VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Hockey World Cup: India’s semifinal hopes end after 1-3 loss to Netherlands ‘Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot’: Trump’s appeal to voters ahead of midterms Pisces, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: Your luck rises, but don’t let emotions lead Final minutes of Maharashtra hill tragedy: Sarpanch offers iPhone, teen says ‘death only solution now’ In 1983, Shekhar Kapur’s directorial debut ‘Masoom’ opened to an EMPTY theatre, but later was crowned as a CULT CLASSIC: ‘There were only two people, and one of them was me’ Being queer in Kashmir: Families, phones, friendships monitored, says report US Death Valley tragedy: French tourist dies after vehicle gets stuck in 47°C heat Updated: Aug 22, 2026, 21:30 IST Aquarius, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: You are likely to encounters mixed vibes: Financial caution needed as emotional clouds drift ‘Crushed his lungs, calculated conspiracy’: How a ‘minor’ dispute ended in Adobe techie’s death Indian-origin UC Santa Cruz student dies as car plunges from cliff into ocean, male driver escaped with minor injuries ‘Cannot accept what US has offered’: Canada PM Carney defiant as trade talks collapse Large gathering at Jantar Mantar over caste based reservation NEW DELHI: Union MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said reservation is a “constitutional right” and termed demands for its abolition “unconstitutional”, arguing that several needy communities continue to benefit from the system.Addressing a press conference, Athawale said some people had demanded the abolition of reservation during protests at Jantar Mantar, while similar campaigns were also being run on social media. “Reservation cannot be removed because it is our constitutional right,” he said, news agency PTI reported.Athawale said reservation, initially provided for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, had been expanded to include other sections, including Economically Weaker Sections. He argued that there was no justification for ending the system as “all needy groups are benefiting from it”.‘End caste system first’Athawale said that while untouchability was prohibited under Article 17 of the Constitution, caste-based discrimination and atrocities against SC communities continued, particularly in rural areas.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“Our stand is very clear. Those seeking abolition of reservation should first ensure an end to the caste system. We will not insist on reservation once caste is eliminated,” he said.He also said the Narendra Modi-led government was working to protect reservation and ensure social justice. Athawale’s Republican Party of India (A) has been an NDA ally since 2014, he said, adding that his party wanted all needy communities to receive reservation.The call for the demonstration at Jantar Mantar was made by the “Reservation Hatao Andolan”, an Instagram page that has gained significant traction by adopting protest-mobilisation tactics of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).Get the latest India News and Live updates. 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Expert explains what humidity, sweat and rainwater are doing to your scalp and how to prevent itFrom a net worth of over Rs 2,000 crores to a lavish house in Delhi: Shalini Passi’s luxurious lifestyleHow to wash citrus fruits properly to remove wax, germs and dirtMen with heart disease may face a higher cancer risk, study suggests: 7 simple ways to keep your heart healthy and happy10 bizarre luxury fashion trends that stunned the internet: From Margaret Qualley’s ‘barefoot’ Chanel shoes to Balenciaga’s trash bags123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash Capricorn, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: Passionate moments amidst Monday’s gloom; navigating relationship ups and downs Who is Sara Bejlek? Inside the 20-year-old tennis star’s rise from beating World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka to reaching the Cincinnati Open semifinals A one-horned rhinoceros grazes in the Burapahar Range of Kaziranga National Park (PTI Photo) At dawn, Kaziranga wakes to mist rising over its tall grasslands. Elephants move through the wilderness as jeep tracks wind past marshes, while one-horned rhinos emerge from the grass.By afternoon, the landscape transforms into a trail of wildlife sightings, wild water buffalo, deer, elephants and, for visitors, glimpses of one of India’s most celebrated natural habitats.But beyond the park’s boundary, another debate is unfolding. How much space should be left between Kaziranga’s protected landscape and the towns, homes and businesses that surround it?The Assam government has proposed replacing the existing default 10-km eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve with a site-specific ESZ extending between one and three kilometres from the park boundary.The proposal has triggered a debate over how far conservation restrictions should extend beyond a protected area and how the needs of communities living alongside Kaziranga can be balanced with wildlife protection.The state government says the proposal will ease restrictions on housing, healthcare, infrastructure and local businesses while continuing to protect Kaziranga. It has also maintained that the move will not alter the boundary of the national park or its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The opposition and conservationists, however, have raised concerns that a narrower ESZ could weaken safeguards around an ecosystem whose ecological footprint extends beyond the park’s legal boundary.What is an eco-sensitive zone?An eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) is a regulatory buffer around protected areas such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. It acts as an additional layer of protection for ecologically sensitive areas outside the protected area’s boundary.ESZs are declared by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change based on proposals submitted by state governments and in accordance with the 2011 guidelines for declaring ESZs.The idea is to create a “shock absorber” around protected areas, providing a transition between areas requiring a high level of protection and those where human activity is more intensive.Importantly, an ESZ is regulatory rather than automatically prohibitive. Activities within an ESZ are classified based on their environmental impact and may be prohibited, regulated or permitted under the applicable rules.The declaration of an ESZ does not, by itself, mean that local communities can no longer carry out activities such as farming or building houses. The specific restrictions depend on the ESZ notification and the nature of the activity.Why Assam wants a smaller ESZChief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly argued that the 10-km ESZ around Kaziranga is a default arrangement, rather than a site-specific zone determined after assessing local conditions.On August 8, Sarma said the state government would submit a proposal to the Centre to reduce the ESZ from 10 km to 1 km, citing the need to facilitate development around Kaziranga, including the construction of a stadium.He later clarified that the existing 10-km ESZ would remain in force until the state’s proposal is formally notified.”The Supreme Court has said that around a wildlife sanctuary, the eco-sensitive zone will normally be 1 km, and if required, it can go up to three kilometres. Until the state notifies it, the eco-sensitive zone will remain 10 km. The moment it is notified, it will be reduced to 1 km,” Sarma said.If people living around Kaziranga are displaced, who will protect Kaziranga?CM Himanta Biswa SarmaSarma has argued that retaining a uniform 10-km buffer would bring large populated areas under the regulatory framework and restrict development. “If we maintain 10 km all around Kaziranga, then everything in Kaliabor, Doboka, Jakhalabandha will be finished,” he added.”Local people have to run businesses to survive. Even the Numaligarh Refinery will have to be closed down if the 10 km area around Kaziranga is notified as ESZ,” he said. “If people living around Kaziranga are displaced, who