August 13, 2026

SAD leader Sukhbir Badal attacked in Nanded, while Air India begins mandatory pilot screening (Photos: PTI). Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a kirpan while visiting a gurdwara in Nanded, with a police inspector also injured while protecting him.Air India has started mandatory substance screening for all its pilots from Thursday following the Phuket-Delhi flight incident.Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the US to sell Ukraine more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying 10% of the US stockpile could allow it to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.The defence ministry has floated a nearly Rs 1 lakh crore RFP to acquire 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force.India faces the prospect of up to 100% US tariffs if a new Russian sanctions bill is cleared, though an Indian government source said talks so far have been reassuring.Here are top 5 stories of the daySukhbir Badal attacked with kirpan at Nanded gurdwara, cop injured while foiling assault: How it unfoldedShiromani Akali Dal president and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a kirpan while visiting Mata Sahib Gurdwara at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded on Thursday. Badal, who was accompanied by his wife and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, as well as security personnel from Punjab and Maharashtra Police, suffered an injury to his hand and was taken to Yasho Sai Hospital in Nanded for treatment. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis sought information from the Nanded Superintendent of Police and spoke to Badal over the phone. Read full story. Watch JPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAir India group starts mandatory substance screening for all pilots from todayAir India group has from Thursday started mandatory substance screening for all pilots following the Phuket-Delhi flight serious incident. The move comes after the pilot-in-command of the Phuket flight tested positive for marijuana. Aviation secretary Samir Sinha had asked Air India to “take responsibility” and do whatever it takes to ensure safety. Air India said it had decided to undertake full screening of all group pilots for substances or medications that are not permitted under prevailing regulations. The testing is mandatory and will start on August 13. Read full story.Zelenskyy seeks 10% of US stockpile to ‘destroy all Russians’ missiles’: ReportUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the United States to sell Ukraine more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying even 5% of the US stockpile would help Kyiv survive the winter, while 10% could allow it to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks. Zelensky said Ukraine had two and a half times fewer interceptors this year than in 2025, while Russia had twice as many ballistic missiles per month. He said securing additional interceptors had become a daily priority and involved direct appeals to the US and negotiations with other allies. Read full story.IAF moves closer to Rs 1 lakh crore transport aircraft deal to replace ageing An-32 fleetThe defence ministry has floated a Request for Proposal worth close to Rs 1 lakh crore to acquire 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The move aims to retire the Soviet-era An-32 fleet, which has been in service with the IAF for four decades, with over 100 aircraft currently in service. The new aircraft is also slated to handle some missions currently undertaken by the ageing Il-76 fleet. Airbus’ A400M, Embraer’s C-390M Millennium and the C-130J are the top contenders in the race for the IAF’s Medium Transport Aircraft programme.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Read full story.US tariff threat on Russian oil: Bill a concern for India, but ‘talks have been reassuring’India faces the prospect of being levied up to 100% tariffs if the Donald Trump administration is able to get a new Russian sanctions bill cleared and the US President exercises the power it would give to impose duties. An Indian government source told Reuters that while the sanctions bill on Russian oil purchases is a matter of concern, talks so far have been reassuring. The proposed Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would empower the US President to levy tariffs of up to 100% on countries that purchase large volumes of crude oil and natural gas from Russia. 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 MediaVideosJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS SeatsFCRA Bill Sent To 31-Member JPC Amid Opposition Protests, Akhilesh-Rijiju Clash Over Minorities123PhotostoriesWhy defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually work6 foods soldiers ate during World War IIHuskies to Bulldogs: Why some of India’s most ‘trendy’ dog breeds struggle to cope with the summer heat10 most hated foods in the world and why people can’t stand themFrom peacocks to mandalas: 10 best mehendi designs for Hariyali Teej 2026123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins
SAD leader Sukhbir Badal attacked in Nanded, while Air India begins mandatory pilot screening (Photos: PTI). Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a kirpan while visiting a gurdwara in Nanded, with a police inspector also injured while protecting him.Air India has started mandatory substance screening for all its pilots from Thursday following the Phuket-Delhi flight incident.Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the US to sell Ukraine more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying 10% of the US stockpile could allow it to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.The defence ministry has floated a nearly Rs 1 lakh crore RFP to acquire 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force.India faces the prospect of up to 100% US tariffs if a new Russian sanctions bill is cleared, though an Indian government source said talks so far have been reassuring.Here are top 5 stories of the daySukhbir Badal attacked with kirpan at Nanded gurdwara, cop injured while foiling assault: How it unfoldedShiromani Akali Dal president and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a kirpan while visiting Mata Sahib Gurdwara at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded on Thursday. Badal, who was accompanied by his wife and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, as well as security personnel from Punjab and Maharashtra Police, suffered an injury to his hand and was taken to Yasho Sai Hospital in Nanded for treatment. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis sought information from the Nanded Superintendent of Police and spoke to Badal over the phone. Read full story. Watch JPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAir India group starts mandatory substance screening for all pilots from todayAir India group has from Thursday started mandatory substance screening for all pilots following the Phuket-Delhi flight serious incident. The move comes after the pilot-in-command of the Phuket flight tested positive for marijuana. Aviation secretary Samir Sinha had asked Air India to “take responsibility” and do whatever it takes to ensure safety. Air India said it had decided to undertake full screening of all group pilots for substances or medications that are not permitted under prevailing regulations. The testing is mandatory and will start on August 13. Read full story.Zelenskyy seeks 10% of US stockpile to ‘destroy all Russians’ missiles’: ReportUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the United States to sell Ukraine more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying even 5% of the US stockpile would help Kyiv survive the winter, while 10% could allow it to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks. Zelensky said Ukraine had two and a half times fewer interceptors this year than in 2025, while Russia had twice as many ballistic missiles per month. He said securing additional interceptors had become a daily priority and involved direct appeals to the US and negotiations with other allies. Read full story.IAF moves closer to Rs 1 lakh crore transport aircraft deal to replace ageing An-32 fleetThe defence ministry has floated a Request for Proposal worth close to Rs 1 lakh crore to acquire 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The move aims to retire the Soviet-era An-32 fleet, which has been in service with the IAF for four decades, with over 100 aircraft currently in service. The new aircraft is also slated to handle some missions currently undertaken by the ageing Il-76 fleet. Airbus’ A400M, Embraer’s C-390M Millennium and the C-130J are the top contenders in the race for the IAF’s Medium Transport Aircraft programme.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Read full story.US tariff threat on Russian oil: Bill a concern for India, but ‘talks have been reassuring’India faces the prospect of being levied up to 100% tariffs if the Donald Trump administration is able to get a new Russian sanctions bill cleared and the US President exercises the power it would give to impose duties. An Indian government source told Reuters that while the sanctions bill on Russian oil purchases is a matter of concern, talks so far have been reassuring. The proposed Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would empower the US President to levy tariffs of up to 100% on countries that purchase large volumes of crude oil and natural gas from Russia. 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 MediaVideosJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS SeatsFCRA Bill Sent To 31-Member JPC Amid Opposition Protests, Akhilesh-Rijiju Clash Over Minorities123PhotostoriesWhy defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually work6 foods soldiers ate during World War IIHuskies to Bulldogs: Why some of India’s most ‘trendy’ dog breeds struggle to cope with the summer heat10 most hated foods in the world and why people can’t stand themFrom peacocks to mandalas: 10 best mehendi designs for Hariyali Teej 2026123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani


