September 24, 2026

August 2026

India buys record 2.6 mbd Russian crude oil, refines some of it and now sends it back as petrol: why one of world’s biggest oil suppliers Russia has been forced to import 1 million barrels in 2 months from India

India buys record 2.6 mbd Russian crude oil, refines some of it and now sends it back as petrol: why one of world’s biggest oil suppliers Russia has been forced to import 1 million barrels in 2 months from India

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

India has become an important source of gasoline, or petrol, for Russia. There is a strange irony to the situation. Russia, known to be one of the world’s biggest oil exports and a country among the top 10 with highest crude reserves, is being forced to import petrol. What’s even more interesting is that the…

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In 1973, Christopher Cadbury funded the £40,000 purchase of a Seychelles island stripped for coconuts and seabird eggs; today over 1 million seabirds breed there each year

In 1973, Christopher Cadbury funded the £40,000 purchase of a Seychelles island stripped for coconuts and seabird eggs; today over 1 million seabirds breed there each year

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

For decades, the small island of Aride in the Seychelles was treated less as a wildlife sanctuary and more as a source of income. Its forests were cleared for cultivation, coconut plantations covered parts of the island and its seabirds became a resource that could be harvested. Sooty tern eggs, in particular, were collected in…

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Amid the crisis in West Asia, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said this is a period of significant strategic churn Amid the crisis in West Asia, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said this is a period of significant strategic churn, with the maritime environment becoming increasingly contested.The threat perception is constantly evolving, manifesting in newer forms of challenge and complexity, he said.Admiral Swaminathan was speaking after the commissioning of the deep-sea diving vessel INS Nipun into the Indian Navy in Mumbai.The ship has the capacity to support diving operations up to 300 metres. It also has the capability of providing rapid submarine rescue. It can also be deployed for disaster relief and humanitarian operations.”We are living today through a period of significant strategic churn; the maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested,” Admiral Swaminathan said.(PTI)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Babur’s Country Honoured Modi’: Owaisi Takes Dig At BJP, RSS As PM Gets Uzbekistan’s Top Award’One May Call Bharat Superpower But…’: RSS Chief Bhagwat’s ‘Vishwaguru’ Msg In Canada‘Islam Is Greater Than Other Dharams’: Karnataka Minister Sparks Row, BJP Calls Cong ‘Anti-Hindu’FIR Against Rahul Gandhi Under SC/ST Act For ‘Giving Caste Angle’ In Haldwani ‘Purification’ RowFor Every Rs 100 Laundered, Only Re 1 Is Recovered By Authorities: CJI Surya Kant At Cambridge‘Oldest Trick In RSS Playbook’: Owaisi Slams Mohan Bhagwat’s Hindu-Muslim Unity Call In New YorkWho Is Divya Mittal? IAS Officer’s Resignation After 13 Years Sparks Online DebateIndia, Uzbekistan Ink Long-Term Uranium Deal: How The Pact Boosts Delhi’s Nuclear Ambitions7 Weeks Pregnant When She Died: Punjabi Influencer Manjeet Kaur’s Death Case Turns Murkier’Do You Feel You Are A Lord?’: Bombay High Court Raps Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Over MCA Order123PhotostoriesTravelling by train in India? 10 things you should never do on a journeySamantha Ruth Prabhu joins the polka-dot club, and maternity fashion just got a lot more funBigg Boss Malayalam: A look back at seven unforgettable seasonsSimple things that make you feel good without spending money, from taking a walk to reconnecting with people you loveMulank 1-9: What does your number hide best?7 health signs that may mean you’re getting older: What to look for as the years add up?Is a 2 pm to 10 pm shift more productive than 9 to 5? 5 reasons the ‘extra morning time’ may not be as useful as it soundsStunning Moroccan royal tiaras that make European crowns look almost ordinaryBigg Boss Malayalam Agnipareeksha: Meet the 12 commoners battling for a spot in the house10 baby boy names starting with the letter A123Hot PicksNepal floodMumbai port fireGandak riverMumbai milk priceDelhi rapeWeather tomorrowTN milk price hikeGATE 2027 registrationIndia GDP growthTop TrendingCanyon Flash FloodStuart BroadBabaz AzamNovak DjokovicUS Iran WarTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