will protect Kaziranga?” Sarma added.The chief minister has also said residents should be able to pursue livelihood opportunities, including businesses involving GI-tagged products, while continuing to coexist with wildlife.Sarma has pointed to the geographical spread of Kaziranga and its adjoining areas, saying the park extends beyond the Kohora range towards Biswanath Ghat.A uniform 10-km zone from the park boundary, he said, could affect areas towards Gohpur and Biswanath Chariali.The government has similarly cited development requirements in Bokakhat, including a proposed modern stadium and other civic infrastructure, as examples of projects that could face restrictions under the existing arrangement.”Since Kaziranga has not yet been finally notified, the default eco-sensitive zone is 10 km. Once the notification is completed, we will propose a scientifically defined 1-km eco-sensitive zone. That will remove unnecessary restrictions and allow us to undertake development works in Bokakhat while continuing to protect wildlife,” Sarma said, according to local news reports.What did the SC say?In June 2022, the Supreme Court directed that an ESZ of at least 1 km should be declared around protected forests, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.The court subsequently modified aspects of that order after states and the Centre argued that a uniform approach was not practical in all areas.It also recognised that a rigid approach could create difficulties for people living around protected areas and potentially increase human-animal conflict.The one-kilometre figure, therefore, should not be understood as an automatic instruction that every protected area must have exactly a 1-km ESZ.The extent of an ESZ can vary according to local conditions. This is the basis on which the Assam government is seeking a site-specific approach for Kaziranga.Until the proposed ESZ is formally notified, however, the existing default 10-km arrangement continues to apply, according to the state government.What is Assam government’s stand?The Assam government maintains that an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) is not a blanket ban on construction or tourism. While activities considered environmentally harmful, including mining and certain polluting activities, face restrictions, other development can be permitted subject to prescribed regulations.The government also argues that ESZs need not be uniform and can vary according to the ecological and developmental conditions of a particular area. It has cited existing ESZs in Assam to support its case.Around Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, for instance, the notified ESZ varies from 170 metres to 8.1 km from the sanctuary boundary. Around Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, it ranges from zero kilometres along the interstate boundary with Nagaland to 22.54 km in other areas.The state says Kaziranga should similarly have a site-specific ESZ based on its ecological characteristics and the needs of surrounding communities.The ESZ debate has also become intertwined with a separate controversy over tourism infrastructure near Kaziranga. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has rejected allegations that the proposed reduction is aimed at facilitating a five-star hotel project near the park.“There is no connection between the hotel project and the ESZ debate. The ESZ framework primarily restricts mining and certain polluting and environmentally damaging activities, rather than prohibiting hotels or tourism facilities. If somebody is protesting against the hotel on the grounds that it will fall within an ESZ, they do not understand what an ESZ is,” he said.Sarma has argued that tourism is important to Kaziranga’s economy and cited Jim Corbett as an example of tourism infrastructure around protected areas.However, the regulations do impose restrictions on certain tourism projects. A 2025 Gauhati high court record concerning tourism infrastructure noted that new commercial hotels and resorts are prohibited within one kilometre of the protected-area boundary or the applicable ESZ limit, whichever is nearer. Tourism projects beyond that distance but within the ESZ remain subject to applicable regulations and plans.A balance between wildlife and peopleAt the heart of the Assam government’s argument is the question of how conservation rules affect people living around Kaziranga.Thousands of residents live in the park’s surrounding areas, with livelihoods linked to agriculture, tourism, local businesses and other economic activities. The state government has argued that the existing 10-km arrangement can make it difficult for communities to build homes and develop basic infrastructure.That argument has also found support among some residents. On August 18, hundreds of people from areas including Bagori and Kuthori rallied from Kuthori to Haldhibari in support of the proposed reduction. Residents said restrictions associated with the 10-km zone had affected their everyday lives and backed a site-specific approach.They argued that communities living alongside Kaziranga should have room to build homes, pursue livelihoods and improve basic infrastructure while continuing to coexist with wildlife.The rally came a day after Assam Congress workers held a demonstration near Kaziranga opposing the proposal, underscoring the wider debate over where to draw the line between protecting a fragile ecosystem and allowing communities around it to grow.Congress raises mining concernsThe Assam Congress has strongly opposed the proposed reduction. State party president and Lok Sabha deputy leader of opposition Gaurav Gogoi led a protest at the Kohora range and demanded that the proposal be withdrawn.Gogoi alleged that the move could provide a “legal cover” for mining and weaken wildlife conservation.”Rampant illegal coal, stone and sand mining patronised by the ruling dispensation has triggered catastrophic floods across upper Assam, destroying over 4,000 houses and claiming more than 100 lives,” Gogoi alleged.He also claimed that deforestation and hill mining had pushed tigers and elephants towards human settlements, worsening human-animal conflict.The allegations have been rejected by the state government. Sarma has accused the opposition of politicising the issue and argued that criticism should be based on an assessment of the proposed ESZ’s likely environmental impact.Mining is particularly significant in the debate because it is among the activities subject to strict restrictions within ESZs.The Gauhati high court’s March 2026 order noted that mining was prohibited within the applicable 10-km ESZ under the prevailing arrangement.Reducing the ESZ could therefore change the regulatory framework applicable to areas that currently fall within the 10-km zone.Why conservationists are concernedKaziranga’s wildlife does not always remain within the park’s legal boundary. Every year, when floodwaters rise, animals move towards higher ground outside the park.For conservationists, this makes the landscape surrounding Kaziranga an important part of the larger ecosystem.Wildlife conservationist Jadav Payeng said, “[Kaziranga National Park] is not just Assam’s pride, but it’s a world heritage site. The proposal, if implemented, would have a drastic effect on wildlife in the national park.”He said rhinos, deer and elephants leave Kaziranga during annual floods and move towards nearby higher areas for safety.According to Payeng, reducing the ESZ could restrict these movements and leave animals vulnerable. He also questioned the need to reduce the ESZ to facilitate construction activities near the national park.Terming it as trespassing into the animal territory would be fair as reducing the eco-sensitive zone from 10 km to 1 km is disheartening to the wildlife and local community.Environmentalist Kavita AshokEnvironmentalist Kavita Ashok also raised concerns over the proposed reduction.”Terming it as trespassing into the animal territory would be fair as reducing the eco-sensitive zone from 10 km to 1 km is disheartening to the wildlife and local community,” Kavita said.