July 10, 2026

China’s mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet sits above an active fault line, with government-backed geologists warning of landslides and earthquake risks.The Assam government has proposed dismissing government employees found guilty of practising polygamy under new Budget proposals.The UK has designated Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle as “critical third parties”, tightening oversight of their cloud services.Court denies Rajpal Yadav relief in the Rs 9 crore debt case, leaving his three-month jail sentence in force.Kerala student Sawariya Basanth’s death in Uzbekistan sparks probe calls after family alleges a forced conversion angle.Here are the top 5 stories of the dayChina’s Brahmaputra mega dam faces fresh fault line scareChina’s ambitious mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River faces fresh scrutiny after government-backed geologists warned it sits above an active fault line that could trigger earthquakes, landslides and structural instability. The findings by the South China Morning Post have renewed concerns over the project’s safety and its implications for downstream countries, including India, where the river flows as the Brahmaputra. The warning comes amid growing geopolitical tensions over Beijing’s upstream activities. Read full story.Assam cracks down on polygamy with jobs, welfare ban proposalThe Assam government has proposed dismissing government employees found guilty of practising polygamy and denying welfare benefits to those following the practice. Announcing the measures in the state Budget, finance minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the move aims to promote women’s empowerment and gender justice. The government also plans to bar people convicted under criminal laws from accessing notified welfare schemes. Read full story.UK puts Big Tech giants under financial watch over cloud risksThe UK government has designated Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle as “critical third parties”, bringing their cloud operations under direct regulatory oversight from July 13. The move aims to protect the financial system as banks, insurers and market firms increasingly depend on cloud services. Authorities warned that disruptions at major providers could affect multiple institutions simultaneously, potentially impacting services used by customers across the country. Read full story.Rajpal Yadav gets no relief in Rs 9 crore cheque bounce caseActor Rajpal Yadav has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment in seven cheque bounce cases linked to a Rs 9 crore debt dispute. The Delhi High Court rejected his plea for a stay and ordered immediate custody. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed Yadav to pay Rs 1.05 crore to the complainant in each case, along with an additional penalty to the state. Read full story.Kerala student killed in Uzbekistan; family alleges forced conversion angleA 21-year-old Kerala medical student, Sawariya Basanth, was allegedly murdered in Uzbekistan by a fellow student, with her family alleging repeated attempts to force her religious conversion. Uzbek authorities have arrested the accused. After her body was brought back to India, a second post-mortem was conducted in Kerala following the family’s request. Police have registered a murder case based on a complaint filed by her father. Read full story.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins
China’s mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet sits above an active fault line, with government-backed geologists warning of landslides and earthquake risks.The Assam government has proposed dismissing government employees found guilty of practising polygamy under new Budget proposals.The UK has designated Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle as “critical third parties”, tightening oversight of their cloud services.Court denies Rajpal Yadav relief in the Rs 9 crore debt case, leaving his three-month jail sentence in force.Kerala student Sawariya Basanth’s death in Uzbekistan sparks probe calls after family alleges a forced conversion angle.Here are the top 5 stories of the dayChina’s Brahmaputra mega dam faces fresh fault line scareChina’s ambitious mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River faces fresh scrutiny after government-backed geologists warned it sits above an active fault line that could trigger earthquakes, landslides and structural instability. The findings by the South China Morning Post have renewed concerns over the project’s safety and its implications for downstream countries, including India, where the river flows as the Brahmaputra. The warning comes amid growing geopolitical tensions over Beijing’s upstream activities. Read full story.Assam cracks down on polygamy with jobs, welfare ban proposalThe Assam government has proposed dismissing government employees found guilty of practising polygamy and denying welfare benefits to those following the practice. Announcing the measures in the state Budget, finance minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the move aims to promote women’s empowerment and gender justice. The government also plans to bar people convicted under criminal laws from accessing notified welfare schemes. Read full story.UK puts Big Tech giants under financial watch over cloud risksThe UK government has designated Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle as “critical third parties”, bringing their cloud operations under direct regulatory oversight from July 13. The move aims to protect the financial system as banks, insurers and market firms increasingly depend on cloud services. Authorities warned that disruptions at major providers could affect multiple institutions simultaneously, potentially impacting services used by customers across the country. Read full story.Rajpal Yadav gets no relief in Rs 9 crore cheque bounce caseActor Rajpal Yadav has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment in seven cheque bounce cases linked to a Rs 9 crore debt dispute. The Delhi High Court rejected his plea for a stay and ordered immediate custody. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed Yadav to pay Rs 1.05 crore to the complainant in each case, along with an additional penalty to the state. Read full story.Kerala student killed in Uzbekistan; family alleges forced conversion angleA 21-year-old Kerala medical student, Sawariya Basanth, was allegedly murdered in Uzbekistan by a fellow student, with her family alleging repeated attempts to force her religious conversion. Uzbek authorities have arrested the accused. After her body was brought back to India, a second post-mortem was conducted in Kerala following the family’s request. Police have registered a murder case based on a complaint filed by her father. Read full story.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war


Evening News Wrap: Rajpal Yadav's jail setback, China's Brahmaputra dam scare, Kerala student's death in Uzbekistan & more
  • China’s mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet sits above an active fault line, with government-backed geologists warning of landslides and earthquake risks.
  • The Assam government has proposed dismissing government employees found guilty of practising polygamy under new Budget proposals.
  • The UK has designated Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle as “critical third parties”, tightening oversight of their cloud services.
  • Court denies Rajpal Yadav relief in the Rs 9 crore debt case, leaving his three-month jail sentence in force.
  • Kerala student Sawariya Basanth’s death in Uzbekistan sparks probe calls after family alleges a forced conversion angle.

