provided by the government, which highlighted that no cases would be filed against peaceful protesters and those who had participated in the protest march on July 20 in Delhi.

“Govt is positive on not registering cases against those protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and those participating in the march to Parliament on July 20, 2026,” the written statement by the Centre, which was signed by union ministers, said.

Sharing the statement, Wangchuk wrote, “The government also gave assurance that…there will be no cases registered against the peacefully protesting students and youths.”

This came a couple of days after Wangchuk expressed the willingness to end his indefinite fast on the assurance that no punitive or retaliatory action will be taken against protesters involved in the Cockroach Janta Party movement.

“I respectfully request an unequivocal assurance from the Government that none of the young protesters will face any punitive or retaliatory legal action for participating in this movement,” Wangchuk had said in a letter to the government on Wednesday this week.

The activist began his indefinite fast on June 28 over alleged irregularities and NEET and sought accountability from the government and union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. He lost around 11 kg of his weight over the next 26 days.

Wangchuk was removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site on July 18 by the Delhi Police and shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital. However, his wife challenged the move in the Delhi high court, which ordered his transfer to a private hospital of his choice.

47 NTA officials sacked amid nationwide student protests, more cleanup to follow

NEW DELHI, July 24: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has terminated the services of 47 officials as part of what is being described as a major overhaul of the examination body, which has remained under scrutiny over paper leak controversies.

The move is part of a broader push to reform the agency's functioning, with more corrective measures expected in the coming days.

This comes as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is protesting at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak row.

Apart from the dismissals, legal and criminal proceedings are also set to be initiated against some of the officials.

On July 22, the Education Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that the NTA was functioning with only 24 permanent employees against a sanctioned strength of 39 posts. The agency has also been relying on 73 contractual employees and 124 outsourced personnel to manage its operations.

The agency's finances have grown substantially over the years. Its income increased from ₹504.16 crore in 2019-20 to ₹1,116.84 crore in 2023-24, marking a rise of 121.5%. During the same period, its expenditure climbed from ₹440.20 crore to ₹1,040.96 crore, an increase of 136.5%.

The Union Cabinet on Friday cleared a draft bill proposing tougher penalties for paper leaks, including a maximum fine of ₹10 crore, official sources said. The decision came just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the government's plan to introduce stricter provisions.

The draft legislation, approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister at the Parliament House complex, seeks to amend The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 by strengthening the existing punishment for those involved in paper leaks.

Under the proposed amendments, individuals found guilty of paper leaks could face a minimum prison term of five years along with a fine. In cases involving organised paper leak rackets, the punishment could extend to 10 years in jail, with a maximum fine of ₹10 crore.

At present, the law prescribes imprisonment ranging from three to five years for individuals involved in paper leaks. Those linked to organised cheating or paper leak networks can currently face five to 10 years in prison along with a minimum fine of ₹1 crore.

The proposed changes are intended to crack down on organised groups and institutions that engage in unfair practices for financial gain, while ensuring that candidates are not penalised under the law.

The existing legislation is designed to prevent paper leaks, examination malpractices and organised cheating in recruitment tests such as UPSC and SSC, as well as entrance examinations including NEET, JEE and CUET.

Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu quits post, President accepts resignation

NEW DELHI, July 24: Punjab BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu resigned as Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries on Friday. On the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation with immediate effect.

Bittu's Rajya Sabha tenure reportedly ended on June 21 this year. As a Parliamentarian, he represented Rajasthan from August 2024 to June 2026.

Expressing gratitude for the opportunity, Bittu said in a post on X, “I express my heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji and Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation as Minister of State in the Government of India.”

“It has been an honour to serve the people of India, especially my beloved Punjab. I remain committed to the ideals of service, nationalism, and the vision of a Viksit Bharat under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji. My journey of public service continues with renewed dedication,” he added.

Amidst high drama, Rahul Gandhi, Oppn leaders reache Gandhi Smriti to support students

NEW DELHI, July 23: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several Opposition leaders on Thursday reached Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg to pay homage to students who died by suicide over the NEET paper leak controversy and to express solidarity with those injured during the recent police action on protesters.

The visit, however, was marked by heavy police presence, barricades and claims by the Congress that Opposition leaders were stopped from moving freely.

As Opposition MPs gathered at Rahul Gandhi's residence on Sunehri Bagh Road before, heavy police presence was seen.

Police initially put up barricades on Sunehri Bagh Road to stop Congress and Youth Congress workers from moving towards Tees January Marg. The barricades were later removed, allowing Rahul Gandhi and the MPs to proceed.

In a post on X, Congress leader P Chidambaram said the MPs had been waiting inside the buses for over 25 minutes, alleging that roads across central Delhi had been barricaded and hundreds of police personnel deployed.

"We are sitting in buses for over 25 minutes. All roads are barricaded and hundreds of policemen are mobilised to 'secure' the roads of Delhi! What is the government afraid of? Why this sense of panic?" he wrote.

However, near Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence, the leaders were stopped again, with police citing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibits the assembly of five or more people in the area. They were later allowed to continue towards Gandhi Smriti.