Evening news wrap: Sukhbir Badal attacked in Nanded; Air India begins pilot drug testing, & more
SAD leader Sukhbir Badal attacked in Nanded, while Air India begins mandatory pilot screening (Photos: PTI).
  • Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a kirpan while visiting a gurdwara in Nanded, with a police inspector also injured while protecting him.
  • Air India has started mandatory substance screening for all its pilots from Thursday following the Phuket-Delhi flight incident.
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the US to sell Ukraine more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying 10% of the US stockpile could allow it to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.
  • The defence ministry has floated a nearly Rs 1 lakh crore RFP to acquire 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
  • India faces the prospect of up to 100% US tariffs if a new Russian sanctions bill is cleared, though an Indian government source said talks so far have been reassuring.

Here are top 5 stories of the day

Sukhbir Badal attacked with kirpan at Nanded gurdwara, cop injured while foiling assault: How it unfolded

Shiromani Akali Dal president and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a kirpan while visiting Mata Sahib Gurdwara at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded on Thursday. Badal, who was accompanied by his wife and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, as well as security personnel from Punjab and Maharashtra Police, suffered an injury to his hand and was taken to Yasho Sai Hospital in Nanded for treatment. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis sought information from the Nanded Superintendent of Police and spoke to Badal over the phone. Read full story.

Air India group starts mandatory substance screening for all pilots from today

Air India group has from Thursday started mandatory substance screening for all pilots following the Phuket-Delhi flight serious incident. The move comes after the pilot-in-command of the Phuket flight tested positive for marijuana. Aviation secretary Samir Sinha had asked Air India to “take responsibility” and do whatever it takes to ensure safety. Air India said it had decided to undertake full screening of all group pilots for substances or medications that are not permitted under prevailing regulations. The testing is mandatory and will start on August 13. Read full story.

Zelenskyy seeks 10% of US stockpile to ‘destroy all Russians’ missiles’: Report

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the United States to sell Ukraine more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying even 5% of the US stockpile would help Kyiv survive the winter, while 10% could allow it to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks. Zelensky said Ukraine had two and a half times fewer interceptors this year than in 2025, while Russia had twice as many ballistic missiles per month. He said securing additional interceptors had become a daily priority and involved direct appeals to the US and negotiations with other allies. Read full story.