Here are the top 5 stories of the day

China’s Brahmaputra mega dam faces fresh fault line scare

China’s ambitious mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River faces fresh scrutiny after government-backed geologists warned it sits above an active fault line that could trigger earthquakes, landslides and structural instability. The findings by the South China Morning Post have renewed concerns over the project’s safety and its implications for downstream countries, including India, where the river flows as the Brahmaputra. The warning comes amid growing geopolitical tensions over Beijing’s upstream activities. Read full story.

Assam cracks down on polygamy with jobs, welfare ban proposal

The Assam government has proposed dismissing government employees found guilty of practising polygamy and denying welfare benefits to those following the practice. Announcing the measures in the state Budget, finance minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the move aims to promote women’s empowerment and gender justice. The government also plans to bar people convicted under criminal laws from accessing notified welfare schemes. Read full story.

UK puts Big Tech giants under financial watch over cloud risks

The UK government has designated Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle as “critical third parties”, bringing their cloud operations under direct regulatory oversight from July 13. The move aims to protect the financial system as banks, insurers and market firms increasingly depend on cloud services. Authorities warned that disruptions at major providers could affect multiple institutions simultaneously, potentially impacting services used by customers across the country. Read full story.

Rajpal Yadav gets no relief in Rs 9 crore cheque bounce case

Actor Rajpal Yadav has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment in seven cheque bounce cases linked to a Rs 9 crore debt dispute. The Delhi High Court rejected his plea for a stay and ordered immediate custody. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed Yadav to pay Rs 1.05 crore to the complainant in each case, along with an additional penalty to the state. Read full story.

Kerala student killed in Uzbekistan; family alleges forced conversion angle

A 21-year-old Kerala medical student, Sawariya Basanth, was allegedly murdered in Uzbekistan by a fellow student, with her family alleging repeated attempts to force her religious conversion. Uzbek authorities have arrested the accused. After her body was brought back to India, a second post-mortem was conducted in Kerala following the family’s request. Police have registered a murder case based on a complaint filed by her father. Read full story.