“The routes will be disrupted and animals would be displaced from their terrain. Traffic, development and maybe even construction of any sort will create imbalance in the otherwise peaceful Kaziranga zone,” she added.The concern is particularly relevant because Kaziranga is a flood-dependent ecosystem. Annual floods replenish its wetlands and grasslands, but severe flooding can also become deadly for wildlife.More than 130 wild animals, including at least six rhinos, died during the 2024 floods, according to the conservation assessment. The deaths included 117 hog deer, two sambar deer, a rhesus macaque and an otter.In 2017, more than 350 animals died during floods and vehicle collisions as wildlife moved through corridors towards higher ground.This makes the landscape outside Kaziranga more than just a development zone. For animals moving out during floods, the surrounding areas can become temporary refuge and passage routes to safer ground.Ecosystem that extends beyond boundaryThe debate is therefore not simply about whether the ESZ should be 1 km, 3 km or 10 km. The larger question is what lies within those boundaries.Kaziranga is recognised internationally for its exceptional biodiversity. Unesco describes the park as an important habitat for the one-horned rhinoceros and other threatened species, including wild water buffalo, swamp deer, elephants and tigers.The 2025 Conservation Outlook Assessment also highlights Kaziranga’s importance for rare and endangered mammals and birds. It describes the park as the world’s major stronghold of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and notes its significant populations of wild water buffalo, swamp deer and Bengal tigers.The assessment identifies several pressures on the landscape, including flooding, traffic along the highway bordering the park, tourism pressure, wildlife movement through corridors, invasive species, livestock grazing and human-wildlife conflict.Unplanned tourism infrastructure around the park has also raised concerns because construction can affect animal movement through wildlife corridors.This makes the exact mapping of the proposed 1–3 km ESZ critical. A smaller zone may not necessarily mean weaker conservation if it is scientifically designed to protect the most sensitive areas.Its effectiveness, however, will depend on whether important wildlife corridors, flood escape routes, wetlands, grasslands and other ecologically sensitive areas are included in the final notified zone.The Assam government has repeatedly stressed that reducing the ESZ would not reduce the area of Kaziranga National Park.Kaziranga was inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List in 1985. The World Heritage property covers 42,996 hectares and is recognised for its exceptional biodiversity and its importance as a habitat for the one-horned rhinoceros.The proposed ESZ lies outside the protected-area boundary. A change in the ESZ therefore does not, by itself, change the boundary of the national park or its World Heritage status.At the same time, Unesco has historically stressed the importance of protecting areas around Kaziranga and encouraged India to provide a legal basis to protect the buffer zone south of the park, including the Mikir Hills and Karbi Plateau.What happens next?The Assam government has said its proposal will go through the prescribed process involving the Centre and scientific examination before a final ESZ is notified.Until then, the existing default 10-km arrangement will continue to apply. The final notification will be crucial because it will determine not just the width of the ESZ, but also which villages, roads, development projects, wildlife corridors and ecologically sensitive areas fall within it.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThat is likely to be the real test of the proposal.For Kaziranga, the challenge is to protect a landscape that does not end at a line on a map while ensuring that communities living alongside one of India’s most important national parks have space for homes, livelihoods and essential infrastructure.The debate over 1 km versus 10 km is therefore not merely about a number. It is about finding the point where the needs of people and the movement of wildlife can coexist without one coming at the cost of the other.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. Her reporting also focuses on policy, governance and economic developments, with a close lens on how decisions in corridors of power affect everyday lives and community well-being.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndiGo Delhi-Gorakhpur Flight Makes Two Go-Arounds, Suffers Tail Impact During Third LandingPunjab Gangster’s Thar Rams Coconut Seller During Police Chase, CCTV Captures Entire IncidentRajasthan School Crisis: 611 Schools Lack Buildings, Thousands More Face Unsafe InfrastructureBJP Builds Gen Z Team As Rahul Gandhi Takes Student Outreach To Pune With ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’SC-ST Act Repeal, Creamy Layer Demand: Protesters Seek Major Overhaul Of India’s Reservation SystemBCI Chief Manan Mishra Rejects CJP’s Resignation Demand, Says Lawyers Can Never Be CockroachesH1N1 Cases Rise In Delhi: Health Minister Nadda Holds Meet, Reviews Swine Flu Situation‘Proportionate Response’: MEA Explains Bulldozer Action Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi4-Year-Old Viral Sensation Karga Tinkle EXCLUSIVE | “Don’t Call Me Chinese, I Am Indian”‘Making Provocative Remarks Against India For Years’: MEA Slams US Body Over RSS Sanctions Call123Photostories10 meaningful baby boy names inspired by positive human qualities10 famous foods that became popular when people had very little moneyFrom Ed Sheeran to Elton John: Stars who stay away from technologyBandhani to Leheriya: Indian textiles fashion lovers often mistake for each other7 telltale signs your ‘office bestie’ is quietly competing with youHair fall getting worse every monsoon? Expert explains what humidity, sweat and rainwater are doing to your scalp and how to prevent itFrom a net worth of over Rs 2,000 crores to a lavish house in Delhi: Shalini Passi’s luxurious lifestyleHow to wash citrus fruits properly to remove wax, germs and dirtMen with heart disease may face a higher cancer risk, study suggests: 7 simple ways to keep your heart healthy and happy10 bizarre luxury fashion trends that stunned the internet: From Margaret Qualley’s ‘barefoot’ Chanel shoes to Balenciaga’s trash bags123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash ‘Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai’ actor Rajesh Kumar was in Rs 2 crore debt before ‘Saiyaara’ as left acting for farming on Sadhguru’s advice: ‘Because of his grace, I won’t call it failure’ Aries, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: You may find new income avenues; investment decisions should be approached cautiously FIR against Abhijeet Dipke for ‘entering govt school without permission, threatening teachers’ Press Club of India president speaks out on ‘Modi chalisa’ row. Photo credit: PTI New Delhi: Press Club of India president Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty on Saturday said the journalists’ body neither organised nor endorsed the ‘Modi Chalisa’ event at its premises, calling it “a victim of a breach of trust”.Sharing a video statement on X, Pisharoty said the Press Club regularly rents out its premises and has a standard operating procedure (SOP) governing such events.“By now several of you may have noticed a photograph or a video clip featuring certain individuals reciting what they call the Modi Chalisa at the Press Club of India. At the outset, I want to reiterate clearly that that event was neither organized by the Press Club of India nor it endorsed it. A clear no,” she said.The clarification came after photographs and videos from Thursday’s event were widely circulated online, showing a cutout of Prime Minister Narendra Modi being depicted in a god-like manner as a devotional poem described as the ‘Modi Chalisa’ was recited. The Press Club had issued a clarification the same day, stating that it had not organised the event and that club authorities stopped it after the terms of the venue booking were violated.Pisharoty said the club’s rules require every event to be recommended by a member, who must also be present during the programme.