VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Gwyneth Paltrow joins TikTok with bold debut featuring topless clips and playful multilingual introduction Asmita Dey Judo Gold: “Everything had finished after my father died”: Behind Asmita Dey’s historic gold medal lies an emotional story of her father who earned ₹300 a month by fixing cycles IAF face of Operation Sindoor Air Marshal Bharti retires India’s quiet overtesting crisis (AI-generated image) Walk into any diagnostics lab in a major Indian city and you will likely be handed a laminated menu, not of food, but of the body. Silver package, gold package, platinum package. Forty tests, sixty tests, ninety. Fasting blood sugar, thyroid panels, vitamin D, cardiac markers, tumour markers, all bundled together and priced to feel like a bargain rather than a medical decision. Nobody asks whether these tests were prescribed by a doctor, because increasingly, they aren’t. They are sold.This is the quieter side of India’s healthcare story, one that gets far less attention than the shortage of hospital beds or the scarcity of rural doctors. In the country’s cities, among its insured and upwardly mobile, a different problem has taken root: too much testing, too often, for too little reason. Corporate wellness programmes hand out annual full-body checkups as a perk. Insurance companies fold preventive panels into premium plans as a selling point. Diagnostic chains run festive discounts on scans the way electronics stores discount televisions. The result is a population of healthy, asymptomatic people walking out with reports listing dozens of parameters, several flagged in borderline yellow, and no doctor in the room to explain what any of it means.The consequences are not trivial. Overtesting drives a cascade, a mildly abnormal number on an unnecessary test leads to a follow-up scan, which leads to a biopsy, which leads to weeks of anxiety over something that may never have caused harm.Doctors describe patients arriving with thick folders of test results and no clinical complaint, unsure why they were tested in the first place, but certain that more tests must mean better health.The question this raises is not whether early detection saves lives, it does, but whether India’s growing test-industrial complex has confused detection with reassurance, and reassurance with health.When does a test actually become necessary?Ask a doctor practising evidence-based medicine when a test is warranted, and the answer rarely begins with the test itself. It begins with a conversation.”It’s an individualised question,” says Dr. Haripriya Jagadish, Internal Medicine Specialist at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Chennai. “Most practitioners go by evidence-based medicine. The doctor will elicit the history, which will include all the symptoms of the patient, and based on that, the tests are done.”That process, history-taking, is the part of clinical practice most invisible to the patient and most absent from the retail model of testing. A doctor working through a patient’s symptoms, duration, family history and risk factors is, in effect, narrowing a list of possibilities before ordering a single test, so that each test serves to confirm or rule out something specific. A preventive package sold off a billboard skips that step entirely, running dozens of tests without first asking what, if anything, the patient’s body is signalling. India’s overtesting epidemic (AI generated image)According to Dr Jagadish, the reasons a test is actually indicated tend to fall into a few well-defined categories. “The common reasons start from infections, chronic diseases, inflammation and malignancy,” she says. “Everything is based on the symptoms and the science.” An unexplained fever might point toward an infection workup. Unexplained fatigue or weight change, paired with family history, might justify screening for a chronic condition such as diabetes or thyroid dysfunction. Persistent, localised pain or an abnormal finding on physical examination might warrant investigation for inflammation or, in some cases, malignancy. In each instance, the test follows the symptom, not the other way around.This is the clinical logic that preventive test packages tend to bypass. Rather than starting with a patient’s history and narrowing toward a hypothesis, they start with a menu of everything available and work backward, hoping that volume compensates for the absence of a clinical question. For Dr. Jagadish’s generation of evidence-based practitioners, that inversion is precisely the problem, not that testing itself is harmful, but that testing without a preceding clinical reason strips it of the context needed to interpret what the results actually mean.Regulation that hasn’t caught upWhen a pharmaceutical company in India wants to advertise a prescription drug to the public, the law steps in, such advertising is restricted, and in most cases requires government authorisation before it can run. When a diagnostics chain wants to advertise a bundle of forty preventive tests, including several with genuine cancer-screening implications, no equivalent threshold exists. The test package occupies a regulatory blind spot: not quite a drug, not quite a medical procedure requiring a prescription, and therefore largely free to be marketed the way any consumer product would be, with discounts, urgency, and appeals to fear.India’s oversight of diagnostic laboratories does exist, but it is aimed almost entirely at technical quality, accreditation bodies set standards for how accurately a lab must run a test, not for whether that test should have been sold to an asymptomatic customer in the first place, or how the results should be communicated once they arrive. There is no requirement that a preventive test package be accompanied by pre-test counselling, no mandate that a qualified clinician interpret results before they reach the patient, and no restriction on marketing screening tests directly to consumers with no clinical indication.This is not a uniquely Indian problem, direct-to-consumer testing has expanded globally, and regulators in some markets have begun responding, tightening requirements around what claims these tests can make and how aggressively they can be marketed to healthy people. What distinguishes India is the pace of that catch-up. As the market for retail diagnostics