IAF moves closer to Rs 1 lakh crore transport aircraft deal to replace ageing An-32 fleet

The defence ministry has floated a Request for Proposal worth close to Rs 1 lakh crore to acquire 60 Medium Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The move aims to retire the Soviet-era An-32 fleet, which has been in service with the IAF for four decades, with over 100 aircraft currently in service. The new aircraft is also slated to handle some missions currently undertaken by the ageing Il-76 fleet. Airbus’ A400M, Embraer’s C-390M Millennium and the C-130J are the top contenders in the race for the IAF’s Medium Transport Aircraft programme.

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MUMBAI: Parle Products retained its position as India’s Most Chosen In-Home FMCG brand for the 14th consecutive year, while Britannia once again topped the Out-of-Home rankings, showed the annual Brand Footprint India report published by Worldpanel by Numerator on Thursday.The study tracks Consumer Reach Points (CRP), a measure combining how many consumers buy a brand and how often they do so over a calendar year.Highly penetrated brands mostly grew their CRPs, but only 56% of small brands managed to do the same- a sign that scale is becoming harder to convert into reach.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRin returned to the top 25 after a two-year gap, growing CRPs by 11% to 1,268 million, driven by product modernisation and a sharpened focus on liquids.Campa posted one of the steepest jumps in penetration this year (2.7%), continuing its rapid expansion. “Dairy brands, for instance, aren’t especially high on penetration, but rising purchase frequency alone pushed their CRPs up. Large and mid-sized brands saw strong CRP growth, but only about half of smaller brands managed to grow theirs at all- a sign that turning visibility into repeat, reliable choice is getting harder,” said , K. Ramakrishnan, Managing Director- South Asia, Worldpanel by Numerator.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaPhotostories’Vishwanath And Sons’: Five reasons to watch Suriya and Mamitha Baiju starrer helmed by Venky Atluri on big screens10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useHarry Potter fans forced a power cable between UK and Ireland to be relocated as it would desecrate the ‘grave’ of DobbyAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually workStudent Lillie Vehling rescued 3 girls drowning in Lake Washington during Blue Angels weekend123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

MUMBAI: Parle Products retained its position as India’s Most Chosen In-Home FMCG brand for the 14th consecutive year, while Britannia once again topped the Out-of-Home rankings, showed the annual Brand Footprint India report published by Worldpanel by Numerator on Thursday.The study tracks Consumer Reach Points (CRP), a measure combining how many consumers buy a brand and how often they do so over a calendar year.Highly penetrated brands mostly grew their CRPs, but only 56% of small brands managed to do the same- a sign that scale is becoming harder to convert into reach.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRin returned to the top 25 after a two-year gap, growing CRPs by 11% to 1,268 million, driven by product modernisation and a sharpened focus on liquids.Campa posted one of the steepest jumps in penetration this year (2.7%), continuing its rapid expansion. “Dairy brands, for instance, aren’t especially high on penetration, but rising purchase frequency alone pushed their CRPs up. Large and mid-sized brands saw strong CRP growth, but only about half of smaller brands managed to grow theirs at all- a sign that turning visibility into repeat, reliable choice is getting harder,” said , K. Ramakrishnan, Managing Director- South Asia, Worldpanel by Numerator.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaPhotostories’Vishwanath And Sons’: Five reasons to watch Suriya and Mamitha Baiju starrer helmed by Venky Atluri on big screens10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useHarry Potter fans forced a power cable between UK and Ireland to be relocated as it would desecrate the ‘grave’ of DobbyAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually workStudent Lillie Vehling rescued 3 girls drowning in Lake Washington during Blue Angels weekend123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