Speaking to reporters while inside a bus, Gandhi alleged that the Opposition had first sought permission to visit India Gate in solidarity with students but was denied.

"In solidarity with the students, we wanted to take the Opposition MPs to India Gate. But then they refused. So then we wanted to take them to Tees January Marg, Gandhiji's assassination site. And now what they've done is they've put this bus in front of us. They've put up barricades and parked a bus on this side here. So we can't go. And they're doing a drama. Obviously, they're scared," Gandhi said.

"All the MPs felt that if the students are on the streets, we should also be on the streets," he added.

In a post on X, Gandhi said the Opposition leaders were heading to Gandhi Smriti to remember students who had allegedly taken their own lives following the NEET paper leak controversy and to stand with those injured during the recent protests.

"Right now, MPs and leaders of the INDIA alliance are peacefully heading to Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg. We go to remember the students we lost, the children driven to take their own lives after the NEET paper leak. And we go to stand with the students who lie injured today, beaten for peacefully demanding justice and accountability. India's students are not alone. The entire Opposition stands with them and their demands," he wrote.

Several senior Opposition leaders accompanied Gandhi, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, P Chidambaram, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Pramod Tiwari and Renuka Chowdhury. Leaders from other INDIA bloc parties, including Supriya Sule of the NCP (Sharad Pawar), RJD's Misa Bharti, Trinamool Congress leaders Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee, CPI's P Sandosh Kumar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, also joined the march.

Congress workers alleged that Gandhi had effectively been placed under "house arrest" after police erected barricades outside his residence, news agency ANI reported. Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib accused the Centre of trying to stop the Leader of the Opposition from raising students' concerns, while Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said the party would not be intimidated by the police.

'152 Paper Leaks In 10 Years, Zero Convictions': Rahul Gandhi Targets Government

NEW DELHI, July 22: Stepping up his attack on the government over student protests, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said students are protesting for a legitimate reason and the government is assaulting them.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, Gandhi widened the scope of his attack on the Centre, saying the education system in the country has been "rigged" under the current regime.

Calling Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan "corrupt" and "incompetent", Rahul Gandhi reiterated his demand for his resignation.

"Students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. It is a legitimate demand. Pradhan is a corrupt and incompetent man. He must be removed," Rahul said.

Throwing his weight behind the students' demand, Gandhi said Pradhan is the "symbol of the entire mess and he must be removed".

He accused the Education Minister of destroying "India's education system, which was our biggest asset".

Listing out statistics, Gandhi claimed that at least 152 paper leaks have taken place in the last 10 years with zero accountability.

"152 leaks in 10 years translate to an average of 1 leak every month. These leaks have affected crores of our students. Yet there has been no conviction in the cases related to paper leaks in the last 10 years," Rahul Gandhi said.

"The students are asking why there has been no conviction in the last 10 years."

He further alleged that the education system of India, which used to be the country's biggest asset, has been destroyed under the current regime.

Rahul said the education system has been made unaffordable for the poor and the middle class.

Pegging the annual coaching expense for NEET aspirants in India at Rs 1.32 lakh crore, Rahul Gandhi claimed it is almost equal to the annual education budget of Rs 1.4 lakh crore.

Rahul Gandhi further claimed that the "rigged system" has locked the poor and middle class out.

"This system is only for the rich. The poor have no space in it," Rahul said.

Backing other demands of the students, Rahul Gandhi also demanded that strict action be taken against the police officials who assaulted students in the capital on Monday.

He also reiterated his demand of an apology to the students from the Prime Minister for the Monday attack on them.

Answering mediapersons' questions on police roughing him up during the Tuesday dharna outside Prime Minister's residence, Gandhi said that he is not bothered with a "few punches".

"It's an honour for me to be able to become the voice of the students. I don't care about a few punches or how I am treated. The way government treats me is not relevant. The students' demands and future are relevant."

Protests in Delhi swell; Police fire tear gas, Cut internet

NEW DELHI, July 22: Fresh tensions escalated in Delhi amid the ongoing protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). While the protest site at Jantar Mantar remained peaceful, tensions escalated on the Sansad Marg stretch, where protesters and security personnel clashed.

While security personnel hit protesters who had spilled on to Sansad Marg with tear gas shells, protesters pelted stones at police personnel and chased them on the main radial road of Connaught Place.

According to the Delhi Police, 5 police personnel - 2 ACPs, one inspector, one head constable and one constable, were injured.

The stretch from the Tolstoy Marg entry near Janpath to the NDMC Convention Centre saw no visible deployment of police or security personnel for some time, but police and paramilitary personnel were later seen stationed nearby in combat gear.

The situation became tense near Park Hotel on Sansad Marg, where the crowd allegedly turned unruly, following which tear gas shells were fired. A policeman was also chased and beaten by a section of the crowd.

Following the escalation, police brought in volunteers from the protest site to appeal to demonstrators to remain calm and avoid stone pelting. The volunteers told protesters that such incidents could undo the efforts of the movement.

As efforts were made to bring the situation under control, a volunteer was placed on top of a police bus fitted with a loudspeaker. The bus moved through the Sansad Marg stretch while appeals were made to protesters to maintain peace.