Amid the crisis in West Asia, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said this is a period of significant strategic churn Amid the crisis in West Asia, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said this is a period of significant strategic churn, with the maritime environment becoming increasingly contested.The threat perception is constantly evolving, manifesting in newer forms of challenge and complexity, he said.Admiral Swaminathan was speaking after the commissioning of the deep-sea diving vessel INS Nipun into the Indian Navy in Mumbai.The ship has the capacity to support diving operations up to 300 metres. It also has the capability of providing rapid submarine rescue. It can also be deployed for disaster relief and humanitarian operations.”We are living today through a period of significant strategic churn; the maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested,” Admiral Swaminathan said.(PTI)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Babur’s Country Honoured Modi’: Owaisi Takes Dig At BJP, RSS As PM Gets Uzbekistan’s Top Award’One May Call Bharat Superpower But…’: RSS Chief Bhagwat’s ‘Vishwaguru’ Msg In Canada‘Islam Is Greater Than Other Dharams’: Karnataka Minister Sparks Row, BJP Calls Cong ‘Anti-Hindu’FIR Against Rahul Gandhi Under SC/ST Act For ‘Giving Caste Angle’ In Haldwani ‘Purification’ RowFor Every Rs 100 Laundered, Only Re 1 Is Recovered By Authorities: CJI Surya Kant At Cambridge‘Oldest Trick In RSS Playbook’: Owaisi Slams Mohan Bhagwat’s Hindu-Muslim Unity Call In New YorkWho Is Divya Mittal? IAS Officer’s Resignation After 13 Years Sparks Online DebateIndia, Uzbekistan Ink Long-Term Uranium Deal: How The Pact Boosts Delhi’s Nuclear Ambitions7 Weeks Pregnant When She Died: Punjabi Influencer Manjeet Kaur’s Death Case Turns Murkier’Do You Feel You Are A Lord?’: Bombay High Court Raps Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Over MCA Order123PhotostoriesTravelling by train in India? 10 things you should never do on a journeySamantha Ruth Prabhu joins the polka-dot club, and maternity fashion just got a lot more funBigg Boss Malayalam: A look back at seven unforgettable seasonsSimple things that make you feel good without spending money, from taking a walk to reconnecting with people you loveMulank 1-9: What does your number hide best?7 health signs that may mean you’re getting older: What to look for as the years add up?Is a 2 pm to 10 pm shift more productive than 9 to 5? 5 reasons the ‘extra morning time’ may not be as useful as it soundsStunning Moroccan royal tiaras that make European crowns look almost ordinaryBigg Boss Malayalam Agnipareeksha: Meet the 12 commoners battling for a spot in the house10 baby boy names starting with the letter A123Hot PicksNepal floodMumbai port fireGandak riverMumbai milk priceDelhi rapeWeather tomorrowTN milk price hikeGATE 2027 registrationIndia GDP growthTop TrendingCanyon Flash FloodStuart BroadBabaz AzamNovak DjokovicUS Iran WarTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

Vamsikrishna01 mins mins

Amid the crisis in West Asia, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said this is a period of significant strategic churn Amid the crisis in West Asia, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said this is a period of significant strategic churn, with the maritime environment becoming increasingly contested.The threat perception is constantly…

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Tamim Iqbal hopeful on India series, admits Bangladesh ‘could have dealt’ with T20 World Cup better

Tamim Iqbal hopeful on India series, admits Bangladesh ‘could have dealt’ with T20 World Cup better

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

BCB president Tamim Iqbal (Image credit: BCB) Bangladesh Cricket Board president Tamim Iqbal has expressed optimism about the white-ball series against India, while admitting that Bangladesh could have handled the controversy surrounding their withdrawal from the 2026 T20 World Cup more carefully.The India tour, featuring three ODIs and as many T20Is, was originally scheduled for…

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‘Lust Stories 3’ gets OTT premiere date with Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vijay Varma segments to be directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj – Report

‘Lust Stories 3’ gets OTT premiere date with Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vijay Varma segments to be directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj – Report