Vamsikrishna 0
Behind-the-scenes image featuring Avani Rai (left) during the Pirelli Calendar shoot in Delhi I Picture credit: Alessandro Scotti In 1966, a photograph of a woman in underwear arrived at the Vatican. The fashion imagery might seem rather tame by today’s standards, but it was enough to provoke an official complaint from the Holy See to an Italian tire company called Pirelli. The Milan-based tire manufacturer had just begun producing these exclusive, high-fashion calendars, simply called ‘The Cal’, as a trade gift for its top clients — the idea being to give VIPs something a cut above the cheap pin-up calendars that were standard fare in garages and tire shops at the time.But the condemnation had the opposite effect. Rather than suppressing the calendar, it generated enormous publicity, transforming a niche corporate giveaway into one of the world’s most coveted cultural status symbols. Within a few years, the calendar became less a marketing gimmick and more an annual referendum on where European ideas of beauty, sex and provocation stood. Over the decades, figures from Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss to Penélope Cruz, Serena Williams and Yoko Ono have been framed within its pages by some of the world’s most influential photographers. But sixty-two years and a great many controversies later, the most recent edition of that same calendar is shot not on a Mediterranean beach or a Manhattan studio, but in the forts and villages of Rajasthan and the mean streets of Old Delhi, even featuring everyday barbers and artisans.The 2027 Pirelli Calendar is dedicated to India. For the first time, it features an all-India cast and is shot entirely in the country, built around the idea of Indian identity. So alongside glamorous portraits of celebrities like television host and author Padma Lakshmi, actress Aditi Rao Hydari, sitarist Anoushka Shankar and supermodel Bhavitha Mandava are some 200 ordinary Indians, from dancers and street artists to musicians and craftspeople.One half of the 2027 Pirelli Calendar features Indian celebrities photographed by Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø I Picture credit: Alessandro ScottiThe project began as a collaboration between Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø and Raghu Rai, modern India’s most celebrated photojournalist known for chronicling the country’s many faces and contradictions over several decades. Rai died in April shortly after the project began. His daughter, photographer Avani Rai, stepped in to complete it and in doing so changed its direction. What had been conceived as a studio shoot moved outdoors into the neighbourhoods her father spent his career documenting, from Kinari Bazar and Yamuna Ghat to the streets of Old Delhi.When asked how a project like the Pirelli Calendar sits alongside her reportage-driven practice, Avani, speaking to TOI, gently rejects the premise of the question. Genre, she argues, describes where a photograph ends up, not how it is made. What remains constant, whether in documentary work or a fashion commission, is the attempt to stay honest to what is in front of the camera. “Curiosity, presence and empathy are not specific to one genre of photography. The Pirelli Calendar asked me to bring those values into a different context. I wasn’t interested in making images that simply looked beautiful. I wanted them to feel alive. To hold the same emotional honesty that I search for in every photograph I make,” says Avani whose mother, conservation architect Gurmeet Rai, also appears in the calendar.Even to this day, The Cal’s physical copies are not sold publicly; Pirelli limits production to roughly 20,000 copies annually and they are sent as corporate gifts to monarchs, CEOs, prime ministers, top celebrities, fashion icons and the like.But why India? Sundsbø says it was a long-held ambition within Pirelli. His contribution came from a very different vantage point—that of an outsider conscious of his own limitations. “The fact that Avani and Raghu Rai’s images would be one half of the Calendar enabled me to concentrate on portraits. That’s a smaller and more realistic task for a visitor than capturing the whole soul of a nation.I didn’t try to decide what “Indianness” should mean. Especially not as the guest that I am. I tried to cast people I admire, women who have inspirational talent,” says Sundsbø.The edition also marks the first time Pirelli has commissioned two photographers to share a calendar. What makes the India edition notable is not simply that it swaps eroticism for cultural identity; the calendar has been moving in that direction for years. Rather, it is the first edition shaped by two intertwined perspectives: an outsider looking in and a daughter completing her father’s final project in the streets he loved.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines “I used to think inheritance was about continuing someone’s work. Now I think it’s about continuing their way of being in the world. The patience they lived with. The integrity they carried. The generosity with which they met people. Those are the things that survive,” says Avani.”Completing the calendar gave me a sense of continuity. It wasn’t about recreating him or holding onto the past. I understood that what he had really left me wasn’t an archive or even a body of work. It was a practice of being alive to the world,” she adds.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorSneha BhuraSneha Bhura is an Assistant Editor with The Times of India. She loves exploring stories at the intersection of culture and technology. She is also a published poet and podcaster. Her debut poetry collection ‘Velvet Grapes’ was released in 2021.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAir India Tightens Pilot Safety Checks After AI2379 Altitude Loss And Positive Marijuana TestJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS Seats123Photostories10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually work6 foods soldiers ate during World War IIHuskies to Bulldogs: Why some of India’s most ‘trendy’ dog breeds struggle to cope with the summer heat10 most hated foods in the world and why people can’t stand them123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