A CJP volunteer was also seen standing atop a police vehicle, appealing to protesters to refrain from stone pelting.

The crowd was also asked to sit on the road and stop sloganeering as authorities attempted to control the rising tension. The Jantar Mantar protest site, however, remained normal, with the area towards Sansad Marg cordoned off near the intersection using RPF and riot control vehicles.

Internet services were temporarily suspended in parts of central Delhi following an order issued to telecom service providers. A data alert informed users that internet services had been stopped in the area as per government instructions.

The order directed telecom companies to suspend internet services within a 1.5 km radius of Jantar Mantar from Wednesday evening 6 pm till Thursday 6 am.

Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Moved From Protest Outside Modi's House

NEW DELHI, July 21: One of the most dramatic days in post-Independence Indian politics unfolded in New Delhi on Tuesday when Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi led a Congress protest against paper leaks and the "attack" on students to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, only to be dragged away hours later.

Seeking to pile on the pressure on the Centre a day after the Cockroach Janta Party-led march to Parliament, Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra gathered outside the Congress President's house at 10, Rajaji Marg on Tuesday afternoon and marched to the PM's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, just over a kilometre away.

In an unprecedented development, Union Minister Jitendra Singh later visited the protest site and spoke to Rahul Gandhi, but the protest was broken up hours later and Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others were detained and taken away in buses.

Rahul Gandhi was surrounded by at least 10 police personnel as he sat on the road and refused to budge. He was eventually dragged away and was seen bleeding from his nose.

Speaking to reporters after the police action, the Congress MP, who was lying on the road, declared, "Democracy in India is happening right now."

Rahul Gandhi was taken to the Chhatrasal Stadium while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was moved to the Mandir Marg Police station. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the police station, and both Gandhi siblings were released around 9 pm.

In a statement after being released, Rahul Gandhi urged the Prime Minister to initiate education reforms at the earliest and thanked people for supporting protests against the paper leaks.

Before the protesters were dispersed, sources had said Gandhi had intended to continue the sit-in overnight. He had also made an appeal for people to join him outside the PM's residence.

"An attack on students is an attack on every Indian family. PM Modi believes he can get away without answers, without consequences. He cannot. Not this time. I ask every patriotic Indian who believes our students deserve justice - join us in dharna in front of the Prime Minister's residence. The voice of India's students will not be ignored," he said in a post.

After the meeting between Singh, who is the Minister of State in the PMO, and Gandhi, Congress leaders said the talks were inconclusive.

"They wanted us to withdraw the protest and we did not agree because our demands were not met. We want Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign and a discussion in Parliament on the paper leaks. More MPs, more Congress workers and more common people will join our protest," said Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain.

Singh later alleged Gandhi had assured him the Congress would call off the protest if the government agreed to discuss all issues related to NEET and paper leaks in Parliament, and then went back on his word.

"When this information was conveyed to Shri Rahul Gandhi, he said that he would not agree to this alone but also sought assurance for the resignation of the Union Education Minister. He said that now I have two demands: Discussion in Parliament and the resignation of the Union Education Minister. When he was reminded that earlier he had only demanded discussion, he said that now my demands have changed," Singh wrote in Hindi on X.

Farmers' March To Delhi Stopped At Haryana Border

CHANDIGARH, July 21: Hundreds of farmers from Punjab, who began marching towards Delhi on Tuesday to participate in a Kisan Mahapanchayat against the proposed India-US trade deal, were stopped by Haryana Police at the Shambhu border, the entry point to Haryana.

Barricades were erected at the Punjab-Haryana border in scenes reminiscent of the February 2024 "Delhi Chalo-2" agitation when the border was turned into a fortress with concrete blocks, iron spikes and multi-layered barricading to prevent farmers from entering the national capital.

Denied passage, the farmers turned the Shambhu border into a protest site, accusing both the Haryana and Punjab governments of suppressing their democratic right to assemble in Delhi.

BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh leader Tezveer Singh alleged that Haryana Police had erected barricades inside Punjab's territory and claimed the Punjab government had remained a "silent spectator" instead of resisting the move.

While Punjab convoys were halted, farmers from Haryana, including Ambala, Kurukshetra and neighbouring districts, continued their journey to Delhi.

The Mahapanchayat, called under the banner of the Desh Bachao Morcha, has brought together farmer organisations from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to demand that the Centre abandon the proposed India-US trade agreement.

Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said convoys of KMSC, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (Punjab chapter), Azaad Kisan Morcha and BKU Ekta Sangharsh had left from different parts of Punjab before being stopped at the Shambhu border.

Pandher said the India-US joint statement issued in February 2026 committed both countries to negotiate the first tranche of a multi-sector bilateral trade agreement by fall 2026.

He argued that the proposed pact was far more than a conventional trade deal and could open negotiations on agriculture, dairy, industry, digital trade, e-commerce, investment, government procurement, intellectual property rights and the services sector.

Farmer leaders said previous US trade reports have consistently sought deeper access to India's agriculture and dairy markets through lower tariffs and fewer restrictions on products such as soybeans, maize, cotton, ethanol, apples, almonds, dairy products, poultry and fisheries.