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

The ‘Lust Stories’ anthology is returning with a third season, bringing together four new stories exploring love, desire, intimacy and the complexities of human relationships. The International Emmy-nominated franchise returns with segments directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj.While each short film tells a distinct story, the new season continues the…

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Don’t throw away your empty plastic bottles: turn one into a simple self-watering planter at home and keep your plants hydrated with this easy DIY trick

Don’t throw away your empty plastic bottles: turn one into a simple self-watering planter at home and keep your plants hydrated with this easy DIY trick

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Turn an old plastic bottle into a self-watering planter at home with this simple DIY that keeps your plants hydrated If you have an empty plastic bottle lying around at home, don’t throw it away just yet. With a few simple steps, you can turn it into a small self-watering planter for herbs, flowers or…

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A Minnesota mother escaped a burning home, realised her toddler was still inside and went back; firefighters found her shielding the child with her body

A Minnesota mother escaped a burning home, realised her toddler was still inside and went back; firefighters found her shielding the child with her body

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Bonnie Pierce returned to a burning St. Paul home to rescue her 3-year-old daughter and shielded her with her body A 38-year-old Minnesota mother died after returning to a burning St. Paul home to rescue her 3-year-old daughter; firefighters later found her shielding the child with her own body. Bonnie Pierce was inside a duplex…

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US treasury excludes several reporters from covering G20 finance meet

US treasury excludes several reporters from covering G20 finance meet

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The US Treasury Department has excluded journalists from several major news organisations, including The New York Times, Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal, from covering the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.The meeting, hosted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, is being held amid heightened global market volatility…

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‘I felt sorry for the guy’: Eight years later, Faf du Plessis revisits one of cricket’s darkest chapters; ‘Sandpaper Gate’, and believes Australia handled the scandal poorly

‘I felt sorry for the guy’: Eight years later, Faf du Plessis revisits one of cricket’s darkest chapters; ‘Sandpaper Gate’, and believes Australia handled the scandal poorly

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft Eight years after the Sandpaper Gate scandal shook Australian cricket, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has offered a different perspective on one of the most controversial episodes in the sport.Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to alter the ball during the 2018 Cape Town…

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No internet needed: PhonePe brings UPI payments to over 200 million feature phone users

No internet needed: PhonePe brings UPI payments to over 200 million feature phone users

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

The service uses a proprietary technology stack and an SMS-based architecture (representative image) Fintech major PhonePe on Monday announced the launch of PhonePe UPI 123Pay, a service that allows feature phone users to make UPI transactions without requiring an internet connection.According to news agency PTI, the service makes PhonePe the first major third-party application provider…

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‘Dhamaal 4’ OTT release: Here’s when and where you can watch the Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Ravi Kishan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Arshad Warsi starrer

‘Dhamaal 4’ OTT release: Here’s when and where you can watch the Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Ravi Kishan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Arshad Warsi starrer

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Ajay Devgn’s ‘Dhamaal 4’ is gearing up for its digital release after having a average theatrical run. The fourth chapter of the popular comedy franchise, which also stars Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi and Jaaved Jaaferi, arrived in cinemas on July 10, 2026, and received a mixed response from critics and moviegoers.After spending around eight weeks…

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In 2015, Queensland began turning end-of-life tyres into road material; over the next decade 2.4 million tyres were kept out of landfill as crumb rubber was blended into asphalt and road seals

In 2015, Queensland began turning end-of-life tyres into road material; over the next decade 2.4 million tyres were kept out of landfill as crumb rubber was blended into asphalt and road seals

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

It has been reported that the Sunshine Coast Council used crumb rubber from end-of-life off-the-road (OTR) tyres in asphalt and road-sealing works along Railroad Parade in Glass House Mountains, Spalls Road in Diddillibah and Perlan Street in Nambour. Australia has been looking for better ways to deal with the growing mountain of tyres discarded after…

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Hurricane threat in Southern California: 90% chance of disturbance to turn into depression

Hurricane threat in Southern California: 90% chance of disturbance to turn into depression