Behind-the-scenes image featuring Avani Rai (left) during the Pirelli Calendar shoot in Delhi I Picture credit: Alessandro Scotti In 1966, a photograph of a woman in underwear arrived at the Vatican. The fashion imagery might seem rather tame by today’s standards, but it was enough to provoke an official complaint from the Holy See to an Italian tire company called Pirelli. The Milan-based tire manufacturer had just begun producing these exclusive, high-fashion calendars, simply called ‘The Cal’, as a trade gift for its top clients — the idea being to give VIPs something a cut above the cheap pin-up calendars that were standard fare in garages and tire shops at the time.But the condemnation had the opposite effect. Rather than suppressing the calendar, it generated enormous publicity, transforming a niche corporate giveaway into one of the world’s most coveted cultural status symbols. Within a few years, the calendar became less a marketing gimmick and more an annual referendum on where European ideas of beauty, sex and provocation stood. Over the decades, figures from Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss to Penélope Cruz, Serena Williams and Yoko Ono have been framed within its pages by some of the world’s most influential photographers. But sixty-two years and a great many controversies later, the most recent edition of that same calendar is shot not on a Mediterranean beach or a Manhattan studio, but in the forts and villages of Rajasthan and the mean streets of Old Delhi, even featuring everyday barbers and artisans.The 2027 Pirelli Calendar is dedicated to India. For the first time, it features an all-India cast and is shot entirely in the country, built around the idea of Indian identity. So alongside glamorous portraits of celebrities like television host and author Padma Lakshmi, actress Aditi Rao Hydari, sitarist Anoushka Shankar and supermodel Bhavitha Mandava are some 200 ordinary Indians, from dancers and street artists to musicians and craftspeople.One half of the 2027 Pirelli Calendar features Indian celebrities photographed by Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø I Picture credit: Alessandro ScottiThe project began as a collaboration between Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø and Raghu Rai, modern India’s most celebrated photojournalist known for chronicling the country’s many faces and contradictions over several decades. Rai died in April shortly after the project began. His daughter, photographer Avani Rai, stepped in to complete it and in doing so changed its direction. What had been conceived as a studio shoot moved outdoors into the neighbourhoods her father spent his career documenting, from Kinari Bazar and Yamuna Ghat to the streets of Old Delhi.When asked how a project like the Pirelli Calendar sits alongside her reportage-driven practice, Avani, speaking to TOI, gently rejects the premise of the question. Genre, she argues, describes where a photograph ends up, not how it is made. What remains constant, whether in documentary work or a fashion commission, is the attempt to stay honest to what is in front of the camera. “Curiosity, presence and empathy are not specific to one genre of photography. The Pirelli Calendar asked me to bring those values into a different context. I wasn’t interested in making images that simply looked beautiful. I wanted them to feel alive. To hold the same emotional honesty that I search for in every photograph I make,” says Avani whose mother, conservation architect Gurmeet Rai, also appears in the calendar.Even to this day, The Cal’s physical copies are not sold publicly; Pirelli limits production to roughly 20,000 copies annually and they are sent as corporate gifts to monarchs, CEOs, prime ministers, top celebrities, fashion icons and the like.But why India? Sundsbø says it was a long-held ambition within Pirelli. His contribution came from a very different vantage point—that of an outsider conscious of his own limitations. “The fact that Avani and Raghu Rai’s images would be one half of the Calendar enabled me to concentrate on portraits. That’s a smaller and more realistic task for a visitor than capturing the whole soul of a nation.I didn’t try to decide what “Indianness” should mean. Especially not as the guest that I am. I tried to cast people I admire, women who have inspirational talent,” says Sundsbø.The edition also marks the first time Pirelli has commissioned two photographers to share a calendar. What makes the India edition notable is not simply that it swaps eroticism for cultural identity; the calendar has been moving in that direction for years. Rather, it is the first edition shaped by two intertwined perspectives: an outsider looking in and a daughter completing her father’s final project in the streets he loved.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines “I used to think inheritance was about continuing someone’s work. Now I think it’s about continuing their way of being in the world. The patience they lived with. The integrity they carried. The generosity with which they met people. Those are the things that survive,” says Avani.”Completing the calendar gave me a sense of continuity. It wasn’t about recreating him or holding onto the past. I understood that what he had really left me wasn’t an archive or even a body of work. It was a practice of being alive to the world,” she adds.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorSneha BhuraSneha Bhura is an Assistant Editor with The Times of India. She loves exploring stories at the intersection of culture and technology. She is also a published poet and podcaster. Her debut poetry collection ‘Velvet Grapes’ was released in 2021.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAir India Tightens Pilot Safety Checks After AI2379 Altitude Loss And Positive Marijuana TestJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS Seats123Photostories10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually work6 foods soldiers ate during World War IIHuskies to Bulldogs: Why some of India’s most ‘trendy’ dog breeds struggle to cope with the summer heat10 most hated foods in the world and why people can’t stand them123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