They warned that opening India's market to subsidised American agricultural and dairy products would leave millions of small and marginal Indian farmers unable to compete. They also expressed concern over the lack of transparency surrounding the negotiations, alleging that key details of the proposed agreement have not been made public.

The organisations said India's dairy sector alone sustains nearly 80 million rural families and cautioned that any adverse impact would ripple across the rural economy, affecting dairy producers, small traders, agri-based industries, food processors and micro enterprises.

The Desh Bachao Morcha demanded that the Centre immediately place all documents related to the proposed India-US trade agreement in the public domain and refrain from signing any pact without holding comprehensive consultations with farmers, workers, dairy producers, small traders and other stakeholders.

No decision yet on ethanol blending beyond E20: Government tells Parliament

NEW DELHI, July 21: The government on Monday told Parliament that it has taken no decision to increase the mandatory ethanol blending in petrol beyond 20%, saying any move towards higher blends would be preceded by detailed scientific studies and consultations with stakeholders.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on proposals to increase ethanol blending beyond 20% (E20), minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Suresh Gopi said: “So far, no decision has been taken by the Government for increasing ethanol blending with petrol beyond 20%.”

Gopi added that “any future decision regarding higher ethanol blends will be taken only after detailed scientific and technical studies and consultations with all relevant stakeholders, including automobile manufacturers, Oil Marketing Companies and research institutions.”

The clarification follows the petroleum ministry’s June 5 announcement of a phased expansion of 85% ethanol-blended petrol (E85), prompting questions over whether the government was reconsidering plans to promote higher ethanol blends.

However, a government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the parliamentary reply referred to the national ethanol blending programme for conventional petrol, while the E85 initiative is a separate programme intended for flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs).

The June 5 initiative was aimed at facilitating the adoption of FFVs capable of operating on ethanol blends ranging from E20 to E100, without restricting consumers to a single blend, the official said.

“The answer in the Parliament is in the context of base blending of ethanol whereas E85 is to cater to the specific flex fuel vehicles,” the official said.

According to the petroleum ministry’s June 5 statement, Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched E85 fuel at an Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) retail outlet in New Delhi on World Environment Day.

The ministry had said E85 would initially be made available at 48 retail outlets operated by public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs), before being expanded to 500 outlets by December 2026 and about 5,000 outlets by December 2027.

“The rollout commences across 48 Public Sector OMC retail outlets in the country, enabling flex-fuel vehicle users to access this cleaner fuel. The initiative is slated for nationwide expansion. The same would be scaled up to 500 ROs by December 2026 and about 5,000 ROs by December 2027 and help raise India’s aggregate ethanol blending levels to nearly 26 per cent by 2030-31,” the ministry had said.

Gopi also rejected the premise that E20 is a new or suddenly introduced fuel. “Ethanol has been used as a transport fuel globally for over a century, and India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme commenced with a pilot in 2001,” he said.

“Rather than a sudden shift, the transition to E20 has been phased, calibrated and evidence-based, with blending increasing progressively from 1.53% in 2013-14 to 20% in 2025-26 after scientific evaluation and stakeholder consultations at every stage,” he added.

Protesters march to Parliament lathi-charged, tear-gassed

NEW DELHI, July 20: As many as 50,000 protestors took to streets in the national capital on Monday to demand the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, according to reports on ground. The students marched towards Parliament and the protesters took over the entire Central Delhi area.

Cockroach Janta Party spokespersons on Monday said that they met union minister JP Nadda at his residence after the government reached out to them. During the meeting, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said that they put forth their three demands in front of the minister — immediate release of Sonam Wangchuk, Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, ₹1 crore compensation to all NEET aspirants to died by suicide.

However, hours later, Ranka said that there has been no response from the government.

Delhi police said that the protesters displayed “unruly, violent, and aggressive behaviour". They added that 70 protesters were detained and appropriate legal action is being initiated against them.

Abhijeet Dipke announced that they will continue the protest till Dharmendra Pradhan resigns, even though the police cleared the protest site after lathi charge and tear gas shelling.

Later in the evening, the protesters have returned to the stage which was dismantled by Delhi police a few hours ago. CJP’s Ashutosh Ranka told protesters that they will stay here till the Education Minister resigns.

Sonam Wangchuk announced that he will continue his hunger strike on day 23 after the police “brutality” on peaceful protesters.

Police personnel had been deployed at the site on Sunday, with a riot control vehicle entering the venue early on Monday. The CJP has continued its protest at the site for over a month, demanding the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and other issues.

Sonam Wangchuk Removed From Protest Site, Taken To Hospital On Day 21 Of Hunger Strike

NEW DELHI, July 18: Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for 20 days at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, has been removed from the protest site and taken to the hospital.

Police landed at the protest site early on Saturday morning and shifted Wangchuk to hospital. The activist was protesting against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak.

In a statement Delhi Police said that it has acted in accordance with the orders of the High Court and on expert medical advise due to the deteriorating health condition of Sonam Wangchuk. "Sonam Wangchuk has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care," Police statement said.

Reports said Wangchuk has been admitted to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, adding that he is conscious and his vital are stable.

The police have also appealed to the protesters to vacate Jantar Mantar peacefully.