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

This satellite image shows Hurricane Karina strengthening off the southern tip of Baja California. (Photo: NOAA via AP) A tropical disturbance in the eastern Pacific now has a 90% chance of becoming a tropical depression within 48 hours, while weather models cited by Southern California meteorologists show it could strengthen into a hurricane later this…

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Adoor Gopalakrishnan opens up on reuniting with Mammootty in ‘Padayatra’ after 32 years and his 10-year comeback: ‘His performance in this film will also be outstanding’

Adoor Gopalakrishnan opens up on reuniting with Mammootty in ‘Padayatra’ after 32 years and his 10-year comeback: ‘His performance in this film will also be outstanding’

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan is set to return to the big screen with Padayatra, marking another chapter in his celebrated cinematic journey. The film has already generated considerable interest as it brings him back together with Mammootty after more than three decades. The two have previously collaborated on three acclaimed films, and Adoor believes their…

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Repurpose Leftover Tiles: The surprising way to repurpose leftover tiles: DIY easy ideas that can instantly upgrade your home without spending much

Repurpose Leftover Tiles: The surprising way to repurpose leftover tiles: DIY easy ideas that can instantly upgrade your home without spending much

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Every home renovation seems to end the same way, a neatly stacked pile of extra tiles sitting in a storeroom or garage corner, too good to throw away, too small a quantity to use for anything “real.” What most people don’t realise is that this leftover pile is actually one of the most underrated resources…

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An English dumping ground for canal dredgings was restored as wetland; black-necked grebes rose from 4 breeding pairs to 35 in two years, and it now holds 64% of the UK population

An English dumping ground for canal dredgings was restored as wetland; black-necked grebes rose from 4 breeding pairs to 35 in two years, and it now holds 64% of the UK population

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Woolston Eyes in Cheshire recorded 35 breeding pairs of black-necked grebes in 2025 (Photos: RSPB) A former dumping ground for dredged material from the Manchester Ship Canal has been transformed into a wetland. The wetlland has now become the most important breeding site in the UK for the rare black-necked grebe.According to the Royal Society…

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A man who grew up poor and fatherless and barely finished high school went on to open 54 Burger King restaurants across three US states; his foundation has since donated more than million

A man who grew up poor and fatherless and barely finished high school went on to open 54 Burger King restaurants across three US states; his foundation has since donated more than $2 million

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Gullo got his start as a night manager at Burger King. Over the years he built up his business interests and eventually established a franchise empire in three states. John Gullo’s story of overcoming a poor, fatherless childhood in a rough Italian neighborhood of Buffalo, New York to becoming a successful businessman and philanthropist is…