Vamsikrishna 0
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray addresses a press conference, at Bandra, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday told the Supreme Court that constitutional provisions cannot be interpreted in a way that encourages the very conduct the anti-defection law was enacted to prevent. Appearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant during the fifth day of hearings on the party symbol dispute, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the Constitution should not be read in a manner that rewards defections and weakens democratic safeguards.A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing petitions filed by the Thackeray faction challenging the Election Commission’s decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and allot it the party’s name and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.”You can’t interpret the provisions of the Constitution to give encouragement to the very sin which the anti-defection law sought to prevent,” Sibal told the bench.Sibal argued that the legal test for disqualification is fundamentally different from the test for determining whether a political party has split. “Split is completely different, and disqualification is completely different,” he said, adding that subsequent events may be relevant in disqualification proceedings but not when deciding whether a split had occurred.He told the court that the case presented an opportunity to lay down the law for the future of Indian democracy. Calling the situation a “very sad state of affairs”, Sibal said governments often ensure that disqualification proceedings remain undecided.When he argued that the burden of preserving democracy rested on the judiciary, the bench responded that it was a “collective responsibility”. “We are conscious of our role. The Constitution is lived by the people,” the bench observed.The Chief Justice added, “Let us not underestimate our other institutions. They are also quite committed.”Sibal replied that while Parliament could continue enacting laws, it was ultimately the Supreme Court that had the authority to interpret and test those laws against the Constitution.The hearing has been adjourned and will continue on 18 August.During Wednesday’s proceedings, the Supreme Court had observed that it would first have to determine whether a split had occurred within the Shiv Sena, noting that a division could originate in the legislature party and later spread through the party organisation and primary membership.Responding to that observation, Sibal argued that a split in the legislature party could not by itself amount to a split in the political party. “As a proposition of law, a split in the political party can never arise merely from a split in the legislature party. That has been decided by the Constitution Bench (in a judgment),” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe also questioned the Election Commission’s approach in deciding whether there was a genuine dispute within the Shiv Sena and whether the faction approaching it had exhausted the internal remedies available under the party constitution. Sibal challenged the Commission’s assessment of the Shiv Sena’s organisational structure, including the powers of the party chief and the process for appointing organisational office-bearers.The bench is hearing two petitions filed by the Thackeray faction in 2024 challenging the Election Commission’s order allotting the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction and the Commission’s 17 February 2023 decision recognising it as the original Shiv Sena.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 MediaVideosAir India Tightens Pilot Safety Checks After AI2379 Altitude Loss And Positive Marijuana TestJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS Seats123Photostories10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually work6 foods soldiers ate during World War IIHuskies to Bulldogs: Why some of India’s most ‘trendy’ dog breeds struggle to cope with the summer heat10 most hated foods in the world and why people can’t stand them123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray addresses a press conference, at Bandra, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday told the Supreme Court that constitutional provisions cannot be interpreted in a way that encourages the very conduct the anti-defection law was enacted to prevent. Appearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant during the fifth day of hearings on the party symbol dispute, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the Constitution should not be read in a manner that rewards defections and weakens democratic safeguards.A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing petitions filed by the Thackeray faction challenging the Election Commission’s decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and allot it the party’s name and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.”You can’t interpret the provisions of the Constitution to give encouragement to the very sin which the anti-defection law sought to prevent,” Sibal told the bench.Sibal argued that the legal test for disqualification is fundamentally different from the test for determining whether a political party has split. “Split is completely different, and disqualification is completely different,” he said, adding that subsequent events may be relevant in disqualification proceedings but not when deciding whether a split had occurred.He told the court that the case presented an opportunity to lay down the law for the future of Indian democracy. Calling the situation a “very sad state of affairs”, Sibal said governments often ensure that disqualification proceedings remain undecided.When he argued that the burden of preserving democracy rested on the judiciary, the bench responded that it was a “collective responsibility”. “We are conscious of our role. The Constitution is lived by the people,” the bench observed.The Chief Justice added, “Let us not underestimate our other institutions. They are also quite committed.”Sibal replied that while Parliament could continue enacting laws, it was ultimately the Supreme Court that had the authority to interpret and test those laws against the Constitution.The hearing has been adjourned and will continue on 18 August.During Wednesday’s proceedings, the Supreme Court had observed that it would first have to determine whether a split had occurred within the Shiv Sena, noting that a division could originate in the legislature party and later spread through the party organisation and primary membership.Responding to that observation, Sibal argued that a split in the legislature party could not by itself amount to a split in the political party. “As a proposition of law, a split in the political party can never arise merely from a split in the legislature party. That has been decided by the Constitution Bench (in a judgment),” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe also questioned the Election Commission’s approach in deciding whether there was a genuine dispute within the Shiv Sena and whether the faction approaching it had exhausted the internal remedies available under the party constitution. Sibal challenged the Commission’s assessment of the Shiv Sena’s organisational structure, including the powers of the party chief and the process for appointing organisational office-bearers.The bench is hearing two petitions filed by the Thackeray faction in 2024 challenging the Election Commission’s order allotting the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction and the Commission’s 17 February 2023 decision recognising it as the original Shiv Sena.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 MediaVideosAir India Tightens Pilot Safety Checks After AI2379 Altitude Loss And Positive Marijuana TestJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS Seats123Photostories10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually work6 foods soldiers ate during World War IIHuskies to Bulldogs: Why some of India’s most ‘trendy’ dog breeds struggle to cope with the summer heat10 most hated foods in the world and why people can’t stand them123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