“In this case, the trust placed by the club on the recommending member was breached,” she said, adding that the member was not present during the event, which was itself a violation of club rules.She said the hall had been booked for a press conference, but the organisers instead lit a live fire indoors.“Instead a live fire was lit indoors inside the hall which was a huge violation of the terms under which our venue is rented out,” Pisharoty said, adding that the secretary general has also issued show-cause notices to those concerned and initiated a review of the SOPs, she said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe organiser, Rajan Singh, vice-president of the Bihar State Transgender Welfare Board, told PTI that he planned to construct a temple for Modi in Bihar.“For the first time ever, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that the transgender community gets its rights… If we want to construct a temple for him, what is wrong with it?” Singh said.He said the proposed temple for “Lord Shri Narendra Modi ji” would cost Rs 112 crore and be built on five acres of land in Bihar.Pisharoty, meanwhile, said the Press Club would continue to focus on media freedom and open discussion.“The Press Club of India has always stood for the rights and freedoms of journalists,” she said, adding that the Managing Committee was committed to “preserving and carrying forward that legacy”.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 MediaVideosIndiGo Delhi-Gorakhpur Flight Makes Two Go-Arounds, Suffers Tail Impact During Third LandingPunjab Gangster’s Thar Rams Coconut Seller During Police Chase, CCTV Captures Entire IncidentRajasthan School Crisis: 611 Schools Lack Buildings, Thousands More Face Unsafe InfrastructureBJP Builds Gen Z Team As Rahul Gandhi Takes Student Outreach To Pune With ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’SC-ST Act Repeal, Creamy Layer Demand: Protesters Seek Major Overhaul Of India’s Reservation SystemBCI Chief Manan Mishra Rejects CJP’s Resignation Demand, Says Lawyers Can Never Be CockroachesH1N1 Cases Rise In Delhi: Health Minister Nadda Holds Meet, Reviews Swine Flu Situation‘Proportionate Response’: MEA Explains Bulldozer Action Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi4-Year-Old Viral Sensation Karga Tinkle EXCLUSIVE | “Don’t Call Me Chinese, I Am Indian”‘Making Provocative Remarks Against India For Years’: MEA Slams US Body Over RSS Sanctions Call123Photostories10 meaningful baby boy names inspired by positive human qualities10 famous foods that became popular when people had very little moneyFrom Ed Sheeran to Elton John: Stars who stay away from technologyBandhani to Leheriya: Indian textiles fashion lovers often mistake for each other7 telltale signs your ‘office bestie’ is quietly competing with youHair fall getting worse every monsoon? Expert explains what humidity, sweat and rainwater are doing to your scalp and how to prevent itFrom a net worth of over Rs 2,000 crores to a lavish house in Delhi: Shalini Passi’s luxurious lifestyleHow to wash citrus fruits properly to remove wax, germs and dirtMen with heart disease may face a higher cancer risk, study suggests: 7 simple ways to keep your heart healthy and happy10 bizarre luxury fashion trends that stunned the internet: From Margaret Qualley’s ‘barefoot’ Chanel shoes to Balenciaga’s trash bags123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash 5 dating app habits that can quietly sabotage a promising relationship | Taurus, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: Monday’s setbacks prompt careful actions and communication; all signs point to a steady recovery by Friday ‘You don’t belong to anyone else, but yourself’: Rahul Gandhi’s message to young women The meeting came days after the BJP announced its 65-member national team under party president Nitin Nabin. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met the BJP’s newly appointed team of national office-bearers at the party headquarters in the national capital and posed for a group photograph with them.Sharing pictures from the meeting on X, PM Modi said organisational meetings are an opportunity to exchange ideas and strengthen the party’s connect with people.“Organisational meetings are all about new ideas and perspectives aimed at strengthening the Party and deepening connect with the people. Great interaction with fellow Party colleagues and the new organisational team!” the Prime Minister said.The meeting was the first introductory interaction between PM Modi and the newly constituted national team, marking the beginning of the office-bearers’ new tenure.The meeting came days after the BJP announced its 65-member national team under party president Nitin Nabin. The new team includes 51 new faces and marks the party’s first major organisational reshuffle of this scale since 2015, when Amit Shah was BJP president.Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia and former RSS functionary Ram Madhav have been appointed national vice presidents, while former Union minister Smriti Irani is among the party’s eight national general secretaries.B L Santhosh has been retained as national general secretary (organisation), along with general secretaries Vinod Tawde and Sunil Bansal. The general secretary team also includes Biplab Kumar Deb, Gajendra Patel, Satish Poonia, Harish Dwivedi and Sanjay Bhatia.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe new team has 12 women and six leaders from minority communities.Union minister Piyush Goyal has been reappointed as the BJP’s national treasurer. He had previously held the post before joining the Union Cabinet in 2014.Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh has been appointed central office in-charge. Hemang Joshi of Gujarat will head the Yuva Morcha, while Roop Kumari Choudhary of Chhattisgarh will lead the Mahila Morcha.BJP MP Anil Baluni will continue as media convenor, with Ashish Usha Agrawal, Pradeep Bhandari and Siddharth Yadav as co-convenors. Deepak Mhaskey of Chhattisgarh has been appointed social media convenor.Earlier in the day, Nabin held his first meeting with the newly appointed national office-bearers to discuss preparations for upcoming assembly elections and plans to strengthen grassroots outreach, party sources said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. Her reporting also focuses on policy, governance and economic developments, with a close lens on how decisions in corridors of power affect everyday lives and community well-being.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndiGo Delhi-Gorakhpur Flight Makes Two Go-Arounds, Suffers Tail Impact During Third LandingPunjab Gangster’s Thar Rams Coconut Seller During Police Chase, CCTV Captures Entire IncidentRajasthan School Crisis: 611 Schools Lack Buildings, Thousands More Face Unsafe InfrastructureBJP Builds Gen Z Team As Rahul Gandhi Takes Student Outreach To Pune With ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’SC-ST Act Repeal, Creamy Layer Demand: Protesters Seek Major Overhaul Of India’s Reservation SystemBCI Chief Manan Mishra Rejects CJP’s Resignation Demand, Says Lawyers Can Never Be CockroachesH1N1 Cases Rise In Delhi: Health Minister Nadda Holds Meet, Reviews Swine Flu Situation‘Proportionate Response’: MEA Explains Bulldozer Action Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi4-Year-Old Viral Sensation Karga Tinkle EXCLUSIVE | “Don’t Call Me Chinese, I Am Indian”‘Making Provocative Remarks Against India For Years’: MEA Slams US Body Over RSS Sanctions Call123Photostories10 meaningful baby boy names inspired by positive human qualities10 famous foods that became popular when people had very little moneyFrom Ed Sheeran to Elton John: Stars who stay away from technologyBandhani to Leheriya: Indian textiles fashion lovers often mistake for each other7 telltale signs your ‘office bestie’ is quietly competing with youHair fall getting worse every monsoon? Expert explains what humidity, sweat and rainwater are doing to your scalp and how to prevent itFrom a net worth of over Rs 2,000 crores to a lavish house in Delhi: Shalini Passi’s luxurious lifestyleHow to wash citrus fruits properly to remove wax, germs and dirtMen with heart disease may face a higher cancer risk, study suggests: 7 simple ways to keep your heart healthy and happy10 bizarre luxury fashion trends that