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Excerpts from the interview.Q: What was the genesis of this book? Assa Doron: Alex and I have been working in India for around two decades and we’ve done collaborative research before on different aspects of health and public health in India. I did a book with professor Robin Jeffrey called ‘Waste of a Nation’. I found myself in Hyderabad alongside the Musi river and learning about the factory pollution that is discharged by pharmaceutical companies… I realised that samples have shown that there is a lot of bacteria resistant to antibiotics in the Musi itself. And when I was speaking to local people, they were telling me about bad smells, problems with skin diseases, and so on. And I realised that the issue of waste here is becoming also an issue related to antibiotic resistance… And I knew that Alex was working on this issue for over a decade now. So I asked him if we can team up. Q: How did you get your fingers dirty and get the data? Alex Broom: Getting your fingers dirty is actually a good metaphor… I was exploring lots of different health-related issues in India. I have family in India as well. So, I was going back and forth… Part of it was personal — I started to see myself the tension between purchasing antibiotics to try and get through whatever I was trying to get through and then knowing from my other work that ultimately these were a precious resource that we can’t really waste. And how do we actually make changes and make them realistic? Assa Doron: The paucity of data was something that we were struggling with. Fortunately, there’s enough scientific material out there to demonstrate that for a lot of places that are polluted — take the Ganga or take the Musi — there are enough scientists that have gone there and taken samples and have shown very clearly there is an issue of rising antimicrobial resistance. Whether it’s a result of poor sanitation and sewage going into the river as a result of factories that are discharging effluents, whether it’s pharmaceutical residues or heavy metals or tanneries, there’s multiple studies that demonstrate that. But our concern was not the hard data, as it were, in terms of numbers that you can find in scientific journals. What we wanted to do is to tell a story, because India really brings the global antibiotic story into sharp focus. It’s one of the world’s largest consumers of antibiotics. It’s a major producer of generic medicines and a place where antibiotics move through hospitals, pharmacies, farms, factories, households, with extraordinary intensity… India helps us to see something that is global but often hidden. That is that modern life is really kind of deeply dependent on antibiotics. Q: It is about emerging narratives of an emerging catastrophe which is staring us in the face. Alex Broom: We need a diversity of data. And what I mean by that is, for example, how much incentives might be given to the use of certain pharmaceuticals… We need data that shows what the drivers are of use of our diminishing resources, rather than just focus on the biological outcomes of that behaviour and that economy. So really, what we’re doing is trying to pan out. And rather than just focus on levels of resistance, we’re saying you need panoramic data in order to actually communicate the problem to everyday people. The data might actually be the fact that we can’t expect people to not consume antibiotics if they haven’t got secure work. Now, that wouldn’t traditionally be seen as a form of scientific data, but that is one of the reasons which drives high use of antibiotics and high levels of resistance. Assa Doron: I think one of the key concerns that we have in the book is to demonstrate that you can’t really blame people, because the crisis of antibiotics is not a biological one. It’s a crisis of inequality in many ways. Resistance emerges through microbes, but it follows these social fault lines, whether it’s across gender, class, occupation, housing. We know that there’s a lot of people that don’t have access to water or sanitation is poor or they’re exposed to a polluted environment… For example, for the household, women are the ones who may suffer recurrent urinary tract infections or reproductive tract infections, or other untreated health problems that delay care because their illness is treated as less urgent. So these are the stories that we want to tell — what delays proper care? Why is it that there’s a shortage of doctors in rural areas? Alex Broom: Much of the rise of resistance is embedded in the issue and the challenge of growth. Whether we’re talking about growth of production of food, whether we’re talking about economic growth, whether we’re talking about creating new markets for India to sell to the world, generics to the US and so forth. So it’s about a growth-centred world. And really you can’t have moderation, what we might call judiciousness, careful prescribing of antibiotics, if the entire system is centred around growth. In some respects, growth is wonderful. It uplifts people’s life chances and provides work and opportunities. On the other hand, unsustainable growth sees mutating effects and in many respects what we call selective pressure… What we’ve essentially learned is to produce more and more in order for others to consume and in unsustainable ways. And that’s not an India problem specifically. That is a truly global issue. Q: Your book was a wake-up call to the fact that we are on the brink of a situation where antibiotics won’tbe effective in treating even the most simple illness. Alex Broom: I think we are just years away from a global reckoning. And India is ahead of that, unfortunately, because of the high use and the easy access, which has really substituted for healthcare infrastructure… And we are starting to see failure of mainstay antibiotics across lots of different nations. India has challenges which we will all face in the end. And we feel very strongly that India is not just a cautionary tale, but ultimately it also holds wisdom in terms of what we can actually do. Assa Doron: It’s easy to say misuse, overuse, excessive use. It makes the problem sound like a matter of bad behaviour. The patient is demanding antibiotics. The doctor is prescribing too quickly. The pharmacist is selling pills without a prescription. Sure, those things happen, but that language of misuse really conceals the conditions in which these decisions are made. A doctor in an overcrowded hospital in India may see 200 patients a day, and they have little access to diagnostics. A poor patient might buy only a few tablets because that’s all they can afford. And they need to go to work tomorrow. And the same with farmers who use antibiotics because their livestock are raised in these crowded conditions, and disease can just wipe out about a whole stock of chickens or shrimp to be exported to the US. So the question is not why are people using antibiotics badly? The real, deeper question that we’re trying to explore is why antibiotics have become so necessary in the first place. Q: How do we create public awareness? Alex Broom: One way to do it is by consumer pressure. Very often, in a market economy, brands are quite sensitive to consumer preference. And creating awareness amongst the public of the health and the value of foods which are produced sustainably but also good for the body is an extremely productive way of forcing commercial actors to be more judicious about what they do.Assa Doron: There are also initiatives in India that really try and respond to this antibiotic crisis that India is facing, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, they’ve got an Operation AMRITH, in which they’ve tried to end over the counter antibiotic sale without prescription… The state is also trying to promote awareness at the community level, training ASHA workers that visit households and explain the problems… Alex Broom: In the hospital sector, the private environment has expanded radically versus the public sector… And what that means is that when you get a crisis like this which requires some degree of control, you then sit back and you say, we don’t actually own or run these institutions. Can we really tell them not to use antibiotics? And are they responsible then for the outcomes? Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