has scaled rapidly across metros and now smaller cities, the regulatory apparatus governing how these tests are sold, and to whom, has largely stayed where it was decades ago, built for an era when a blood test still required a doctor to ask for it.The anxiety economyThe report itself rarely arrives with context. It arrives as a PDF or a printed sheet, rows of values, reference ranges in brackets, and a handful highlighted in red or yellow, with no accompanying explanation of what those deviations actually mean for a specific person’s health. For a patient with no symptoms and no clinical history prompting the test, that ambiguity becomes fertile ground for anxiety.The pattern is a familiar one to clinicians. A mildly elevated tumour marker, a borderline nodule on an incidental scan, a number just outside the “normal” range on a test that was never clinically indicated in the first place, these findings, once flagged, tend to set off a cascade. The patient seeks a specialist opinion. The specialist, unable to rule out concern from a single data point, orders a follow-up scan or a repeat test. In some cases, that escalates further to a biopsy or invasive procedure, undertaken to investigate a finding that may have had no clinical significance to begin with. The anxiety economy (AI generated image)Dr Jagadish points to this as one of the central risks of indiscriminate testing. “The problem with getting too many tests, especially ones like cancer screening, is when you do them and get an abnormal value, unless there’s a medical correlation, it can do more harm than good,” she says. “Especially this generation has a lot of anxiety around that. It unnecessarily drives up the medical cost of the patient as well as the psychological trauma.”That psychological toll rarely features in conversations about overtesting, which tend to focus on financial waste or clinical inefficiency. But for the patient sitting with an unexplained abnormal result, the experience is rarely just administrative. It is weeks of uncertainty, repeated consultations, and a growing preoccupation with a number that may resolve on its own, or may never have meant anything at all. For a generation already primed toward health anxiety, amplified by symptom-checking apps, wellness content and a culture that treats more data as inherently reassuring, an unexplained flagged result can be harder to sit with than the absence of information ever was.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWhat gets lost in this cycle is the fact that not every abnormality requires action. Medicine has long understood that some findings are incidental, present, but clinically irrelevant, yet a system that tests first and interprets later leaves little room for that nuance. The result is a quiet, largely undocumented cost of overtesting: not just money spent on unnecessary follow-ups, but the accumulated weight of worry carried by people who were never actually sick.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAadrita HalderWrites on social matters, geopolitics, and trending issues for the Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch123PhotostoriesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you5 ancient Egyptian rituals that are deeply disturbing123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up IIT Kanpur launches six-month online certificate course in AI, ML, and business analytics; admissions open Salman Khan takes massive fee cut for ‘SVC63’ with Vamshi Paidipally, charging Rs 70 crore instead of Rs 120 crore: Report Psychology says people who still read physical books instead of e-books have these 7 unique psychological strengths ‘Extensive response plans’: Iran threatens US energy sites after Trump warning Ajit Doval is the country’s longest-serving National Security Advisor. NEW DELHI: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Saturday received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune in recognition of his contribution to strengthening India’s national security.Union home minister Amit Shah presented the award at a ceremony held on the 106th death anniversary of freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Watch NSA Ajit Doval Flags Evolving Terrorism And Disruptive Technologies At BRICS MeetThe event took place at the Kataria High School ground in Mukundnagar and was attended by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, along with several senior political leaders and dignitaries.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe award, presented by the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust, honours individuals for their outstanding contribution to the nation. Trust president Rohit Tilak had earlier announced that Doval was chosen this year for his role in strengthening India’s national security.Doval, the country’s longest-serving National Security Advisor, has played a key role in shaping India’s security strategy and has been associated with several major operations, including Operation Sindoor, the Balakot air strike and the surgical strikes.Instituted in 1983, the Lokmanya Tilak National Award has previously been conferred on several eminent personalities. Veteran socialist S M Joshi was the first recipient of the honour. Former President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh are among the distinguished recipients. Union minister Nitin Gadkari received the award last year.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 MediaVideosThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner123PhotostoriesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you5 ancient Egyptian rituals that are deeply disturbing123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up Quote of the day by George Clooney: ‘You’re never as good as they say you are and you’re never as bad as they say you are’ when the ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ icon explained why balance matters more than praise. Dholera’s wildlife: A hidden ecosystem of birds, grasslands and coastal life A scientist buried himself in wet concrete to answer one question: Why is it so difficult to sink into? ‘Academics, art can coexist’: Mumbai girl hits back at BJP ‘Gen Z’ post, claims scored 93% in Class 10 and 12 Dipke’s father, Bhagwan Dipke, said doctors had been called to examine his son. NEW DELHI: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke fell ill again on Saturday morning after feeling uneasy and vomiting while meeting supporters at his residence in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, days after revealing that he had been diagnosed with typhoid.The incident occurred at around 11.45 am, when Dipke came down to the parking area of his residence to meet a group of people waiting to see him.According to those present, he suddenly felt unwell and moved to the rear of the building, where he vomited. He later returned upstairs to his residence without speaking to the media.Confirming the incident, Dipke’s father, Bhagwan Dipke, said doctors had been called to examine his son.Dipke had disclosed on July 25, during the protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, that he had been diagnosed with typhoid. At the time, he said he had been unwell for several days and was undergoing treatment.