Vamsikrishna 0
Rahul Gandhi stresses on ‘expression’ at the ‘Rachnatmak Congress National Convention’, at the Constitution Club, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the party’s job was to make India “express itself” and claimed the BJP-led government was increasingly unsettled by people’s voices. Speaking at the Ratchnatmak Congress National Convention, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha also took several digs at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and the RSS.“Our job is very simple and we can drive them crazy…I am telling you, (PM) Narendra Modi does not sleep at night,” Rahul said. Referring to Shah, he added, “You saw (HM) Amit Shah, what did they used to call him? Chanakya? And Sardar Patel… Where has he disappeared? He could not enter Parliament House… Why? Because, for the first time, they are feeling India’s expression…”Gandhi said the Congress would seek to challenge what he described as the BJP’s attempt to impose a particular political order on the country.“What was happening at Jantar Mantar is that students want to express themselves. They are in pain, and they want to express themselves, and the government says no. We are going to create order at Jantar Mantar. You cannot express yourselves,” he said.“So their job and their political philosophy is to impose an order on India, an order that benefits them and certain other people. And our job is to make India express itself and break that order,” Gandhi added.He was referring to the protests at Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG paper leak. The CJP-led protest ended after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister, while opposition parties in Parliament demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the alleged police action against protesters.Gandhi also attacked the RSS, saying the organisation did not understand contemporary India. “I can understand if you are fighting the British Empire and suddenly you say, I’m feeling a bit scared. But you’re fighting a bunch of jokers. How can you feel scared? You’re literally fighting a bunch of jokers, clowns who have no idea about our philosophy, no idea about our history. I can naturally say this about my friends in the RSS. It’s obvious to me,” he said.“In fact, it’s obvious to most people that these people have no understanding of India. Why? Because somebody who cannot connect with India as it is today cannot understand India. To understand India, you can’t understand India 3,000 years ago. You have to understand it today, right now. And to understand it today, the only way to understand it today is to understand its expression,” he added.Rahul attacks govt over Iran war, ChinaThe LoP also criticised the government’s foreign policy, referring to the war in Iran and India’s ties with the US, Russia and Iran.“War broke out in Iran. For India—had it recognized its own strength and had its leader been someone like Indira Gandhi—this presented the greatest opportunity in the world,” he said.“What kind of opportunity? Iran was our old friend, America was our friend, and Russia was our friend. We could have stepped up, become relevant, and leveraged these friendships. But what actually happened? Nothing of the sort. Instead, Pakistan stepped in and took our place; Pakistan became the mediator, while India and Modi-ji simply looked on,” Gandhi claimed.He also alleged that the government was suppressing information about India’s border situation with China.“Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Narendra Modi have been completely deflated. They are calling up all the media editors, telling them, ‘Don’t publish this in your newspapers; suppress the story.’ They are causing direct harm to the country without a second thought,” he alleged.Gandhi further referred to the government’s response after the Galwan clash and claimed that India’s position had weakened its negotiations with China.“After the Galwan incident, the Prime Minister held a meeting—a Zoom call. He stated that China hadn’t taken a single inch of Indian territory. The Army said that our land had been taken. Just think about the message sent to China: Chinese negotiators asked our negotiators, ‘What nonsense are you talking about? Your own Prime Minister said no land was lost.’”He alleged that the government’s foreign-policy decisions were ultimately driven by political funding, adding, “And they did all of this solely to finance their political structure, to secure funds from Adani ji.”Rahul also criticised what he described as the government’s approach to diplomacy, saying foreign policy could not be reduced to personal relationships between leaders.“I don’t know where it came from; this idea got into their heads. I don’t know who put it there or where it came from, the idea that foreign policy means hugging politicians,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRecalling an incident from his childhood involving his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi said she had returned from an official dinner in the US and told his mother, Sonia Gandhi, that “these Americans take me for a complete fool.”Gandhi said Indira Gandhi had noticed that then-US First Lady Nancy Reagan was wearing a dress of the same colour as her sari.“You aren’t just visiting a friend’s house. In this role, the Prime Minister of India doesn’t engage in mere friendship. They have no interest in friendship; their job is to protect the country,” he said.Read more: Rahul mocks PM; another Congress leader takes Meloni swipeGet 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 MediaVideosJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS SeatsFCRA Bill Sent To 31-Member JPC Amid Opposition Protests, Akhilesh-Rijiju Clash Over Minorities123PhotostoriesWhy defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boringWhy do onions make you cry? 3 tricks that actually work6 foods soldiers ate during World War IIHuskies to Bulldogs: Why some of India’s most ‘trendy’ dog breeds struggle to cope with the summer heat10 most hated foods in the world and why people can’t stand themFrom peacocks to mandalas: 10 best mehendi designs for Hariyali Teej 2026123Hot PicksKaroline LeavittNCERTTrump SocialJharkhand protestN ChandrasekaranNEET PG 2026 city slipIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani

Rahul Gandhi stresses on ‘expression’ at the ‘Rachnatmak Congress National Convention’, at the Constitution Club, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the party’s job was to make India “express itself” and claimed the BJP-led government was increasingly unsettled by people’s voices. Speaking at the Ratchnatmak Congress National Convention, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha also took several digs at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and the RSS.“Our job is very simple and we can drive them crazy…I am telling you, (PM) Narendra Modi does not sleep at night,” Rahul said. Referring to Shah, he added, “You saw (HM) Amit Shah, what did they used to call him? Chanakya? And Sardar Patel… Where has he disappeared? He could not enter Parliament House… Why? Because, for the first time, they are feeling India’s expression…”Gandhi said the Congress would seek to challenge what he described as the BJP’s attempt to impose a particular political order on the country.“What was happening at Jantar Mantar is that students want to express themselves. They are in pain, and they want to express themselves, and the government says no. We are going to create order at Jantar Mantar. You cannot express yourselves,” he said.“So their job and their political philosophy is to impose an order on India, an order that benefits them and certain other people. And our job is to make India express itself and break that order,” Gandhi added.He was referring to the protests at Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG paper leak. The CJP-led protest ended after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister, while opposition parties in Parliament demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the alleged police action against protesters.Gandhi also attacked the RSS, saying the organisation did not understand contemporary India. “I can understand if you are fighting the British Empire and suddenly you say, I’m feeling a bit scared. But you’re fighting a bunch of jokers. How can you feel scared? You’re literally fighting a bunch of jokers, clowns who have no idea about our philosophy, no idea about our history. I can naturally say this about my friends in the RSS. It’s obvious to me,” he said.“In fact, it’s obvious to most people that these people have no understanding of India. Why? Because somebody who cannot connect with India as it is today cannot understand India. To understand India, you can’t understand India 3,000 years ago. You have to understand it today, right now. And to understand it today, the only way to understand it today is to understand its expression,” he added.Rahul attacks govt over Iran war, ChinaThe LoP also criticised the government’s foreign policy, referring to the war in Iran and India’s ties with the US, Russia and Iran.“War broke out in Iran. For India—had it recognized its own strength and had its leader been someone like Indira Gandhi—this presented the greatest opportunity in the world,” he said.“What kind of opportunity? Iran was our old friend, America was our friend, and Russia was our friend. We could have stepped up, become relevant, and leveraged these friendships. But what actually happened? Nothing of the sort. Instead, Pakistan stepped in and took our place; Pakistan became the mediator, while India and Modi-ji simply looked on,” Gandhi claimed.He also alleged that the government was suppressing information about India’s border situation with China.“Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Narendra Modi have been completely deflated. They are calling up all the media editors, telling them, ‘Don’t publish this in your newspapers; suppress the story.’ They are causing direct harm to the country without a second thought,” he alleged.Gandhi further referred to the government’s response after the Galwan clash and claimed that India’s position had weakened its negotiations with China.“After the Galwan incident, the Prime Minister held a meeting—a Zoom call. He stated that China hadn’t taken a single inch of Indian territory. The Army said that our land had been taken. Just think about the message sent to China: Chinese negotiators asked our negotiators, ‘What nonsense are you talking about? Your own Prime Minister said no land was lost.’”He alleged that the government’s foreign-policy decisions were ultimately driven by political funding, adding, “And they did all of this solely to finance their political structure, to secure funds from Adani ji.”Rahul also criticised what he described as the government’s approach to diplomacy, saying foreign policy could not be reduced to personal relationships between leaders.“I don’t know where it came from; this idea got into their heads. I don’t know who put it there or where it came from, the idea that foreign policy means hugging politicians,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRecalling an incident from his childhood involving his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi said she had returned from an official dinner in the US and told his mother, Sonia Gandhi, that “these Americans take me for a complete fool.”Gandhi said Indira Gandhi had noticed that then-US First Lady Nancy Reagan was wearing a dress of the same colour as her sari.“You aren’t just visiting a friend’s house. In this role, the Prime Minister of India doesn’t engage in mere friendship. They have no interest in friendship; their job is to protect the country,” he said.Read more: Rahul mocks PM; another Congress leader takes Meloni swipeGet 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 MediaVideosJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS SeatsFCRA Bill Sent To 31-Member JPC Amid Opposition Protests, Akhilesh-Rijiju Clash Over Minorities123PhotostoriesWhy defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? 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