Excerpts from the interview.Q: What was the genesis of this book? Assa Doron: Alex and I have been working in India for around two decades and we’ve done collaborative research before on different aspects of health and public health in India. I did a book with professor Robin Jeffrey called ‘Waste of a Nation’. I found myself in Hyderabad alongside the Musi river and learning about the factory pollution that is discharged by pharmaceutical companies… I realised that samples have shown that there is a lot of bacteria resistant to antibiotics in the Musi itself. And when I was speaking to local people, they were telling me about bad smells, problems with skin diseases, and so on. And I realised that the issue of waste here is becoming also an issue related to antibiotic resistance… And I knew that Alex was working on this issue for over a decade now. So I asked him if we can team up. Q: How did you get your fingers dirty and get the data? Alex Broom: Getting your fingers dirty is actually a good metaphor… I was exploring lots of different health-related issues in India. I have family in India as well. So, I was going back and forth… Part of it was personal — I started to see myself the tension between purchasing antibiotics to try and get through whatever I was trying to get through and then knowing from my other work that ultimately these were a precious resource that we can’t really waste. And how do we actually make changes and make them realistic? Assa Doron: The paucity of data was something that we were struggling with. Fortunately, there’s enough scientific material out there to demonstrate that for a lot of places that are polluted — take the Ganga or take the Musi — there are enough scientists that have gone there and taken samples and have shown very clearly there is an issue of rising antimicrobial resistance. Whether it’s a result of poor sanitation and sewage going into the river as a result of factories that are discharging effluents, whether it’s pharmaceutical residues or heavy metals or tanneries, there’s multiple studies that demonstrate that. But our concern was not the hard data, as it were, in terms of numbers that you can find in scientific journals. What we wanted to do is to tell a story, because India really brings the global antibiotic story into sharp focus. It’s one of the world’s largest consumers of antibiotics. It’s a major producer of generic medicines and a place where antibiotics move through hospitals, pharmacies, farms, factories, households, with extraordinary intensity… India helps us to see something that is global but often hidden. That is that modern life is really kind of deeply dependent on antibiotics. Q: It is about emerging narratives of an emerging catastrophe which is staring us in the face. Alex Broom: We need a diversity of data. And what I mean by that is, for example, how much incentives might be given to the use of certain pharmaceuticals… We need data that shows what the drivers are of use of our diminishing resources, rather than just focus on the biological outcomes of that behaviour and that economy. So really, what we’re doing is trying to pan out. And rather than just focus on levels of resistance, we’re saying you need panoramic data in order to actually communicate the problem to everyday people. The data might actually be the fact that we can’t expect people to not consume antibiotics if they haven’t got secure work. Now, that wouldn’t traditionally be seen as a form of scientific data, but that is one of the reasons which drives high use of antibiotics and high levels of resistance. Assa Doron: I think one of the key concerns that we have in the book is to demonstrate that you can’t really blame people, because the crisis of antibiotics is not a biological one. It’s a crisis of inequality in many ways. Resistance emerges through microbes, but it follows these social fault lines, whether it’s across gender, class, occupation, housing. We know that there’s a lot of people that don’t have access to water or sanitation is poor or they’re exposed to a polluted environment… For example, for the household, women are the ones who may suffer recurrent urinary tract infections or reproductive tract infections, or other untreated health problems that delay care because their illness is treated as less urgent. So these are the stories that we want to tell — what delays proper care? Why is it that there’s a shortage of doctors in rural areas? Alex Broom: Much of the rise of resistance is embedded in the issue and the challenge of growth. Whether we’re talking about growth of production of food, whether we’re talking about economic growth, whether we’re talking about creating new markets for India to sell to the world, generics to the US and so forth. So it’s about a growth-centred world. And really you can’t have moderation, what we might call judiciousness, careful prescribing of antibiotics, if the entire system is centred around growth. In some respects, growth is wonderful. It uplifts people’s life chances and provides work and opportunities. On the other hand, unsustainable growth sees mutating effects and in many respects what we call selective pressure… What we’ve essentially learned is to produce more and more in order for others to consume and in unsustainable ways. And that’s not an India problem specifically. That is a truly global issue. Q: Your book was a wake-up call to the fact that we are on the brink of a situation where antibiotics won’tbe effective in treating even the most simple illness. Alex Broom: I think we are just years away from a global reckoning. And India is ahead of that, unfortunately, because of the high use and the easy access, which has really substituted for healthcare infrastructure… And we are starting to see failure of mainstay antibiotics across lots of different nations. India has challenges which we will all face in the end. And we feel very strongly that India is not just a cautionary tale, but ultimately it also holds wisdom in terms of what we can actually do. Assa Doron: It’s easy to say misuse, overuse, excessive use. It makes the problem sound like a matter of bad behaviour. The patient is demanding antibiotics. The doctor is prescribing too quickly. The pharmacist is selling pills without a prescription. Sure, those things happen, but that language of misuse really conceals the conditions in which these decisions are made. A doctor in an overcrowded hospital in India may see 200 patients a day, and they have little access to diagnostics. A poor patient might buy only a few tablets because that’s all they can afford. And they need to go to work tomorrow. And the same with farmers who use antibiotics because their livestock are raised in these crowded conditions, and disease can just wipe out about a whole stock of chickens or shrimp to be exported to the US. So the question is not why are people using antibiotics badly? The real, deeper question that we’re trying to explore is why antibiotics have become so necessary in the first place. Q: How do we create public awareness? Alex Broom: One way to do it is by consumer pressure. Very often, in a market economy, brands are quite sensitive to consumer preference. And creating awareness amongst the public of the health and the value of foods which are produced sustainably but also good for the body is an extremely productive way of forcing commercial actors to be more judicious about what they do.Assa Doron: There are also initiatives in India that really try and respond to this antibiotic crisis that India is facing, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, they’ve got an Operation AMRITH, in which they’ve tried to end over the counter antibiotic sale without prescription… The state is also trying to promote awareness at the community level, training ASHA workers that visit households and explain the problems… Alex Broom: In the hospital sector, the private environment has expanded radically versus the public sector… And what that means is that when you get a crisis like this which requires some degree of control, you then sit back and you say, we don’t actually own or run these institutions. Can we really tell them not to use antibiotics? And are they responsible then for the outcomes? Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