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 MediaVideosThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner123PhotostoriesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you5 ancient Egyptian rituals that are deeply disturbing123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up Commonwealth Games 2026 Day 10 Live: Record 10 Indian boxers chase gold in Glasgow Andhra Pradesh NEET UG 2026 rank list released at drntr.uhsap.in: Direct link to download here ‘My brother supports me in everything, though we do fight sometimes’: Vismaya Mohanlal opens up on his bond with brother Pranav ‘I was paid millions for those roles’: Kangana Ranaut hits back at trolls sharing film clips Around 150 BCE, Aksum rose along Red Sea trade routes; researchers say surviving Tigray grapevines may preserve part of that ancient agricultural legacy Toxic Movie Trailer: Yash and Geetu Mohandas’ ‘Toxic’ Trailer Set to Release on August 8, Theatrical Debut on August 26 | GST collections jump 15.4% to over Rs 2.11 lakh crore in July The attack took place late on Friday evening in the Kelam area of south Kashmir, where unidentified gunmen opened fire on the workers NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of two migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh who were killed in a terrorist attack at a brick kiln in Kulgam district.The attack took place late on Friday evening in the Kelam area of south Kashmir, where unidentified gunmen opened fire on the workers. The victims, both in their 20s, had travelled to the Valley in search of work after leaving their villages in Chhattisgarh.One of the labourers, 24-year-old Deepak Ratre, died before he could be taken to hospital. The second victim, 28-year-old Bhupendra Bhaina, was initially admitted to Government Medical College, Anantnag, before being shifted to SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar, where he later succumbed to his injuries.Deepak, from Bundeli village in Sakti district, was the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes his elderly mother, a physically disabled younger brother, his wife and their four-month-old son. His uncle said Deepak had moved to Jammu and Kashmir around seven to eight months ago with his wife to work at the brick kiln in the hope of building a better future.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesBhupendra, from Chhuiya village in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district, had reached Kashmir around three months ago with his wife. The couple had left their four-year-old son in the care of his grandmother and younger sister while other family members worked as labourers in Himachal Pradesh.Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the killings, describing the attack as “cowardly”. He said the state government stood firmly with the bereaved families and had directed officials to coordinate with the Jammu and Kashmir administration to bring the bodies back home.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’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi123PhotostoriesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you5 ancient Egyptian rituals that are deeply disturbing123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up DU one-year PG admission 2026 correction window opens; last chance to edit application today Samara Weaving bags the Emma Frost role in Marvel’s upcoming ‘X-Men’ film directed by Jake Schreier. Best Seeds To Sow In August: August gardening guide: Which are the best seeds to sow this month PM Modi inaugurates Rs 5,000 crore Bhogapuram Airport in Andhra Pradesh ‘We wanted performers, not so-called stars’: ‘Dhurandhar’ maker reveals why Ranveer Singh was cast in Aditya Dhar’s directorial CWG 2026 boxing schedule: Meet the 10 Indian boxers fighting for gold medals today NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for compassion towards students accused of abusing him at the Jantar Mantar protest has triggered a fresh response, with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke questioning whether the message of forgiveness would extend beyond words.Reacting to the Prime Minister’s selfie-style Instagram video, Dipke wrote, “Fraand, sirf reel par hi maaf karoge ya cases bhi wapas loge?(Friend, will you forgive them only through reels, or will you also withdraw the cases?)”The Prime Minister’s video, shared on his official Instagram and X handles on Friday, came after a 15-year old protester from Noida was booked for allegedly using derogatory language against him during at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.In the video, PM Modi said, “Today I just feel like talking to you. The country and the world have witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar. Some mischievous children used very crude and abusive language, words that do not befit any civilized society. I was personally abused, and even my late mother was subjected to abuse. It was a truly ugly spectacle.”Acknowledging the public outrage over the incident, the Prime Minister urged people to view the matter through the lens of reform rather than punishment.He said that while the students’ remarks had understandably outraged society, mistakes are part of growing up. He urged people to forgive them, guide them in the right direction, and help them reform, saying the students had “lost their way” but deserved an opportunity to correct themselves.The Prime Minister further argued against