VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Despite ‘Batwara 1947’ box office failure, Sunny Deol and Rajkumar Santoshi set to reunite for fifth film; is ‘Ghatak 2’ in the works? Mcafee Labs: Your holiday photo may reveal more than you think: McAfee says AI tools could identify a photo’s location with up to 91% accuracy, giving scammers fresh clues to build convincing personalised frauds | ‘Incorrect’: Centre rejects ethanol link to spike in sugar price, blames low output Indian father drowns while paddleboarding in Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey during family picnic; he was in an area not supervised by lifeguards 16 years, no 50-plus stand: Pakistan’s opening woes continue in England UPPSC GIC Lecturer admit card 2026 released at uppsc.up.nic.in: Direct link to download hall ticket here Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay mourns veteran actress Sowcar Janaki’s death; calls it an ‘Irreplaceable loss’ to Indian cinema Scientists found a new species hiding in a museum drawer for more than a century; the Ecuadorian frog had been mistaken for another species Two tankers with 22 Indians on board hijacked by armed pirates off Yemen, Somalia FBI arrests woman in alleged ISIS-inspired plot to bomb New York State Capitol SC dismisses Sukhbir Badal’s plea against defamation case over BKI-AKJ remarks NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with criminal defamation proceedings against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal over alleged remarks linking religious organisation Akhand Kirtani Jatha (AKJ) with banned terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu dismissed Badal’s challenge. The proceedings were initiated by Rajinder Pal Singh, an AKJ member who alleged that the former minister’s remarks damaged his reputation by associating him with the banned organisation.”We have read this order. What is alleged against you (Badal)? You say that this organisation is a terrorist organisation and this complainant is the spokesperson of the other organisation which is the political front…,” the bench said.According to PTI, advocate appearing for Badal said, “He (complainant) says he is the spokesperson. We don’t know who has authorised him.”The bench then dismissed the plea.What’s the case?The controversy dates back to the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, when then Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Singh’s residence. Badal had subsequently accused Kejriwal of reaching out to “radicals” in Punjab, according to the allegations in the complaint.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesA Chandigarh magistrate later took cognisance of the complaint and summoned Badal. Badal challenged the proceedings before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but the court rejected his plea in October 2025.Badal then approached the Supreme Court, which on Friday found no ground to interfere with the pending proceedings, news agency ANI reported.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 MediaVideosRevanth 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 DCP‘Don’t Politicise Our School’: Villagers Block CJP Visit As Party Alleges BJP Attack In RajasthanModi Pushes AI, Youth And Data Agenda, Tells Secretaries To Break Government Silos And InnovatePirates Hijack Two Ships Carrying 22 Indians Off Yemen And Somalia, Crew Safety Raises Concern‘NEET, Delimitation, Cauvery, Drugs’: Vijay’s Key Requests Before Amit Shah At Tamil Nadu MeetingPolicy Shift Or Just Words? 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NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Friday registered an FIR over an alleged pellet-gun injury suffered by student protester Sahil Lochab during the July 20 Jantar Mantar demonstration, news agency ANI reported quoting sources.The FIR came after Rahul accompanied Lochab to the DCP office and demanded action on his complaint alleging excessive use of force during the students’ “Sansad Chalo” march.Rahul later staged a sit-in outside the police station, alleging that police had refused to register the complaint. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined him in the dharna.According to Congress sources, Lochab and his lawyers had submitted a written complaint to Delhi Police on August 14 but were allegedly not given an I/O number or acknowledgement. The complaint was followed up on August 17 through email and phone, the sources said.The complaint relates to alleged police action and pellet-gun firing during the July 20 student protest over the NEET paper-leak controversy.Rahul demands justice for studentAfter meeting senior police officials, Rahul had alleged that Lochab was not being allowed to file an FIR.”Sahil wants to file FIR for justice, but that is not being allowed,” Rahul said.He then sat on a dharna outside the police station with Lochab. Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed at the spot as the confrontation continued.Rahul accused the authorities of undermining constitutional principles, saying that refusing to register an FIR amounted to the “Constitution being trampled”.In a post on X, Rahul said Lochab was “severely injured” during the alleged police crackdown and claimed that his vision in one eye was at risk.’Over 200 pellets in his body’Speaking to reporters, Rahul displayed pellets and claimed that more than 200 pellets were lodged in Lochab’s body.”Look at this pellet carefully. This is a pellet. Where did these pellets come from? They came from his body,” Rahul said.He claimed that three pellets were lodged in Lochab’s eye and that he had lost vision in that eye. Rahul also said some pellets were lodged close to his heart and could not be removed.Rahul questioned the Delhi Police’s alleged claim that its personnel had not fired pellets.”Delhi Police has said that they did not fire the pellets. So, there is only one question: If you did not fire them, then someone must have fired these pellets,” he said.Rahul also targeted Union home minister Amit Shah, whose ministry oversees the Delhi Police.”Such brutality against a peaceful protest is not just illegal — it’s a serious crime,” Rahul said, accusing Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to respond to the students’ concerns.”Amit Shah ji, why are you so scared of justice? This fear shows that you are admitting to your crime,” he said.Rahul demanded a judicial inquiry and said those responsible for the alleged violence should face action.”The FIR will be filed. A judicial inquiry will take place. And action will be taken against everyone, from top to bottom, who is guilty of this brutality,” he said.Student says vision remains unclearLochab said he was injured during the July 20 protest and was first admitted to Lady Hardinge Hospital before being referred to AIIMS, where he underwent surgery.”On 20th July, pellet guns were fired at me. I was admitted to Lady Hardinge, from there, I was referred to AIIMS. I underwent surgery at AIIMS. But the vision in my eye is still not clear,” he said.He said he had submitted a seven-page complaint through his lawyer on August 14.The July 20 “Sansad Chalo” march was part of student protests over alleged irregularities in examinations and the NEET paper-leak controversy. The police action during the protest had triggered a political confrontation, with opposition parties accusing the government of using excessive force against students.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThis protest was Rahul’s second major intervention over the issue. Earlier, he and other opposition leaders had marched towards Prime Minister Modi’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg over the alleged crackdown and were briefly detained by police.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorPallaviNews desk journalist, digital, at The Times of India, with a focus on Indian politics. Over a decade of chasing stories, taming headlines and arguing with commas like they’re part of the opposition. Tracks elections, policy pivots, party drama and the fine print of power, where every word can tilt the narrative. Believes good journalism is clarity under pressure, ideally filed before the next breaking alert crashes in. Powered by deadlines, context, sharp edits and a steady supply of strong tea.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosRevanth 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 DCP‘Don’t Politicise Our School’: Villagers Block CJP Visit As Party Alleges BJP Attack In RajasthanModi Pushes AI, Youth And Data Agenda, Tells Secretaries To Break Government Silos And InnovatePirates Hijack Two Ships Carrying 22 Indians Off Yemen And Somalia, Crew Safety Raises Concern‘NEET, Delimitation, Cauvery, Drugs’: Vijay’s Key Requests Before Amit Shah At Tamil Nadu MeetingPolicy Shift Or Just Words? 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NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said political clearance was denied for Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s proposed visit to the United States, saying the programme submitted for the trip was not considered appropriate to the office he holds and the purpose of the visit.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in his briefing said visits by chief ministers and other dignitaries are assessed by the ministry before political clearance is granted.”Let me say that the visit of chief ministers, as indeed of other dignitaries, are assessed by the Ministry of External Affairs in order to accord political clearance,” Jaiswal said.”The programme proposed, in such cases, should be appropriate to the office held and the purpose of the visit. In this particular case, that was not so in respect of the United States, and therefore the clearance was denied,” he said.Jaiswal, however, clarified that the Centre had granted political clearance for Reddy’s visit to the United Kingdom.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines”Incidentally, let me also tell you that clearance was given for his visit to the United Kingdom,” he said.The MEA’s clarification came hours after the Telangana CM office said Reddy’s proposed US visit had been cancelled after the Centre denied permission on “political grounds”.Reddy is currently in London as part of an official TelanganaRising delegation. He was scheduled to travel to the US after his UK engagements and return to Hyderabad on August 30.According to the Telangana CMO, Reddy will now return to Hyderabad on August 23 instead of travelling to Boston.”The official TelanganaRising delegation led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has been forced to cancel their visit to the United States of America (USA) after the Ministry of External Affairs has denied permission, saying … clearance from political angle is denied,” the CMO said in a release.The Telangana government had planned the US leg as part of its TelanganaRising outreach, with the CM scheduled to engage with stakeholders during the proposed visit.