The police action came ahead of the hearing in Delhi High Court over deteriorating health. The court had two days ago directed authorities to conduct daily clinical health checks on climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. Observing that "life of any citizen is precious", the court ordered regular medical monitoring and necessary medical intervention. The High Court had told Centre that "anything and everything should be done to protect Wangchuk's life".

On Friday, doctors who checked on Wangchuk had described his condition as an emergency with a fear of his organs failing.

Daily medical bulletins had raised concerns over Sonam Wangchuk's health. A medical update two days ago had said that the activist had lost over 8 kilos and his health was deteriorating.

The 59-year-old was on fast, demanding the resignation of the education minister over the alleged NEET paper leak.

India's 1st Private Space Rocket Takes Off

SRIHARIKOTA, July 18: Anxiety and nervousness gave way to excitement and euphoria as the clock struck 12:05:30 on a clear Saturday afternoon at the Sriharikota launch pad.

As Skyroot's Vikram-1 rocket soared into space, it became the first privately developed Indian rocket to attempt an orbital mission, marking a defining moment not just for the company but also for India's rapidly emerging private space sector.

The liftoff encountered a little hiccup as the rocket blastoff was put on a "planned hold" just minutes before the scheduled timing of 11:30 am by the mission control team.

At 12:21 pm, history was made when the mission was declared successful as the commentators at the launch site announced, "Hello, space. We have arrived", with the injection of the payload in its orbit.

The liftoff has secured its place in the history of India's space missions.

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace has joined a small and elite group of global companies that have successfully developed and launched orbital rockets.

The mission, called 'Aagaman', marks the arrival of India's private sector in the global launch business.

Vikram-1 is carrying technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed and Skyroot's own SCOPE, along with Cosmos Diamonds' artwork "Cosmic Bloom" and a micro-art piece featuring micro-sculptures of Sir CV Raman, Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

Vikram-1 is a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by in-house developed propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel boosters.

Designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), its first test flight is targeting a 450 km orbit at a 60-degree inclination.

As celebrations filled the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Prime Minister dialled Skyroot CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana to congratulate the team.

Congratulating the Skyroot team on the historic feat, the Prime Minister told the young team, "you have made India proud."

"You have planted India's aspirations in space and have also given roots to the dreams of the youth," PM Modi told Chandana as his team listened to the PM's praise on speakerphone.

Commending the young team, the Prime Minister said they had shown what India's youth are capable of. Chandana pointed out that the average age of his team is 28 years.

The rocket is also carrying a special message from the Prime Minister. The message, printed on a commemorative card, will travel beyond Earth's atmosphere alongside hundreds of cards carrying wishes and aspirations from people around the world.

In his message to Skyroot on a postcard, PM Modi simply wrote "Vande Mataram".

"Vande Mataram is now in space," the Skyroot CEO told the Prime Minister

Ahead of Mission 'Aagaman', Skyroot Aerospace said its Vikram-1 rocket also carries the signatures of the engineers, technicians and team members who helped build it, honouring everyone behind India's landmark private space mission.

Named after the father of India's space programme, Vikram Sarabhai, the Vikram-1 vehicle represents the next step for Skyroot after the company's successful Vikram-S suborbital mission in November 2022.

Om Birla gives nod to merger of Uddhav rebels with Shinde Sena, TMC rebels with NCPI

NEW DELHI, July 18: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) lawmakers with Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Sena and allotted a separate seating arrangement for the 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament.

The rebels’ plan to secure recognition as members of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a nondescript party based in West Bengal and Tripura, still waits clearance from the Lok Sabha's top office.

A senior official claimed that the merger issue of the TMC rebels is “under consideration” and “an appropriate decision would be taken shortly”.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance will have 319 MPs in the Lok Sabha, still short of 41 members for the two-thirds majority mark of 360 in the House. And Sena has emerged as the second-largest ally after TDP, with 15 Members —13 in the Lok Sabha and 2 in the Upper House.

An internal circular issued by the Lok Sabha's Table Office on Saturday said, "Consequent upon the change in party affiliation of 6 members of Shiv Sena UBT in Lok Sabha, a revised party position in the 18th Lok Sabha is enclosed."

The circular showed Shiv Sena's 13 lawmakers and Sena UBT left with 3 MPs. The circular also added that 20 TMC members would sit separately.

The changes come ahead of the all-party meeting on Sunday morning and the monsoon session from Monday onwards. Interestingly, the government has already invited the rebel TMC leaders to attend the meeting as NCPI representatives.

A letter from parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju to Sudip Bandopadhyay said, "Recently, you and 19 other MPs have joined NCPI, and have already requested the Hon'ble Speaker Lok Sabha for recognition, which is under his consideration." Bandhopadhyay also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evening.

TMC's Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O'Brien criticised the Speaker's decision to allow separate seats.

"Mocking our democracy. Speaker has referred to 20 traitors as still being TMC MPs. Minutes later, Modi-Shah minister invites traitors for all-party meet & refers to them as NCPI," he tweeted.

The TMC rebels, led by Sudip Bandopadhyay and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, had met Birla on June 14 to submit an application for merger. Around the same time, six Sena MPs had met Birla for a similar purpose.