Vamsikrishna 0
High drama in SC as petitioner uses cuss words for CJI, throws papers (Image credit: X) NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court witnessed dramatic scenes on Friday after a petitioner appearing in person created a ruckus during a hearing, threw case papers inside the courtroom and allegedly used abusive language against the Chief Justice of India (CJI) before being escorted out by security personnel.The incident took place before a partial working days bench of Justice K V Viswanathan and Justice Alok Aradhe during the hearing of an appeal filed by Prabal Pratap. The petitioner had challenged an Allahabad high court order dismissing his plea against the conversion of his application under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) into a private complaint case.As the matter was taken up, the petitioner made an unusual submission to the bench, saying, “Mr judicial servant, I order you to order the registration of FIR against ACP Vikas Nagar, Lucknow,” Live Law reported. Surprised by the remark, Justice Viswanathan responded, “You are ordering me? You are ordering us?” Moments later, the petitioner allegedly hurled case papers inside the courtroom and used cuss words against the CJI Surya Kant. Supreme Court security personnel immediately restrained him and escorted him out of the courtroom.Despite the disruption, the bench remained calm and continued hearing the remaining matters listed for the day. The court also chose not to initiate any action against the petitioner over his conduct. In its order, the bench observed, “…considering the condition of the petitioner above-named, and does not propose to take any action against him. As far as the merit of this case is concerned, we have perused the records, we find no good ground to interfere with the impugned judgment/order(s).” The appeal was accordingly dismissed.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

High drama in SC as petitioner uses cuss words for CJI, throws papers (Image credit: X) NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court witnessed dramatic scenes on Friday after a petitioner appearing in person created a ruckus during a hearing, threw case papers inside the courtroom and allegedly used abusive language against the Chief Justice of India (CJI) before being escorted out by security personnel.The incident took place before a partial working days bench of Justice K V Viswanathan and Justice Alok Aradhe during the hearing of an appeal filed by Prabal Pratap. The petitioner had challenged an Allahabad high court order dismissing his plea against the conversion of his application under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) into a private complaint case.As the matter was taken up, the petitioner made an unusual submission to the bench, saying, “Mr judicial servant, I order you to order the registration of FIR against ACP Vikas Nagar, Lucknow,” Live Law reported. Surprised by the remark, Justice Viswanathan responded, “You are ordering me? You are ordering us?” Moments later, the petitioner allegedly hurled case papers inside the courtroom and used cuss words against the CJI Surya Kant. Supreme Court security personnel immediately restrained him and escorted him out of the courtroom.Despite the disruption, the bench remained calm and continued hearing the remaining matters listed for the day. The court also chose not to initiate any action against the petitioner over his conduct. In its order, the bench observed, “…considering the condition of the petitioner above-named, and does not propose to take any action against him. As far as the merit of this case is concerned, we have perused the records, we find no good ground to interfere with the impugned judgment/order(s).” The appeal was accordingly dismissed.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