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorPallaviNews desk journalist, digital, at The Times of India, with a focus on Indian politics. Over a decade of chasing stories, taming headlines and arguing with commas like they’re part of the opposition. Tracks elections, policy pivots, party drama and the fine print of power, where every word can tilt the narrative. Believes good journalism is clarity under pressure, ideally filed before the next breaking alert crashes in. Powered by deadlines, context, sharp edits and a steady supply of strong tea.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosRevanth 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 DCP‘Don’t Politicise Our School’: Villagers Block CJP Visit As Party Alleges BJP Attack In RajasthanModi Pushes AI, Youth And Data Agenda, Tells Secretaries To Break Government Silos And InnovatePirates Hijack Two Ships Carrying 22 Indians Off Yemen And Somalia, Crew Safety Raises Concern‘NEET, Delimitation, Cauvery, Drugs’: Vijay’s Key Requests Before Amit Shah At Tamil Nadu MeetingPolicy Shift Or Just Words? 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New evidence suggests some Great Lakes fish may reach more than 400 years ‘Proportionate response’: MEA on bulldozer action outside Pakistan high commission Singapore rebuilt a vanished 1920s lake inside a new housing estate; engineers turned it into a flood-control system and wildlife habitat | World News NEW DELHI: The success of the student-powered Jantar Mantar protests seems to have forced political parties, on both sides of the divide, to return to the drawing board and redraw their strategies to woo the youth. The fact that CJP-led protests mobilised youth in large numbers against the government and forced Dharmendra Pradhan to resign left the opposition in a tight spot – as the students achieved what the parties couldn’t in the last 12 years.Little wonder then, the Congress Working Committee – the highest think tank of the grand old party, that met earlier this week devoted a lot of time discussing how to reclaim youth support for the party. The Congress announced a slew of measures to lead the fight for issues that have enraged the youth against the government and perhaps also the political parties.Rahul’s renewed youth outreach A glimpse of the new Congress strategy was visible today when Rahul Gandhi reached a police station in the national capital with a victim of a pellet gun used allegedly during the July 20 Sansad Chalo protest of the Jantar Mantar students, and sat on a dharna demanding that police lodge a complaint.Rahul’s police station protest follows Congress’s renewed pitch on youth outreach, deliberated and decided at the party’s Working Committee meeting held earlier this week. The CWC meeting, attended by the party’s top brass, finalised several steps to win the confidence of the youngsters and reclaim the opposition leadership space vis-a-vis the students.While the working committee launched a broadside against the Modi government for betraying the youth, it also finalised initiatives to win back their confidence.Education-to-employment roadmap’Education-to-Employment Roadmap’ for the youth was one of the key measures announced after the CWC meeting. The Congress has asked its four chief ministers to prepare a report on the reforms needed in the education and examination system in their respective states and submit it to Kharge within a month.Sources said Rahul Gandhi stressed that the chief ministers should prepare this report in consultation with education experts and all stakeholders. The objective of the exercise should be to improve the education and examination system in their respective states and secure the future of students.The Congress also announced plans to expand its ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme, which has been used by Rahul Gandhi to interact with students, to nearly 800 cities across the country. This programme has already been held with reasonable success in Kota, Dehradun and Prayagraj and is scheduled in Pune this weekend.‘Modi govt never had time to listen to youth’Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in his opening remarks at the CWC, set the agenda for youth outreach, accusing the Narendra Modi government of “destroying” students’ future.”The anger that has arisen among the youth across the country is not a sudden or one-day phenomenon. This government has never had the time to listen to them; instead, it has consistently sought temporary measures to sidestep the issues. Consequently, they have been forced to take to the streets,” Kharge said in his CWC speech.The CWC passed a resolution expressing its “deep distress” over the plight of the youth and accusing the Modi government of betraying young people.”Over the past decade, paper leaks have assumed epidemic proportions, with at least 152 cases of paper leaks reported since 2014. The recent cancellation and re-conduct of the NEET examination alone resulted in at least 26 student suicides, while more than 90 other students have lost their lives for similar reasons over the past five years,” the CWC resolution said.”Young people are bearing the greatest brunt of unemployment, and with 12 years having passed and opportunities shrinking, their circumstances continue to worsen. Unemployment among educated youth has now become a crisis of systemic government failure,” it said.The CWC also strongly condemned the “arbitrary and brutal repression unleashed by the Modi government against student movements – including attacks on young women and children, the use of electric shock batons, tear gas, pellet guns and AK-47s, and the blatant censorship of voices of dissent”.The