Birla met both the TMC leadership, including the party's floor leader Abhishek Banerjee, and the Sena UBT brass.

Earlier this week, rebel TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar told HT that the Speaker had assured the group that they would get a separate office and seating arrangement in Parliament, which was an indirect recognition of the merger with NCPI.

India joins select group of nations operating hydrogen-powered trains

JIND, July 17: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the country's first hydrogen-powered train on Friday, making it ​one of a handful of nations to use ‌the zero-emission, clean fuel technology.

India joins a select group of countries, including Germany, Japan, China and the United States, with such ​trains. They produce only heat and water ​vapour as by-products, a cleaner alternative to ⁠traditional diesel locomotives.

The 10-coach train set, which has ​a capacity of 2,600 passengers, will run twice a ​day between the cities of Jind and Sonipat in the northern state of Haryana, bordering the national capital of Delhi.

After ​flagging the hydrogen train on its 90-km (55-mile) route, ​Modi said India would continue to find ways to improve ‌efficiency, ⁠reduce costs and expand the network.

"The project combines advanced propulsion technology with dedicated hydrogen storage, refueling and operational infrastructure," a government statement said on Thursday.
The ​train set, designed, ​engineered and ⁠built in India, is expected to operate at a maximum speed of 75 ​km (47 miles) per hour, powered by ​a ⁠1,200-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.

India has electrified nearly all of its 70,000-km (43,500-mile) broad-gauge network, one of the ⁠world's ​largest, in an effort to ​achieve net zero carbon emissions in its railways by 2030.

'Rs 40 lakh for a NEET UG question paper': Rahul Gandhi shares 'paper ka rate', claims high tech used in leaks

DEHRADUN, July 17: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Friday, attacked the Centre in 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' rally in Dehradun over repeated examination paper leaks, alleging that the country's education system has reached a point where leaked question papers are available at fixed prices and sophisticated technology is being used to manipulate recruitment and entrance examinations.

Addressing the rally, Gandhi used a series of graphics to argue that paper leaks have become institutionalized and claimed honest students are paying the price for a system that favours a privileged few.

Showing a graphic titled "Paper Ka Rate", Gandhi claimed examination papers are being sold like products with predetermined rates.

The chart displayed during his address listed the alleged prices of leaked papers, including ₹40 lakh for NEET UG 2026, ₹15 lakh each for IIT-JEE 2021 and Uttarakhand Patwari 2025, ₹10 lakh for the Bihar Teacher Recruitment 2024 examination, and ₹25 lakh for the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector 2025 exam.

"High technology being used for paper leaks; if you have crores, you can select from a menu card of paper leaks," Gandhi said.

The opposition leader also counted four kinds of injustices that the students are facing, according to him. "There are four types of injustices that you are facing. The first is the cost of education... The second is that 4 out of 5 doors are closed. The third is that out of 150 students, only one boy or girl can succeed. And the final and most appalling injustice is the 'paper leak'. The reality is that there isn't just one path; there are two. Our discussion today focuses on this issue: the paper leak. How do paper leaks happen, who is responsible, and what could be the proposed solutions?..."

The Congress MP alleged that repeated examination leaks reflect the state of India's education system.

"State of India's education system is such that paper leaks have become norm," Gandhi said.

He also displayed another graphic titled "Paper Leak Epidemic", which claimed that 7.5 crore students had been affected by 152 paper leak cases, while there had been no convictions.

Using another illustration labelled "System Par Kabza", Gandhi alleged that the problem extends across the examination ecosystem.

The graphic depicted different layers of the system, naming the ministry, NTA (exam agencies), vendors, paper setters, translators, printers and transporters, and coaching centres and exam centres.

"1% uses system, follows path of paper leak and hurts 99% others who are honest, poor," he added.

Demanding immediate relief for affected candidates, Gandhi said students who suffer because of paper leaks should receive protection and compensation.

"Students should be given protection; those suffering due to paper leaks must be compensated, immediate re-exam be held," he said.

Calling for sweeping reforms, Gandhi said the current examination framework is centred around the government rather than students.

"Today's exam system govt-centric; we want student-centric system, secured question banks, randomised question papers," he said.

He also argued that India's testing model has failed to keep pace with technological advancements.

"Current exam testing system is of 19th century, we must evolve a 21st century system," Gandhi said.

Gandhi said tackling paper leaks should not become a political issue and called for all parties to work together. "There can be political consensus on ending paper leaks which everyone must implement," he said.

Over 100 scientists quit Isro, govt steps in to tighten exit norms amid mass resignations: Reports

NEW DELHI, July 16: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has reportedly been hit by mass resignations with at least 100 scientists putting in their papers in recent months, prompting Centre to step in to tighten rules on voluntary exits and retirement, especially for those working on critical missions such as Gaganyaan.

Centre has directed Isro centres not to accept resignation or voluntary retirement requests from Group 'A' scientific and technical personnel associated with Gaganyaan and other key missions, according to an internal document issued on July 14, according to reports.

The memorandum further adds that all requests for resignation and retirement will now be referred to the Department of Space.

As per media reports, this move from the Centre comes after around 100 scientists submitted their resignations.