prolonged legal action and social ostracisation.”Punishing them, dragging them through court proceedings, and harassing them in society, none of this will change the situation. I want to forgive them. Society, too, should accept this,” PM Modi said, while urging the students to learn from their mistakes and move forward.Earlier, Dipke had questioned the police action and alleged selective enforcement of the law.In a video shared by CJP on X, he said, “If you are registering cases for abusing, when will cases be registered against those BJP IT Cell people who have been using abusive language for women online for years?”He further alleged that several social media users identifying themselves with the BJP had routinely targeted women online.”They have been using all kinds of words, not respecting women from any angle. And they proudly wrote in their bio, ‘Followed by PM Modi’. Such people have abused girls. When will the case be filed on them?” Dipke said.Questioning the criminal proceedings, Dipke argued that abusive language, while objectionable, should not automatically attract criminal prosecution.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines”If cases are to be filed for abusing, highest number of cases will be filed against the BJP’s IT Cell, because they are the ones who have abused women the most. And it will be against BJP’s leaders, who have used bad language for years, even inside the Parliament,” he said.In a post accompanying the video, CJP asked, “Will an FIR be filed against all those IT Cell members who have been abusing women for the last several years?”This is not the first time Dipke has publicly reacted to one of the Prime Minister’s social media videos. Earlier on Thursday, after PM Modi released a video message highlighting the recently passed anti-paper leak legislation, Dipke commented on Instagram, “Your skin is brighter than the country’s future.”The Prime Minister had described the legislation as a key reform aimed at strengthening the examination system.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorSubhadra SrivastavaSubhadra Srivastava is a journalist with The Times of India, covering geopolitics, international and national affairs. With over three years of experience, she focuses on national and global developments, conflict, diplomacy and their impact on India. Her work combines breaking news with in-depth analysis, offering readers context and clarity on the stories shaping the world.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi123Photostories5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you5 ancient Egyptian rituals that are deeply disturbingBreast cancer often begins without pain: Doctor explains the early warning signs every woman should know and why timely screening can save lives123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up ‘Who hasn’t faced betrayal in life?’: D. Imman makes an emotional statement about why a song from ‘Niram’ connected with him | Tamil Movie News A love that waited 7 years ended in 1 month: Army major returns home draped in Tricolour | Jodhpur News Jairam Ramesh accuses PM Modi of playing ‘victim card’ NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks about “forgiving” the country’s youth.He said the Prime Minister should instead apologise over a range of issues, including alleged exam paper leaks, the treatment of student protesters, demonetisation and the functioning of the Ram Mandir Trust.In a post on X, Ramesh said, “The self-declared non-biological PM enjoys playing the victim card.” He further alleged that the Prime Minister “uses vile vitriol against his predecessors and political opponents” and “very frequently peddles lies to defame them, not just in his public speeches but in Parliament itself.””He uses vile vitriol against his predecessors and political opponents. He very frequently peddles lies to defame them, not just in his public speeches but in Parliament itself. He unleashes an army of foul-mouthed abusers both in Parliament and outside and gives them full protection,” Ramesh said. Referring to the National Testing Agency (NTA) and student protests, Ramesh said, “the entire nation is wanting the PM to apologise for the trauma inflicted on lakhs of youth through his paper leak-ridden NTA and his Home Ministry-sanctioned brutality on student protestors.” He also said the Prime Minister owed an apology over the “Chanda Chori Astha Dhoka by the Ram Mandir Trust” and for the “Tughlakian notebandi of Nov 8 2016 that destroyed crores of livelihoods and shuttered lakhs if MSMEs.”Ramesh added, “but late last night, in act of supreme self-obsession, the PM said that he forgave our youth.” He alleged that the remark was “an insult to the nation and to our youth”, adding that young people had suffered under the government’s policies and were instead seeking an apology from the Prime Minister.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines”The Prime Minister’s InstaGram Sabhas are fooling no one,” Ramesh added.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shared a video late at night that carried a message against abusive language and hate, saying “abuses never solve anything,” amid a controversy over alleged derogatory remarks made against him by a woman from Noida during a protest in Delhi.”Abuses never solve anything. Let’s guide the misguided. Let’s work together. Let’s work for Bharat,” PM Modi wrote, sharing the video on X.In the video, PM Modi also highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s examination system, citing Parliament’s passage of a stringent anti-paper leak law.”Friends, we are continuously taking one step after another to build a trustworthy examination system. Whether it is creating fast-track mechanisms or incorporating suggestions from the states, we are working in that direction.”The Prime Minister said paper leaks had affected governments across the country for decades and jeopardised the future of students.PM Modi reiterated that the government would act firmly against those involved in paper leak rackets.Get the latest India News and Live updates. 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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’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi123Photostories5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? 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