stunned the internet: From Margaret Qualley’s ‘barefoot’ Chanel shoes to Balenciaga’s trash bags123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash Sagittarius, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: Charming connections set the week In the early 1960s, developers sold 5,850 lots for a private resort on Assateague Island; one five-day storm wiped out nearly every house and helped turn it into a national seashore Meet Luca McGill, the Arizona eighth-grader who flew a drone 120 metres into the sky expecting cities to have the most ground-level CO2; rural areas did instead On China, Jaishankar said India should continue doing business with Beijing while developing the domestic strength needed to compete with it NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday offered a candid assessment of a rapidly changing global landscape, warning that growing geopolitical and economic tensions are creating new challenges for countries and businesses. He also stressed that India must remain engaged with the world’s major economies while strengthening its own industrial and economic capabilities.Speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2026, Jaishankar said the emerging global environment required countries to reduce vulnerabilities, broaden their economic options and prepare for disruptions rather than rely on assumptions of stability.He framed his assessment around three defining features of the present world order: competition, conflict and the growing use of economic and strategic leverage. To navigate these pressures, he proposed a four-part approach centred on reducing risks, diversifying partnerships and sources, addressing market distortions and maintaining a margin of safety.On China, Jaishankar said India should continue doing business with Beijing while developing the domestic strength needed to compete with it. He said greater self-reliance, industrialisation and manufacturing capacity would allow India to engage China more confidently rather than disengage from it.”We have to do business with the entire world. That includes China too. But it is important we deal with them confidently.”Jaishankar said India-China relations had gone through a difficult period between 2020 and 2024 because of the border situation, but both countries had an interest in maintaining stable ties. He also said India needed to make up for decades of shortcomings in building its manufacturing and industrial base.”So I think a stronger, more self-reliant India, a more industrialised India, a more manufacturing India will be able to actually compete with China as it will with other major countries of the world.”Jaishankar’s 3Cs view of the world”It’s not a very comforting answer I’m going to give,” Jaishankar said while describing how he sees the world today.He said the world had become increasingly competitive, with countries and policymakers pursuing their interests to a point where competition could turn into conflict.”I think what we’ve seen particularly in the last year or so, but I would really describe it as a growing trend. It looks increasingly competitive,” he said, adding that countries and policymakers were pushing their interests “to a point where you actually have conflicts.”He pointed to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the conflict in West Asia as major examples, noting that one had entered its fifth year while there was still no clear “light at the end of the tunnel” for the other.Jaishankar said competition was no longer confined to traditional geopolitical rivalry, with economic and strategic tools increasingly being “weaponised”.”This is a world increasingly characterised by choke points,” he said, explaining that such a choke point emerges when “a country or a set of countries have established dominance” in a particular field and are prepared to use that dominance to exert pressure.According to Jaishankar, such leverage can “inflict pain” on others, while countries exercising it may believe they are sufficiently insulated from the consequences.The 4Ds responseJaishankar then outlined what he described as a response to these challenges.”If I declare the problems in terms of Cs, maybe I move an alphabet beyond,” he said, presenting derisking as his first and “biggest mantra”.”Derisking will be my biggest mantra,” Jaishankar said, stressing that the principle applied not only to businesses but also to politics and strategy.His second D was diversification.”The more partners, the more sources that you have, clearly extending that you derisk,” he said, arguing that countries and businesses should avoid excessive dependence on a small number of partners or sources.The third was dealing with distortions. Jaishankar pointed to disruptions in energy, fertiliser and shipping markets linked to conflicts and the emergence of choke points.For his final point, he urged businesses and policymakers to move beyond the traditional principle of “Trust and Verify”.”Today I say ‘Distrust and Diversify’,” he said, arguing that planning should take into account the possibility that “things may not go right”.He also warned against excessive reliance on just-in-time supply chains and the assumption that the lowest cost should always determine economic decisions.”Don’t let your supply chain really be just in time anymore; don’t assume that your lowest cost will be the determinant,” he said, stressing the importance of building a “margin of safety”.India-China ties need stabilityTurning to China, Jaishankar said India’s engagement with Beijing should ultimately help modernise the Indian economy and strengthen domestic capabilities, even as trade and other economic interactions continue.”But for us, the interaction is the purpose of it is finally to modernise our economy and to develop our capabilities, but even as we do so, obviously there will be trade, there will be other economic interactions with them.”He said India and China had experienced a particularly difficult phase between 2020 and 2024.”I think we went through a particularly bad patch between the summer of 2020 and the autumn of 2024, and that was primarily an outcome of the situation in the border”However, he said both countries remained major economies and markets for each other, and that greater cooperation could be possible if relations remained stable and moved in a more cooperative direction.At the same time, Jaishankar said India had to address the weaknesses created by decades of inadequate industrialisation.”We stand our ground as we have stood in the border. We develop our strengths, which unfortunately, as I said, from the 1960s for half a century, we did not do.””We have to make up for the shortcomings and you know the the mistakes of the past, and and that is really what we are hoping to do.”Jaishankar said building a stronger manufacturing base would be central to India’s ability to compete with China and other major economies.India has raised Chinese visa concernsJaishankar also acknowledged concerns among Indian businesses over difficulties obtaining Chinese business visas, saying the government had taken up the issue.”So, in seeing those stories about business visa issues, which our businessmen have been facing, yes, we have seen it, and I want to say, I mean, for those of you who may have an interest or who may have been affected, we have taken it up as well.”At the political and strategic level, he said both India and China had an interest in maintaining stable relations.”I would also say, at a political level, at a strategic level, they, you know, it’s both of us have an interest in maintaining a certain, you know, I would say stable relationship here.”Jaishankar cautions against US-China ‘G2’ narrativeJaishankar also urged caution over the idea of a US-China “G2″, saying the relationship between Washington and Beijing remained fundamentally competitive despite areas of cooperation.”I think people use that term. I would advise you to treat it with some caution, because the fact is, if you look at the US-China relationship, I think at its heart it’s a fundamentally competitive relationship.”He said the two countries could still cooperate in some areas and remain largely indifferent to each other in others.