While the Department of Space has not officially disclosed the number of departures, a report stated that between 100 and 120 scientists may have resigned in recent months.

Nearly 80 scientists have left the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Karnataka's Bengaluru, while around 20 departures have been reported from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, per the report. While sources confirmed 100 resignations, they added that the number could be around 120.

Acknowledging the mass resignations, ISRO chairman V Narayana said that the space organisation was prepared to deal with the departures.

"Yes, a lot of people go, but that's part of every organisation. The move [memorandum] isn't only to retain, but also to ensure that important projects don't suffer all of a sudden. But if someone is still going, someone else will take responsibility. We're taking care of it," he was quoted as saying.

'Theft is theft': Ram Temple Trust accepts Champat Rai's resignation

AYODHYA, July 6: Amid the ongoing Ram Mandir donation embezzlement controversy, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust on Monday accepted the resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, saying the decision was taken in accordance with the trust's constitution.

Addressing a media briefing, Govind Giri said the resignations had been formally accepted. "Under the constitution of the trust, the resignation is considered accepted. We accepted the resignation," Giri said.

He added, "While accepting the resignation, we appreciated his contribution since the beginning."

The development comes amid allegations of irregularities in the counting of donations made to the Ram Mandir trust. Referring to the controversy, a trust member described the incident as "painful" and termed the alleged theft during donation counting as "shameful."

“It was painful to go through this,” Govind Giri said.

"It was shameful, this theft during the counting of the donation," he added.

The trust also announced organisational changes following the resignations. Krisha Mohan has been appointed as the interim general secretary, while Govind Giri will continue as the trust's treasurer.

Providing an update on the investigation, trust officials said another meeting has been scheduled for July 22, by which time they expect the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit its final report.

"We are again meeting on the 22nd. By that time we expect that the SIT's final report will be there," Giri said.

Emphasising accountability, he said the trust would not shield anyone found guilty.

"Theft is a theft. The SIT is doing its job. We also stress that all those who are accused—known or unknown—must be punished," he said.

There are eight people accused in the donation case and all of them have been arrested. They are: Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra, and Subhash Srivastava. Tinnu is reportedly considered a close of Champat Rai.

DDA plans major urban overhaul with 8-point development roadmap for Delhi

NEW DELHI, July 4: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is working on an eight-point development programme to transform Delhi into a sustainable and green city, with a focus on affordable housing, mobility, environment and heritage conservation, officials said on Saturday.

The roadmap was discussed at a recent meeting of the DDA's advisory council chaired by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, which reviewed gaps in the demand and supply of affordable housing, the proliferation of slums and Jhuggi Jhopri clusters and their relocation and rehabilitation, besides the long-pending regularisation and redevelopment of unauthorised colonies.

"The council adopted a four-pillar roadmap aimed at building a sustainable, green and liveable Delhi, with the Lieutenant Governor stressing the need for planned growth across housing, mobility, environment and heritage," an official said.

During the meeting, key urban challenges, including traffic congestion, pollution, urban flooding, heat islands, redevelopment of existing areas, planned development in land pooling and low-density zones, were also flagged.

"Critical issues like the deterioration of heritage structures and water shortages that need immediate intervention for orderly growth of the city were also discussed," official said further.'

Outlining the way forward, the LG said the vision rests on four key pillars.

"On environmental sustainability, the focus will be on achieving the highest per capita green cover in the country, developing vibrant riverfronts, and creating an interconnected green and blue infrastructure network across the city," he added.

For good quality living, the emphasis will be on strengthening disaster resilience, ensuring water security, and making roads safer for all users.

"To strengthen Delhi's economic and cultural identity, the plan envisages reviving business and trade by developing and redeveloping commercial markets and centres, creating modern logistics hubs, and leveraging the city's heritage as both an economic and cultural asset," the official said.

To operationalise the vision, the council was apprised of development plans across the city. These include Transit Oriented Development covering 207 square kilometres, while more than 200 sq km has been earmarked under Land Pooling Areas for planned expansion.

Developed residential areas currently span about 700 sq km, while low-density zones cover 150 sq km. A riverfront development project in Zone-O covering 100 sq km is also underway.

The redevelopment of the Old City is planned over 24 sq km, the Bungalow Zone extends across 31 sq km, and a 20 sq km High Density Corridor has been identified to channel growth along major transit routes as part of the interventions planned by the DDA.

Ram Temple donation case hurts devotees' faith, guilty must face severe punishment: RSS's Dattatreya Hosabale

NEW DELHI, July 3: RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Friday said that the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya has "deeply hurt" the sentiments and faith of the entire society, and called for ensuring that anyone found guilty after the investigation faces severe punishment.

Asserting that "anti-Hindu and anti-national forces" are seeking to malign the Hindu dharma by exploiting "this unfortunate incident", Hosabale also called upon the entire Hindu society to display necessary patience and restraint during "this difficult moment" to thwart such "conspiracies".

"The unfortunate incident of theft in the donation boxes kept at the Shri Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya has deeply hurt the sentiments and faith of the entire society and Ram devotees," the RSS second-in-command said in a statement on X.

"We are all extremely pained and angered by this event," he added.