Vamsikrishna 0
NEW DELHI: The end of the Budget session of Parliament this year marked a rare high for the opposition. The Congress-led INDIA bloc united with other opposition parties to prevent the Centre from passing a Constitution Amendment Bill. The Bill linked implementation of women’s reservation to delimitation. This was on April 17. Nearly three months down the line, as parties gear up for the Monsoon session from July 20, the euphoria of this triumph has been replaced by concern among the opposition ranks.The Bill that they had managed to stop in its tracks during the Budget session could make its way back in the Monsoon session and garner greater support in Parliament. In April, 298 members supported the Bill in Lok Sabha while 230 opposed it. MPs supporting the Bill were way more than those opposing it but were short of the two-thirds majority of 352 (out of 528) needed for the passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill.So, what has changed in three months? Well, a lot. Parties have split. Opposition numbers in Parliament have come down. Long-time allies have turned into foes. The opposition camp is in disarray and the regional parties under its fold are now a weakened force.And, that is why the upcoming Monsoon session may be interesting to watch. The BJP, still smarting from the rare failure on the Constitution Amendment Bill, is reportedly working behind the scenes to ensure a two-thirds majority to push through its important pending legislations, including the delimitation bill.The Congress has accused Union home minister Amit Shah of trying to “engineer” a two-third majority for the BJP in Lok Sabha and alleges he is busy breaking opposition parties while making a “complete mockery of democracy” but his “evil designs” will not succeed.”Never before has anybody tried to engineer a two-third majority for his party in the Lok Sabha as the Union Home Minister is desperately doing these days in the run-up to the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The self-styled Chanakya had been humiliated on April 17 2026 when the NDA could not get the requisite two-third majority. Stung by that resounding defeat, Shah is now busy breaking opposition parties and making a complete “mockery of democracy”, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X..The three months between the two sessions saw four important political developments that have together put the NDA in command and the opposition on the backfoot.First blow: Raghav’s rebellion stings AAPOn April 24, exactly seven days after NDA’s Lok Sabha setback, the opposition suffered the first blow as 7 MPs of Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP broke ranks with the party in Rajya Sabha and aligned with the BJP. Since, the breakaway group’s strength was more than two-thirds of the total 10 MPs the party had in the Upper House, the defection did not come under the purview of the anti-defection law. The rebellion, which came as a surprise to Arvind Kejriwal, reduced AAP’s strength in Rajya Sabha to 3.Second blow: Mamata’s defeat and Trinamool implosionThe second blow to opposition came from West Bengal, where BJP ended Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year-rule and successfully snatched a key state from the hands of the opposition. While the defeat stunned Mamata, what hurt her and the opposition camp more was the implosion which threatened the very existence of the Trinamool Congress. 20 MPs of the Trinamool Congress raised a banner of revolt against Mamata and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and announced to align with the BJP in Lok Sabha. This list of 20 included several of Mamata’s loyalists and was enough to avoid any action under the anti-defection law. To make matters worse, several Rajya Sabha members of Trinamool also joined this rebellion. However, since their numbers were less, they resigned from the party and their membership from the Upper House.Third blow: Shiv Sena splitThe opposition camp suffered another blow in June when 6 out of the 9 MPs of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena decided to dump the party and join hands with Eknath Shinde. The six MPs submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla indicating their decision to join the Shinde camp. For Uddhav this was the second time that he faced rebellion from within the ranks. The Shiv Sena suffered a massive vertical split in 2022 when Shinde led a rebellion of party MLAs. Uddhav eventually lost control of the party and symbol.Fourth blow: Congress-DMK splitThe fourth blow to the opposition camp came from Tamil Nadu. M K Stalin’s DMK, which had aligned with the Congress, lost the 2026 assembly elections to actor-tuned-politician Vijay. Ideally, this poll upset should not have impacted the opposition’s national politics. After all, the silver lining was that the BJP-AIADMK alliance had failed in the state. But that was not to be. Vijay’s TVK got a big mandate but not enough to ensure a government on its own. Vijay needed help and the Congress was more than ready to chip in. So, the grand-old-party moved swiftly to dump DMK and join hands with TVK. This set the stage for one of the biggest disruptions in the INDIA bloc since it was formed. The DMK snapped all ties with the Congress, sought a separate seating plan in Parliament, walked out of the INDIA bloc and, if some reports are to be believed, is also flirting with the idea of some sort of coordination on its terms with the BJP.’DMK may try to get even with Congress’Arun Ram, Tamil Nadu Resident Editor of The Times of India, feels the prospect of DMK supporting the Union government on some bills cannot be completely ruled out.“The DMK may support the Union government on some bills to get even with the Congress or also to not appear completely friendless,” says Arun Ram.“DMK cannot go back on some of its stated positions, like on delimitation, three-language formula. But, yes on some of the bills it may back the Union government. For instance, if the BJP completely delinks the Women’s Reservation Bill from the Delimitation Bill, the DMK may support the government on Women’s Bill,” he adds.Misplaced confidence?Now, that is a prospect which could deal a body blow to the INDIA bloc. DMK has 22 members in Lok Sabha and if Stalin decides even a tactical association with the NDA – it could disrupt opposition math. For now, the opposition is trying to put up a brave front knowing that two-third majority in a House of 543 translates into numbers which, at least on paper, looks beyond the reach of NDA. The Congress has claimed that it will not let the “evil designs” of BJP to succeed. But this Congress confidence could well be misplaced. What the opposition needs to understand is that two-thirds majority is a number that can change depending on how many members are present for the voting. We have already seen the BJP surprise many times when it comes to managing numbers in Parliament.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