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines”But as is often the case, it can also be collaborative in certain matters. It can be indifferent in certain sectors.”He added that the US and China would not necessarily compete on every issue, in every geography or at every point in time.”So it is not that they will compete on every issue and every geography and every time flight.”Jaishankar concluded that the uncertainty confronting governments and businesses represented a broader shift in the global environment.”I think this is the reality of the world. It applies to national policymakers; it applies to enterprise decisions,” Jaishankar said, concluding: “I think it is a realistic picture.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndiGo Delhi-Gorakhpur Flight Makes Two Go-Arounds, Suffers Tail Impact During Third LandingPunjab Gangster’s Thar Rams Coconut Seller During Police Chase, CCTV Captures Entire IncidentRajasthan School Crisis: 611 Schools Lack Buildings, Thousands More Face Unsafe InfrastructureBJP Builds Gen Z Team As Rahul Gandhi Takes Student Outreach To Pune With ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’SC-ST Act Repeal, Creamy Layer Demand: Protesters Seek Major Overhaul Of India’s Reservation SystemBCI Chief Manan Mishra Rejects CJP’s Resignation Demand, Says Lawyers Can Never Be CockroachesH1N1 Cases Rise In Delhi: Health Minister Nadda Holds Meet, Reviews Swine Flu Situation‘Proportionate Response’: MEA Explains Bulldozer Action Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi4-Year-Old Viral Sensation Karga Tinkle EXCLUSIVE | “Don’t Call Me Chinese, I Am Indian”‘Making Provocative Remarks Against India For Years’: MEA Slams US Body Over RSS Sanctions Call123Photostories10 meaningful baby boy names inspired by positive human qualities10 famous foods that became popular when people had very little moneyFrom Ed Sheeran to Elton John: Stars who stay away from technologyBandhani to Leheriya: Indian textiles fashion lovers often mistake for each other7 telltale signs your ‘office bestie’ is quietly competing with youHair fall getting worse every monsoon? Expert explains what humidity, sweat and rainwater are doing to your scalp and how to prevent itFrom a net worth of over Rs 2,000 crores to a lavish house in Delhi: Shalini Passi’s luxurious lifestyleHow to wash citrus fruits properly to remove wax, germs and dirtMen with heart disease may face a higher cancer risk, study suggests: 7 simple ways to keep your heart healthy and happy10 bizarre luxury fashion trends that stunned the internet: From Margaret Qualley’s ‘barefoot’ Chanel shoes to Balenciaga’s trash bags123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash Kamal Amrohi charged Rs 10,000 per scene as a writer for ‘Mughal-E-Azam’, went on to earn Rs 2 lakh for the film, reveals his son, opens up on fall-out with K Asif 10 meaningful baby boy names inspired by positive human qualities Scorpio, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: Face challenges before ease; expect hard work and emotional boosting from loved ones Most companies across America laying off employees seemingly have a new slogan: Not being replaced by … India has a rich but complex history of men performing femininity—one that modern drag queens are reclaiming with agency, drawing from both Indian tradition and global queer culture The most heavily quoted feminist scholar, Simone de Beauvoir, launched entire fields of feminist theory by writing – one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.To be a woman, to be feminine was never purely biological, it was also societal. You are shaped into a woman, piece by piece, experience by experience.In her rejection of the arbitrariness one would often attach to what femininity means, she made space for who some would argue is very much a queer icon and a scholar.Almost half a century later, RuPaul said: we’re all born naked, and the rest is drag.It’s a strange thing, watching a philosopher and a reality show host arrive at the same conclusion from opposite directions, that gender was never the given, natural thing it pretends to be, just the costume everyone’s already wearing. De Beauvoir got there through existentialism. RuPaul got there through sequins. Both arrived to the conclusion that the performance was the point all along.The history of ‘drag’ in IndiaA common practice to define drag would be to trace its historic roots in the Indian subcontinent. Women were kept out of public spaces, be it India or the West. So when women roles had to be filled in theatrical production men would dress us as them and take up that role in the public eye.India has its own unique lineage to give to this art form, be it through mythology or folk dance and other cultural performances. In the Natyashastra, men played goddesses, heroines, demonesses, styled into femininity through gesture, costume, and the trained emotionDance forms like Kathakali, Jatra and Yakshagana still carry that inheritance. These traditions though have never termed themselves as drag and only trace lineage through reductive definitions of drag being men becoming women convincingly enough to make an audience believe it.India’s mythology also builds gender transformation directly into the stories being told. In the Mahabharata’s Virata Parva, Arjuna spends a year of exile disguised as Brihannala, a court dancer and music teacher, cursed by the nymph Urvashi to live without his manhood after refusing her. Shikhandi was also born a woman, raised as a warrior, and eventually granted manhood by a Yaksha to fulfil a vow of vengeance against Bhishma.None of this stayed confined to myth and stage. In Ahmedabad, on the eighth night of Navratri, men of the Barot community drape themselves in saris and jewellery to dance garba. In Kottankulangara, Kerala, thousands of men dress as women each year for Chamayavilakku, offering prayers to the goddess Durga at a temple local legend says was born from a bleeding stone, with no women present at the founding moment, boys dressed as women to complete the ritual.Outside temple and epic, there is the tradition of Launda Naach, male dancers performing in women’s dress at weddings, in the North Indian belt. It’s argued to be India’s oldest living form of vernacular drag but it shows no interest in being called “drag”.India’s modern drag is a celebration of the feminine inside a being, a lot of what we try to say it draws its lineage from was never a celebration. In some instances it was perversion and in most it was erasure of women from public spaces.A man performing femininity is not automatically a drag queen.The historical circumstances matter. Who was performing? Why were they performing? Who was watching? Who was excluded from the performance? And, crucially, who controlled what that performance meant?Contemporary dragFor Lush Monsoon, who was among the early generation of contemporary drag performers in Delhi, the relationship between these histories and modern drag is complicated by the question of agency.To her the art forms are exploitative, even if they are often posed as a celebration of queer history. She points to the gaze surrounding these traditions, and to the people who historically inhabit this gaze.Drag queen: Lush Monsoon“I always see them as an extension of that you are afraid of the feminine, so you are more okay with the masculine projecting as a feminine, and you putting their desire on that.”The issue, she says, is not only about the audience.A lot of the participants are queer. They are queer people from marginalised sections of society or spaces where the language of queer is not defined yet somehow exploited.A younger drag queen too, who has been in this space for around one year, held the same belief. They said that India has a culture of gender intermixing, something we can draw out as a rich queer heritage but modern drag is not a direct extension of this.