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NEW DELHI: From colleges to schools. From Gen Z to Gen Alpha. From Jantar Mantar to cities and villages in states. The students’ protest has continued; only the stage has shifted. The Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) “School Thik Karo” campaign has put the spotlight on the sorry condition of government schools in many states. Gen Z showed the way from Jantar Mantar when they forced the NDA government to make Dharmendra Pradhan resign over NEET paper leaks. Gen Alpha took the cue and brought the protests to villages and towns across states, demanding better school infrastructure and government accountability.The CJP campaign asking for school audits in villages got a huge response. The pictures and videos of schools uploaded on CJP’s X timeline exposed the sorry state of government schools across states. This was followed by ground inspections by CJP teams, which led to confrontation and a strong pushback by some state governments.Two days after the CJP launched its campaign and announced that schools in Rajasthan would be on its radar, the state education department issued new guidelines regulating the entry of outsiders, including media personnel, into government schools.Under the directives, photography, videography, interviews, audio recording and live streaming involving students or school activities on campus needed prior permission from the school principal or head of the institution. The Rajasthan order went on to threaten action under applicable laws in case of any breach.So, when a CJP team went to inspect a government school on August 21, it was attacked and forcibly pushed back, allegedly by the locals. Videos of the incident showed a large number of people engaging in a heated exchange with the CJP team, pushing and shoving its members as they tried to enter the village. Some clips also showed stone-pelting and smashed windows of cars. Locals said the village did not need outside political groups to intervene in the school’s affairs.This perhaps became the July 20 Jantar Mantar moment (when Delhi Police used force to stop Gen Z protesters from their Sansad march) of the CJP school campaign as the violent confrontation propelled the issue to the national centre stage.School students protest in UPMeanwhile in Uttar Pradesh, Gen Alpha students of a government school staged a protest twice, in a span of four days. over shortage of subject teachers. They briefly blocked traffic also. Students of a government school in Kannauj boycotted classes and held protests against the principal for alleged caste discrimination and ordering the felling of trees inside the school campus. The students of PM Shri Composite School in Gugarapur surrounded the vehicle of the in-charge principal at the school gate as he was leaving and raised slogans against him.Protests also happened in Fatehpur, Hamirpur against lack of facilities in schools. In Hamirpur, ‘Gen Alpha’ children laid siege to the collectorate to demand the construction of a paved road to their school.In Unnao, hundreds of students of a government-run residential school staged a protest over alleged poor-quality food, inadequate drinking water, shortage of teachers and the behaviour of the principal, briefly disrupting traffic at a city crossing.’Ministers’ dogs got better facilities than students’In Maharashtra, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke conducted a social audit of government-run and municipal schools in Latur district. He led a team at a Zilla Parishad school at Ujani village in Latur’s Ausa tehsil.After his audit, Dipke said schools in the state were in a pitiable condition, and even “ministers’ dogs got better facilities” than students. He sought the resignation of Maharashtra school education minister Dada Bhuse. Later, Maharashtra police registered a case against the CJP convenor and others for allegedly entering a government school without permission, disrupting official work and threatening teachers.The state governments cited rules to browbeat the CJP teams away from its schools. But at the same time, they were forced to act to nullify the impact of the CJP campaign. So, while some states announced new measures to improve the condition of schools, others increased the pace of work already underway to ensure that results were seen on the ground quickly.CJP claims creditThe CJP was quick to claim credit for govt actions and basked in glory.