NEW DELHI: The end of the Budget session of Parliament this year marked a rare high for the opposition. The Congress-led INDIA bloc united with other opposition parties to prevent the Centre from passing a Constitution Amendment Bill. The Bill linked implementation of women’s reservation to delimitation. This was on April 17. Nearly three months down the line, as parties gear up for the Monsoon session from July 20, the euphoria of this triumph has been replaced by concern among the opposition ranks.The Bill that they had managed to stop in its tracks during the Budget session could make its way back in the Monsoon session and garner greater support in Parliament. In April, 298 members supported the Bill in Lok Sabha while 230 opposed it. MPs supporting the Bill were way more than those opposing it but were short of the two-thirds majority of 352 (out of 528) needed for the passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill.So, what has changed in three months? Well, a lot. Parties have split. Opposition numbers in Parliament have come down. Long-time allies have turned into foes. The opposition camp is in disarray and the regional parties under its fold are now a weakened force.And, that is why the upcoming Monsoon session may be interesting to watch. The BJP, still smarting from the rare failure on the Constitution Amendment Bill, is reportedly working behind the scenes to ensure a two-thirds majority to push through its important pending legislations, including the delimitation bill.The Congress has accused Union home minister Amit Shah of trying to “engineer” a two-third majority for the BJP in Lok Sabha and alleges he is busy breaking opposition parties while making a “complete mockery of democracy” but his “evil designs” will not succeed.”Never before has anybody tried to engineer a two-third majority for his party in the Lok Sabha as the Union Home Minister is desperately doing these days in the run-up to the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The self-styled Chanakya had been humiliated on April 17 2026 when the NDA could not get the requisite two-third majority. Stung by that resounding defeat, Shah is now busy breaking opposition parties and making a complete “mockery of democracy”, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X..The three months between the two sessions saw four important political developments that have together put the NDA in command and the opposition on the backfoot.First blow: Raghav’s rebellion stings AAPOn April 24, exactly seven days after NDA’s Lok Sabha setback, the opposition suffered the first blow as 7 MPs of Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP broke ranks with the party in Rajya Sabha and aligned with the BJP. Since, the breakaway group’s strength was more than two-thirds of the total 10 MPs the party had in the Upper House, the defection did not come under the purview of the anti-defection law. The rebellion, which came as a surprise to Arvind Kejriwal, reduced AAP’s strength in Rajya Sabha to 3.Second blow: Mamata’s defeat and Trinamool implosionThe second blow to opposition came from West Bengal, where BJP ended Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year-rule and successfully snatched a key state from the hands of the opposition. While the defeat stunned Mamata, what hurt her and the opposition camp more was the implosion which threatened the very existence of the Trinamool Congress. 20 MPs of the Trinamool Congress raised a banner of revolt against Mamata and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and announced to align with the BJP in Lok Sabha. This list of 20 included several of Mamata’s loyalists and was enough to avoid any action under the anti-defection law. To make matters worse, several Rajya Sabha members of Trinamool also joined this rebellion. However, since their numbers were less, they resigned from the party and their membership from the Upper House.Third blow: Shiv Sena splitThe opposition camp suffered another blow in June when 6 out of the 9 MPs of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena decided to dump the party and join hands with Eknath Shinde. The six MPs submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla indicating their decision to join the Shinde camp. For Uddhav this was the second time that he faced rebellion from within the ranks. The Shiv Sena suffered a massive vertical split in 2022 when Shinde led a rebellion of party MLAs. Uddhav eventually lost control of the party and symbol.Fourth blow: Congress-DMK splitThe fourth blow to the opposition camp came from Tamil Nadu. M K Stalin’s DMK, which had aligned with the Congress, lost the 2026 assembly elections to actor-tuned-politician Vijay. Ideally, this poll upset should not have impacted the opposition’s national politics. After all, the silver lining was that the BJP-AIADMK alliance had failed in the state. But that was not to be. Vijay’s TVK got a big mandate but not enough to ensure a government on its own. Vijay needed help and the Congress was more than ready to chip in. So, the grand-old-party moved swiftly to dump DMK and join hands with TVK. This set the stage for one of the biggest disruptions in the INDIA bloc since it was formed. The DMK snapped all ties with the Congress, sought a separate seating plan in Parliament, walked out of the INDIA bloc and, if some reports are to be believed, is also flirting with the idea of some sort of coordination on its terms with the BJP.’DMK may try to get even with Congress’Arun Ram, Tamil Nadu Resident Editor of The Times of India, feels the prospect of DMK supporting the Union government on some bills cannot be completely ruled out.“The DMK may support the Union government on some bills to get even with the Congress or also to not appear completely friendless,” says Arun Ram.“DMK cannot go back on some of its stated positions, like on delimitation, three-language formula. But, yes on some of the bills it may back the Union government. For instance, if the BJP completely delinks the Women’s Reservation Bill from the Delimitation Bill, the DMK may support the government on Women’s Bill,” he adds.Misplaced confidence?Now, that is a prospect which could deal a body blow to the INDIA bloc. DMK has 22 members in Lok Sabha and if Stalin decides even a tactical association with the NDA – it could disrupt opposition math. For now, the opposition is trying to put up a brave front knowing that two-third majority in a House of 543 translates into numbers which, at least on paper, looks beyond the reach of NDA. The Congress has claimed that it will not let the “evil designs” of BJP to succeed. But this Congress confidence could well be misplaced. What the opposition needs to understand is that two-thirds majority is a number that can change depending on how many members are present for the voting. We have already seen the BJP surprise many times when it comes to managing numbers in Parliament.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