“The reason that I got attracted to this form of drag, because I saw a certain amount of agency in it.”The point is not to deny India’s rich queer history but to make space for its even more vibrant present.As of today, there are only a handful of venues and spaces for drag performers. Most of the queens interviewed said Indian drag still doesn’t carry the same stature as its Western counterpart, which makes it hard to find venues, build audiences, and turn performance into a sustainable career.Venues like KittySu and the Lalit chain of hotels pioneered the space, and it’s now getting a push from queer collectives like the GaySi family and smaller creators trying to build safer rooms for queens and their audiences.Yet, reaching a wider audience in the digital era will take a digital push. Every queen interviewed named the same first encounter with drag as an art form: RuPaul’s Drag Race. The show cemented its place in queer history, but there’s a need for an Indian platform that celebrates queerness and the art form on its own terms, instead of reducing it to comedy.Older drag queens have long faced the accusation of importing a Western culture that maligns Indian heritage. But that heritage has always had space for queer stories. It was colonialism that maligned it, criminalising hijra communities and policing gender through an imported Victorian morality, codified in 1861 as Section 377, a law that stayed on the books for 157 years until the Supreme Court struck it down in 2018.Getting there took decades of work the current generation didn’t have to do from scratch. Earlier drag queens fought not just for legal recognition but for the art form itself – pulling it apart from the crass, punchline version of drag Indian television has long been comfortable with.Noor Sins, a younger queen, put it simply: that fight mattered because it meant queens her age could grow up with contemporary, Indian, queer icons to look up to, not borrowed ones.Drag queen: Noor SinsIt is perhaps here that the history of Indian drag and what Indian drag is becomes more interesting. In some sense drag always existed but for a lot of contemporary queens what did not exist was the ability to see themselves in the person performing it.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe queens performing on stage are taking a form that has so often been used to make femininity into spectacle and making spectacle something they control. They are borrowing from the West without necessarily belonging to it, and drawing from Indian history without pretending that every man who ever wore a sari was a drag queen.The world is changing, the queens coming up now get to inherit something their predecessors had to build: a language, a community, spaces to perform, and most importantly, people who look like them already standing on a stage. But the stage has to become bigger, and the language more universal.De Beauvoir never wrote about drag. But she wrote the sentence that explains why it matters: one is not born, but becomes. For the queens performing in India today, that becoming is not simply about becoming a woman through makeup and dresses. It is about becoming visible to themselves, and then to one another, in a form that did not always give them someone to see.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorPrisha PatnaikPrisha Patnaik is a journalist with The Times of India, writing across geopolitics, international affairs, culture, history and internet culture. With over two years of experience in social media and digital content, she is interested in how news, politics and culture are shaped for digital audiences. She holds a master’s degree in Media and Communications from Goldsmiths, University of London.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosPunjab Gangster’s Thar Rams Coconut Seller During Police Chase, CCTV Captures Entire IncidentRajasthan School Crisis: 611 Schools Lack Buildings, Thousands More Face Unsafe InfrastructureBJP Builds Gen Z Team As Rahul Gandhi Takes Student Outreach To Pune With ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’SC-ST Act Repeal, Creamy Layer Demand: Protesters Seek Major Overhaul Of India’s Reservation SystemBCI Chief Manan Mishra Rejects CJP’s Resignation Demand, Says Lawyers Can Never Be CockroachesH1N1 Cases Rise In Delhi: Health Minister Nadda Holds Meet, Reviews Swine Flu Situation‘Proportionate Response’: MEA Explains Bulldozer Action Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi4-Year-Old Viral Sensation Karga Tinkle EXCLUSIVE | “Don’t Call Me Chinese, I Am Indian”‘Making Provocative Remarks Against India For Years’: MEA Slams US Body Over RSS Sanctions CallRevanth Reddy’s US Trip Cancelled After MEA Denies Clearance, Telangana Delegation Goes Ahead123Photostories10 meaningful baby boy names inspired by positive human qualities10 famous foods that became popular when people had very little moneyFrom Ed Sheeran to Elton John: Stars who stay away from technologyBandhani to Leheriya: Indian textiles fashion lovers often mistake for each other7 telltale signs your ‘office bestie’ is quietly competing with youHair fall getting worse every monsoon? Expert explains what humidity, sweat and rainwater are doing to your scalp and how to prevent itFrom a net worth of over Rs 2,000 crores to a lavish house in Delhi: Shalini Passi’s luxurious lifestyleHow to wash citrus fruits properly to remove wax, germs and dirtMen with heart disease may face a higher cancer risk, study suggests: 7 simple ways to keep your heart healthy and happy10 bizarre luxury fashion trends that stunned the internet: From Margaret Qualley’s ‘barefoot’ Chanel shoes to Balenciaga’s trash bags123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash Deepak Ramola: Told ‘your voice is like a girl’: Harvard graduate recalls teacher’s advice that changed how he saw himself Gemini, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: Week turns around; patience and family warmth needed for stability After Joe Root, Ben Stokes calls ECB decision ‘shambolic’ over Headingley’s 2027 Ashes exclusion A Swedish hospital stores winter snow under wood chips and pumps its meltwater through the building in summer; in its first year it supplied 93% of cooling demand His remarks came amid a growing controversy over comments made by some Congress leaders including Deependra Hooda following Kumar’s death on Thursday. NEW DELHI: Congress MP and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi hit out at his party colleagues over their remarks describing former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar as a “role model”. Channi said those praising Kumar should “mind their tongue”.In a video posted on X on Saturday, Channi said, “Sajjan Kumar is a killer of the Sikh community, a traitor; he conspired to have Sikhs killed…. Far from being a role model, even uttering his name is a sin. If such people become role models, then country will be destroyed.””He should have been shot in a public place; instead, he died in prison. If someone is calling him a role model, then they should mind their tongue and themselves,” Channi said.His remarks came amid a growing controversy over comments made by some Congress leaders including Deependra Hooda following Kumar’s death on Thursday.Hooda had described Kumar’s death as an “irreparable loss” and praised his connection with people and contribution to Delhi.”Today, such a loss has occurred on the country’s political horizon, which cannot be made up for. Sajjan Kumar was not just a personality of Delhi, rural Delhi, and the whole of North India, but the connection he had with people was an example,” Hooda had said.”His example is given, and the way he stood by people in their joys and sorrows, and the contribution he made to Delhi’s development, is remembered to this day. His passing has caused a great loss,” he added.The remarks triggered criticism from Sikh groups and political parties.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSikh leaders and families affected by the 1984 violence protested outside Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi on Saturday.The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee demanded an apology and sought clarity on whether Hooda’s remarks reflected the Congress’s position.Congress leaders in Punjab have since distanced themselves from Hooda’s comments.Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the remarks may have been Hooda’s “personal view”.Kumar, 80, died while serving a life sentence in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.The Delhi high court convicted him in 2018 in the Raj Nagar case involving the killing of five members of a family and the burning of a gurdwara.