“The impact we’ve been able to make with such a small team in such a short span of time is just unreal. Multiple state governments have had to bow down. Authorities had to listen to Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids and give them their due,” it said in a post on X.“But this does not end here. We need to keep going until even the remotest regions of the nation, even the most deprived communities, have access to the highest standard of educational facilities. They may use force, they may file cases, they may do whatever they can to crush this, but we will remain committed to the same demand,” the post read.Politial parties take a cue from CJPWhile it can be debated whether or not the CJP campaign forced the governments into action, what can be said with certainty is that the CJP has managed to do what many political parties could not – inspire the youth to come to the streets and seek accountability from power.The two CJP campaigns also point to an interesting shift – which should be a learning lesson, especially for parties in the opposition space. We have seen the opposition parties raise the pitch against government on issues like caste and religion as these have greater potential for voter mobilisation. Rarely do we see campaigns by the opposition parties centred around health or education reforms. But that seems to have changed.Youth outreachThe Congress has taken a cue and is trying to stay focused on students’ connect and raise issues that concern the youth. In Rajasthan, the state Congress unit is also on the streets to highlight gaps in state government school infrastructure.And it’s not just the opposition that is course-correcting; the ruling BJP has also drawn a roadmap to engage with the youth and understand their concerns. In the middle of the Gen Z protest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi debuted on Instagram and tried to communicate directly with the youth who were on the streets. The BJP has in fact formed a dedicated team to spearhead its Gen Z outreach. The team includes BJP chief Nitin Nabin, national general secretaries Smriti Irani and Vinod Tawde, Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi, Chhattisgarh minister OP Choudhary, along with several other leaders.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesClearly, the CJP has managed to change the political discourse and has put the focus on the youth as potential game-changers in electoral politics. As we gear up for the next rounds of assembly elections in the run-up to the 2029 Lok Sabha challenge, we may see youth outreach taking centre stage like never before.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Babur’s Country Honoured Modi’: Owaisi Takes Dig At BJP, RSS As PM Gets Uzbekistan’s Top Award’One May Call Bharat Superpower But…’: RSS Chief Bhagwat’s ‘Vishwaguru’ Msg In Canada‘Islam Is Greater Than Other Dharams’: Karnataka Minister Sparks Row, BJP Calls Cong ‘Anti-Hindu’FIR Against Rahul Gandhi Under SC/ST Act For ‘Giving Caste Angle’ In Haldwani ‘Purification’ RowFor Every Rs 100 Laundered, Only Re 1 Is Recovered By Authorities: CJI Surya Kant At Cambridge‘Oldest Trick In RSS Playbook’: Owaisi Slams Mohan Bhagwat’s Hindu-Muslim Unity Call In New YorkWho Is Divya Mittal? IAS Officer’s Resignation After 13 Years Sparks Online DebateIndia, Uzbekistan Ink Long-Term Uranium Deal: How The Pact Boosts Delhi’s Nuclear Ambitions7 Weeks Pregnant When She Died: Punjabi Influencer Manjeet Kaur’s Death Case Turns Murkier’Do You Feel You Are A Lord?’: Bombay High Court Raps Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Over MCA Order123PhotostoriesTravelling by train in India? 10 things you should never do on a journeySamantha Ruth Prabhu joins the polka-dot club, and maternity fashion just got a lot more funBigg Boss Malayalam: A look back at seven unforgettable seasonsSimple things that make you feel good without spending money, from taking a walk to reconnecting with people you loveMulank 1-9: What does your number hide best?7 health signs that may mean you’re getting older: What to look for as the years add up?Is a 2 pm to 10 pm shift more productive than 9 to 5? 5 reasons the ‘extra morning time’ may not be as useful as it soundsStunning Moroccan royal tiaras that make European crowns look almost ordinaryBigg Boss Malayalam Agnipareeksha: Meet the 12 commoners battling for a spot in the house10 baby boy names starting with the letter A123Hot PicksNepal floodMumbai port fireGandak riverMumbai milk priceDelhi rapeWeather tomorrowTN milk price hikeGATE 2027 registrationIndia GDP growthTop TrendingCanyon Flash FloodStuart BroadBabaz AzamNovak DjokovicUS Iran WarTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