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Pradhan orders action over NCERT’s court lapse in paper supplier case NEW DELHI: Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has ordered a probe and strict action against officials after NCERT failed to appear before the Delhi High Court to defend its decision to blacklist a paper supplier accused of delaying textbook production, sources said.The ministry has asked NCERT to examine how Bafna Global Venture Private Limited was selected despite allegedly not meeting the required conditions, why it subsequently failed to adhere to the paper-supply schedule and how the council’s case went unrepresented in court.MoE officials said the ministry had earlier asked the council to expedite textbook production and prepare a procurement protocol to ensure books were available on time. The latest lapse has raised fresh questions over the council’s procurement and legal processes.The firm approached the high court on June 24 challenging NCERT’s June 22 order debarring it for two years from participating in the council’s procurement process.With no representative appearing on behalf of NCERT during the hearing, the court granted the company interim protection from coercive action until further orders. It also restrained NCERT from invoking a bank guarantee of more than Rs 6 crore furnished by the supplier.“Taking serious note of reports that NCERT failed to effectively defend its decision to blacklist a paper supplier before the Delhi High Court, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has directed strict action against the officers responsible for the lapse,” a source said.Officials responsible for failing to initiate the required legal steps will be identified and held accountable, sources said, adding that Pradhan had underlined a zero-tolerance approach towards administrative and legal lapses in textbook procurement and production.The supplier told the court that paper manufacturing was delayed because hydrogen peroxide, used as a bleaching agent, had become unavailable due to the conflict involving Iran. The matter will next be heard on July 20.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? Kerala Orders Probe Into Wayanad Landslide Tragedy’Exam Paper Came A Night Before’: UGC-NET Leak Trail, Whistleblower Tells His Story | WatchUP Government Transfers 20 IAS Officers In Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Across DepartmentsDefence, Energy, Education: 18 Big Outcomes Of PM Modi’s Australia VisitGurugram Gunfight Leaves Four Gang Members Dead After Massive Exchange Of Fire With PoliceCalcutta HC Allows TMC To Operate Frozen Accounts, Questions Police’s Swift Action3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP, Get Rajya Sabha Tickets Within Hours | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee123Photostories6 stunning red birds in India and where to find themIf your child says these 7 phrases often, psychologists say they’re asking for connectionAre you accidentally damaging your kidneys? Doctor reveals the common daily mistakes that can lead to silent kidney diseaseSreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan ace the Wimbledon dress code with timeless London fashion5 natural alternatives to collagen supplements for healthy hair and skinRed vs green vs yellow bell peppers: Who wins the nutrition face-off?7 Animals that eat bees without letting stings stop themLock Upp 2: From Ram Kapoor’s lavish villa to Shivangi Joshi’s dreamy Dehradun home, a look at the luxurious properties of the inmatesNo botox, no expensive creams: Here’s how Japanese women stay young for decades and what we can learn from themSonam Kapoor’s customised Anamika Khanna look for Anshula Kapoor’s reception is wedding guest fashion at its finest123Hot PicksSIRBlake LivelyGurgaon EncounterCM VijayAlex PereiraPM ModiAssam BudgetStrait of HormuzSimone BilesTop TrendingGurgaon MonsoonAMU Seerat CertificateTelangana Techie Wife MurderFIFA World Cup 2026Weather TodayTS EAMCET Phase 1 seat allotmentRamesh MhatreDelhi NCR rainGurgaon EncounterIran war

Pradhan orders action over NCERT’s court lapse in paper supplier case NEW DELHI: Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has ordered a probe and strict action against officials after NCERT failed to appear before the Delhi High Court to defend its decision to blacklist a paper supplier accused of delaying textbook production, sources said.The ministry has asked NCERT to examine how Bafna Global Venture Private Limited was selected despite allegedly not meeting the required conditions, why it subsequently failed to adhere to the paper-supply schedule and how the council’s case went unrepresented in court.MoE officials said the ministry had earlier asked the council to expedite textbook production and prepare a procurement protocol to ensure books were available on time. The latest lapse has raised fresh questions over the council’s procurement and legal processes.The firm approached the high court on June 24 challenging NCERT’s June 22 order debarring it for two years from participating in the council’s procurement process.With no representative appearing on behalf of NCERT during the hearing, the court granted the company interim protection from coercive action until further orders. It also restrained NCERT from invoking a bank guarantee of more than Rs 6 crore furnished by the supplier.“Taking serious note of reports that NCERT failed to effectively defend its decision to blacklist a paper supplier before the Delhi High Court, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has directed strict action against the officers responsible for the lapse,” a source said.Officials responsible for failing to initiate the required legal steps will be identified and held accountable, sources said, adding that Pradhan had underlined a zero-tolerance approach towards administrative and legal lapses in textbook procurement and production.The supplier told the court that paper manufacturing was delayed because hydrogen peroxide, used as a bleaching agent, had become unavailable due to the conflict involving Iran. The matter will next be heard on July 20.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’You Will Have To Kill Me’: Mamata’s Defiant Message As TMC Faces Major RebellionIRCTC Rolls Out Beta Website With Simpler Booking Experience; 4 Key Changes Explained’She Pleaded For Help, No One Listened’: What The CCTV Reveals About Jaipur Schoolgirl’s DeathIgnored Warnings Or Natural Calamity? 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