Hosabale said it is natural for the entire Hindu society, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to expect the Trust to treat this "highly condemnable" incident as an extraordinary matter and take effective steps to rectify all shortcomings in temple management and operations.

This is "crucial" to ensure that the faith and reverence of crores of Ram devotees in the Ayodhya temple remain unbroken and steadfast, he stressed.

Hosabale noted that "at the earnest request" of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and initiated legal proceedings based on its recommendations.

It is "essential" to ensure that anyone found guilty after the investigation faces "severe punishment", he said, emphasising that the current "state of confusion and uncertainty" must end.

He added, "In this regard, we expect the temple management and the government-appointed SIT to take all necessary initiatives." He noted that the grand temple constructed at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi has become a centre of reverence, faith and devotion for the entire Hindu society owing to the struggles of generations and the dedication, sacrifice and "martyrdom" of crores of Rambhakts (devotees).

"We are confident that through proper financial management, flawless and transparent operational systems, and an atmosphere imbued with purity, sanctity and true 'dharmikta', the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will continue to strengthen the faith and trust of the Hindu society," he said.

"The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh also calls upon the entire Hindu society to display necessary patience and restraint during this difficult moment, and to thwart the conspiracies of anti-Hindu and anti-national forces seeking to malign the Hindu dharma and society by exploiting this unfortunate incident," Hosabale added.

K.C. Venugopal writes to Modi, seeks Supreme Court-monitored probe into the Ram Mandir donation row

NEW DELHI, July 2: Stepping up the Congress’s attack over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, party general secretary K.C. Venugopal on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an immediate Supreme Court-monitored probe into what he described as the “Chanda Chori mega scandal”.

In his letter, Venugopal alleged that the fraud involved “hundreds of crores” and amounted to a “monumental betrayal” of the Hindu faith, religion and way of life.

He also questioned the credibility of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government, saying it appeared to be little more than an “eyewash”.

He further alleged that there was a growing apprehension that the investigation was being used to erase the remaining evidence while shielding the “big fish” behind the alleged multi-crore embezzlement.

“Lord Ram is revered as the embodiment of justice and righteousness. Allowing allegations of this nature to be buried, rather than impartially investigated, would be a profound injustice to his devotees and to the values he embodies,” Venugopal said.

“I am writing to you to express the deep anguish and outrage of millions of Indians regarding the shocking revelations of massive financial fraud, theft, and embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The offerings made by ordinary citizens – who contributed their hard-earned life savings out of profound faith and reverence for Lord Ram – have been shamelessly looted, striking at the very sanctity of a place held sacred by millions,” he said.

Alleging that the preliminary investigation had exposed a highly organised racket operating “right under the nose” of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Venugopal said the “systemic lapses at every level” suggested that the alleged loot had been enabled by institutional support.

“On one hand, the counting staff bypassed regular surveillance to siphon off bundles of cash and valuable jewellery on a daily basis; on the other, 7 to 8 months of crucial CCTV footage was deliberately destroyed to cover the tracks of this criminal enterprise. This clearly indicates that this loot goes beyond the work of a few rogue employees, and is a scam orchestrated with the complicity of the higher-ups instead,” he alleged.

Venugopal also claimed that complaints of embezzlement and theft were either ignored or actively suppressed. “Simultaneously, we are learning that complaints of embezzlement and theft were either ignored or actively suppressed. The Trust’s former Chief Accounts Officer, who flagged these systematic irregularities as early as 2020-21 and warned that unaccounted gold and silver ornaments were being spirited away, was unceremoniously removed from his duties instead of being heard,” he said.

Questioning the present investigation, the Congress leader said, so far only the ‘small fish’ – drivers, clerks, and outsourced cashiers – have been arrested, while the institutional support and chain of command that enabled the brazen loot remain untouched. “A state-appointed SIT is neither equipped nor institutionally independent to investigate individuals wielding immense political and institutional influence,” he said.

Venugopal said “this scandal” warrants the highest level of accountability because the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is a public trust constituted by the Government of India in 2020.

“Its very creation took place under the direct supervision of the Government, and the land was vested in the Trust pursuant to the Supreme Court’s judgment,” he said, adding, “It is, therefore, the moral responsibility of the Government - and of you, as its head – to restore the faith of over 1.4 billion Indians in the Government’s intent and ability to safeguard donations and preserve the sanctity of an institution established in the name of Lord Ram.”

“Therefore, I strongly demand your immediate intervention in this matter to order a free and fair investigation by a high-level independent agency under the strict supervision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” Venugopal said.

Sharing the letter on X, the Congress leader said the “massive Chanda Chori” at the Ayodhya Ram Temple had shaken the nation. “This is way beyond an ordinary loot, it strikes at the heart of how faith is corrupted – first for political gain, and then for financial enrichment. I have written to the PM demanding an immediate Supreme Court-monitored investigation into this Chanda Chori mega scandal,” he said.

The alleged embezzlement came to light after an SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings, following which an FIR was registered on June 25. Eight accused were subsequently arrested, and the police said nearly ₹80 lakh in cash, besides some foreign currency, had been recovered so far from six of them. The investigation is continuing.