NEW DELHI: From colleges to schools. From Gen Z to Gen Alpha. From Jantar Mantar to cities and villages in states. The students’ protest has continued; only the stage has shifted. The Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) “School Thik Karo” campaign has put the spotlight on the sorry condition of government schools in many states. Gen Z showed the way from Jantar Mantar when they forced the NDA government to make Dharmendra Pradhan resign over NEET paper leaks. Gen Alpha took the cue and brought the protests to villages and towns across states, demanding better school infrastructure and government accountability.The CJP campaign asking for school audits in villages got a huge response. The pictures and videos of schools uploaded on CJP’s X timeline exposed the sorry state of government schools across states. This was followed by ground inspections by CJP teams, which led to confrontation and a strong pushback by some state governments.Two days after the CJP launched its campaign and announced that schools in Rajasthan would be on its radar, the state education department issued new guidelines regulating the entry of outsiders, including media personnel, into government schools.Under the directives, photography, videography, interviews, audio recording and live streaming involving students or school activities on campus needed prior permission from the school principal or head of the institution. The Rajasthan order went on to threaten action under applicable laws in case of any breach.So, when a CJP team went to inspect a government school on August 21, it was attacked and forcibly pushed back, allegedly by the locals. Videos of the incident showed a large number of people engaging in a heated exchange with the CJP team, pushing and shoving its members as they tried to enter the village. Some clips also showed stone-pelting and smashed windows of cars. Locals said the village did not need outside political groups to intervene in the school’s affairs.This perhaps became the July 20 Jantar Mantar moment (when Delhi Police used force to stop Gen Z protesters from their Sansad march) of the CJP school campaign as the violent confrontation propelled the issue to the national centre stage.School students protest in UPMeanwhile in Uttar Pradesh, Gen Alpha students of a government school staged a protest twice, in a span of four days. over shortage of subject teachers. They briefly blocked traffic also. Students of a government school in Kannauj boycotted classes and held protests against the principal for alleged caste discrimination and ordering the felling of trees inside the school campus. The students of PM Shri Composite School in Gugarapur surrounded the vehicle of the in-charge principal at the school gate as he was leaving and raised slogans against him.Protests also happened in Fatehpur, Hamirpur against lack of facilities in schools. In Hamirpur, ‘Gen Alpha’ children laid siege to the collectorate to demand the construction of a paved road to their school.In Unnao, hundreds of students of a government-run residential school staged a protest over alleged poor-quality food, inadequate drinking water, shortage of teachers and the behaviour of the principal, briefly disrupting traffic at a city crossing.’Ministers’ dogs got better facilities than students’In Maharashtra, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke conducted a social audit of government-run and municipal schools in Latur district. He led a team at a Zilla Parishad school at Ujani village in Latur’s Ausa tehsil.After his audit, Dipke said schools in the state were in a pitiable condition, and even “ministers’ dogs got better facilities” than students. He sought the resignation of Maharashtra school education minister Dada Bhuse. Later, Maharashtra police registered a case against the CJP convenor and others for allegedly entering a government school without permission, disrupting official work and threatening teachers.The state governments cited rules to browbeat the CJP teams away from its schools. But at the same time, they were forced to act to nullify the impact of the CJP campaign. So, while some states announced new measures to improve the condition of schools, others increased the pace of work already underway to ensure that results were seen on the ground quickly.CJP claims creditThe CJP was quick to claim credit for govt actions and basked in glory.“The impact we’ve been able to make with such a small team in such a short span of time is just unreal. Multiple state governments have had to bow down. Authorities had to listen to Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids and give them their due,” it said in a post on X.“But this does not end here. We need to keep going until even the remotest regions of the nation, even the most deprived communities, have access to the highest standard of educational facilities. They may use force, they may file cases, they may do whatever they can to crush this, but we will remain committed to the same demand,” the post read.Politial parties take a cue from CJPWhile it can be debated whether or not the CJP campaign forced the governments into action, what can be said with certainty is that the CJP has managed to do what many political parties could not – inspire the youth to come to the streets and seek accountability from power.The two CJP campaigns also point to an interesting shift – which should be a learning lesson, especially for parties in the opposition space. We have seen the opposition parties raise the pitch against government on issues like caste and religion as these have greater potential for voter mobilisation. Rarely do we see campaigns by the opposition parties centred around health or education reforms. But that seems to have changed.Youth outreachThe Congress has taken a cue and is trying to stay focused on students’ connect and raise issues that concern the youth. In Rajasthan, the state Congress unit is also on the streets to highlight gaps in state government school infrastructure.And it’s not just the opposition that is course-correcting; the ruling BJP has also drawn a roadmap to engage with the youth and understand their concerns. In the middle of the Gen Z protest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi debuted on Instagram and tried to communicate directly with the youth who were on the streets. The BJP has in fact formed a dedicated team to spearhead its Gen Z outreach. The team includes BJP chief Nitin Nabin, national general secretaries Smriti Irani and Vinod Tawde, Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi, Chhattisgarh minister OP Choudhary, along with several other leaders.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesClearly, the CJP has managed to change the political discourse and has put the focus on the youth as potential game-changers in electoral politics. As we gear up for the next rounds of assembly elections in the run-up to the 2029 Lok Sabha challenge, we may see youth outreach taking centre stage like never before.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Babur’s Country Honoured Modi’: Owaisi Takes Dig At BJP, RSS As PM Gets Uzbekistan’s Top Award’One May Call Bharat Superpower But…’: RSS Chief Bhagwat’s ‘Vishwaguru’ Msg In Canada‘Islam Is Greater Than Other Dharams’: Karnataka Minister Sparks Row, BJP Calls Cong ‘Anti-Hindu’FIR Against Rahul Gandhi Under SC/ST Act For ‘Giving Caste Angle’ In Haldwani ‘Purification’ RowFor Every Rs 100 Laundered, Only Re 1 Is Recovered By Authorities: CJI Surya Kant At Cambridge‘Oldest Trick In RSS Playbook’: Owaisi Slams Mohan Bhagwat’s Hindu-Muslim Unity Call In New YorkWho Is Divya Mittal? 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Vamsikrishna06 mins mins

NEW DELHI: From colleges to schools. From Gen Z to Gen Alpha. From Jantar Mantar to cities and villages in states. The students’ protest has continued; only the stage has shifted. The Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) “School Thik Karo” campaign has put the spotlight on the sorry condition of government schools in many states. Gen…

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