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVivek DubeyA digital news desk journalist at The Times of India with over two years of experience. Closely tracks foreign affairs and international politics. Fondness for precise language and clever headlines. When not editing news, he is usually refining a turn of phrase.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosPunjab Gangster’s Thar Rams Coconut Seller During Police Chase, CCTV Captures Entire IncidentRajasthan School Crisis: 611 Schools Lack Buildings, Thousands More Face Unsafe InfrastructureBJP Builds Gen Z Team As Rahul Gandhi Takes Student Outreach To Pune With ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’SC-ST Act Repeal, Creamy Layer Demand: Protesters Seek Major Overhaul Of India’s Reservation SystemBCI Chief Manan Mishra Rejects CJP’s Resignation Demand, Says Lawyers Can Never Be CockroachesH1N1 Cases Rise In Delhi: Health Minister Nadda Holds Meet, Reviews Swine Flu Situation‘Proportionate Response’: MEA Explains Bulldozer Action Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi4-Year-Old Viral Sensation Karga Tinkle EXCLUSIVE | “Don’t Call Me Chinese, I Am Indian”‘Making Provocative Remarks Against India For Years’: MEA Slams US Body Over RSS Sanctions CallRevanth Reddy’s US Trip Cancelled After MEA Denies Clearance, Telangana Delegation Goes Ahead123Photostories10 meaningful baby boy names inspired by positive human qualities10 famous foods that became popular when people had very little moneyFrom Ed Sheeran to Elton John: Stars who stay away from technologyBandhani to Leheriya: Indian textiles fashion lovers often mistake for each other7 telltale signs your ‘office bestie’ is quietly competing with youHair fall getting worse every monsoon? Expert explains what humidity, sweat and rainwater are doing to your scalp and how to prevent itFrom a net worth of over Rs 2,000 crores to a lavish house in Delhi: Shalini Passi’s luxurious lifestyleHow to wash citrus fruits properly to remove wax, germs and dirtMen with heart disease may face a higher cancer risk, study suggests: 7 simple ways to keep your heart healthy and happy10 bizarre luxury fashion trends that stunned the internet: From Margaret Qualley’s ‘barefoot’ Chanel shoes to Balenciaga’s trash bags123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash Amrit Bharat 3.0: AC coaches with Vande Bharat-style features for common man soon. Why it matters Ethel Caterham: Meet 117-year-old Ethel Caterham: World’s oldest living person who has lived through two world wars and survived Covid at 110 Cancer, Weekly Horoscope, August 23 to August 29, 2026: Caution advised this week: Cancerians should keep plans discreet; emotional tensions may rise later In 1927, John D Rockefeller Jr secretly used a shell company to buy over 35,000 Wyoming acres for $1.4 million; NPS says acquiring the same amount of Jackson Hole land today would cost over $1 billion Good news for family-based Green Card applicants from India in Visa Bulletin September 2026, no relief for employment-based categories Akhilesh Yadav said that the SP had an “advantage” in avoiding a possible split as five members of his family are among its MPs One newborn has died and two others were injured after a warmer machine allegedly caught fire at a Madhya Pradesh district hospital, prompting an inquiry. A seven-storey under-construction building collapsed in Hyderabad, killing at least two people . Canada has suspended trade talks with the US after rejecting last-minute American proposals, raising the prospect of a fresh tariff escalation. Pakistan has authorised a six-month army deployment in Rawalpindi amid heightened security concerns following a recent shooting involving a man authorities linked to PTI.Here are the top five stories of the day’Sometimes dynastic politics has its benefits’: Akhilesh on how 5 family MPs helped SPSamajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the party would remain intact even if some MPs defected, pointing to the presence of five members of his family among its MPs as one source of strength. He also reaffirmed the SP’s commitment to its alliances and said the party’s broader goal was to build a government based on socialist principles and social justice, with the PDA — backward classes, Dalits and minorities — at its centre.Yadav also attacked the BJP over rising prices, education and welfare policies, while alleging that journalists were facing pressure to avoid speaking openly. Read full storyNewborn dies after warmer catches fire at Madhya Pradesh hospitalA newborn died and two others were injured after a warmer machine allegedly caught fire at the district hospital in Chhindwara early Saturday. Hospital officials said the three babies were initially treated before being referred to Jabalpur, while the administration ordered an inquiry into the cause of the blaze.The incident has also drawn criticism from Madhya Pradesh Assembly Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, who called for fire safety audits of hospitals across the state. Read full storyTwo dead after seven-storey building collapses in HyderabadA seven-storey under-construction building collapsed in Madhapur’s Anjaiah Nagar on Saturday afternoon, killing at least two people and injuring two others. HYDRAA teams searching the debris found a body and said they suspected another person could still be trapped.The building was reportedly being constructed on a 50-square-yard plot, with officials also examining the impact on nearby structures. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRead full storyWhy Canada suspended US trade talks despite Trump’s ‘good relationship’ with CarneyCanada has suspended trade negotiations with the United States after Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected Washington’s latest proposals as “unfair” and “uneconomic”. The move came after three days of intensive talks that had made progress on some tariffs but failed to resolve major differences over market access and retaliatory duties.The US is preparing to impose tariffs of up to 50% on Canadian goods, while Carney said Canada would respond with matching tariffs, raising the risk of further disruption to deeply integrated North American supply chains. Read full storyPakistan deploys army in Rawalpindi amid security concernsPakistan has authorised the deployment of three companies of the army in Rawalpindi for six months under Article 245 of the Constitution, following a request from the Punjab home department for “sensitive security duties”. The move comes days after a shooting involving a man whom state-run media described as an active PTI member, though the party denied any connection to the incident.The deployment is significant as Rawalpindi is home to the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters and is a key military and administrative centre. Read full storyGet 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 MediaVideosRajasthan School Crisis: 611 Schools Lack Buildings, Thousands More Face Unsafe InfrastructureBJP Builds Gen Z Team As Rahul Gandhi Takes Student Outreach To Pune With ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’SC-ST Act Repeal, Creamy Layer Demand: Protesters Seek Major Overhaul Of India’s Reservation SystemBCI Chief Manan Mishra Rejects CJP’s Resignation Demand, Says Lawyers Can Never Be CockroachesH1N1 Cases Rise In Delhi: Health Minister Nadda Holds Meet, Reviews Swine Flu Situation‘Proportionate Response’: MEA Explains Bulldozer Action Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi4-Year-Old Viral Sensation Karga Tinkle EXCLUSIVE | “Don’t Call Me Chinese, I Am Indian”‘Making Provocative Remarks Against India For Years’: MEA Slams US Body Over RSS Sanctions CallRevanth Reddy’s US Trip Cancelled After MEA Denies Clearance, Telangana Delegation Goes AheadPellet-gun Row: Rahul Gandhi At Parliament Street Police Station To Lodge Complaint With DCP123Photostories10 famous foods that became popular when people had very little moneyFrom Ed Sheeran to Elton John: Stars who stay away from technologyBandhani to Leheriya: Indian textiles fashion lovers often mistake for each other7 telltale signs your ‘office bestie’ is quietly competing with youHair fall getting worse every monsoon? 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