CWC resolution also targeted Prime Minister Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah for staying away from Parliament and not answering questions on these alleged “serious failures.”How CJP protest surprised political partiesThe Congress recalibration follows the CJP protest, which started on June 6 and put all political parties in a Catch-22 situation.When the protest started, most of the mainstream parties stayed away. Then activist Sonam Wangchuk joined and amplified the agitation with an indefinite fast starting June 28. The initial days of his fast saw a largely muted response from most of the political parties.But the dynamics changed on July 20 – the opening day of the Monsoon session of Parliament – when the protesters went ahead with their “Sansad Chalo” march. The police crackdown on protesters catapulted the protest into a national concern and gave the opposition parties a weapon to attack the government.Congress forced to actThe Congress, which till then remained largely away from the CJP movement – focusing instead on Rahul Gandhi’s “Chhatron ki goonj” programme- was forced to act proactively to ensure it was not missing in action.So, on July 21, Congress leaders were invited to party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence — 10 Rajaji Marg — to wish him on his birthday. Once they all assembled there, they marched to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg and staged a sit-in protest there against the alleged brutality committed against students during the Cockroach Janata Party’s march to Parliament. The surprise sit-in led by Rahul, Kharge and Priyanka sent the government into a tizzy. It first tried to persuade the leaders to vacate the sensitive site. But when that did not work, police moved in to clear the protesters.This was the Congress’s first direct attempt to take a lead on the students’ protest. However, the effort fizzled out as the Modi government relented on July 25 and accepted CJP’s demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.The Congress then shifted focus to the issue of police brutality against the student protesters on July 20 and trained its guns on Union home minister Amit Shah. It unleashed a relentless campaign inside and outside Parliament seeking Amit Shah’s resignation over the alleged use of pellet guns against protesters.Rahul backs Jharkhand protestersWhen students in Jharkhand followed the Jantar Mantar template and began a hunger strike against alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), Rahul Gandhi went public with his support for the protesting students, despite the Congress being part of the state government.Rahul wrote a letter to Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, a Congress ally, urging him to personally meet representatives of students protesting irregularities in state recruitment examinations and address their remaining concerns.The former Congress chief called the youth “India’s future” and said: “We owe them our solidarity and support at this moment of crisis. Please do your utmost to hear them out and take appropriate action towards the resolution of this issue.”Days later, the Jharkhand government accepted most of the students’ demands, and the protest ended. It’s a different matter that the protesting students may feel high and dry as the Jharkhand high court put a stay on the government’s decision to cancel all previous competitive exams.Congress follows CJP in RajasthanWith the CJP shifting focus on Rajasthan government schools, the state unit of the Congress was quick to react and take to the streets in support of the students. When a team of CJP was attacked outside a school, the state Congress quickly condemned the incident. Leader of opposition in state assembly Tika Ram Jully denounced the use of violence, stating that the public has a right to know the status of local educational facilities.”This is wrong. I condemn this. There should be no violence. The condition of schools should come to light. There is no place for such violence in India. People must present their views in a non-violent manner. Schools are in bad condition; they want to hide it and cover up their sins. They won’t be able to do it,” Tika Ram Jully said.The state Congress leaders also slammed a recent state government order restricting unauthorised entry, media coverage, and filming on public school campuses, perhaps aimed at restricting the entry of CJP teams in state government schools.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesNow this is a clear change in stance, as far as the Congress is concerned. For those who remember, the Congress, for a long time, distanced itself from the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar.Congress’s course correctionClearly, the Congress strategy in Rajasthan is part of the party’s course correction after the Jantar Mantar fiasco. The Congress realises the importance of youth support and is trying to prioritise the issues that catch the imagination of young people. The CWC has laid out a roadmap for expanding the party’s GenZ outreach. The party has a government in four states, and this provides it with a great opportunity to showcase its intent in doing something different for the youth. Will they be able to do it? Well, we will have to wait and see.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosRevanth 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 DCP‘Don’t Politicise Our School’: Villagers Block CJP Visit As Party Alleges BJP Attack In RajasthanModi Pushes AI, Youth And Data Agenda, Tells Secretaries To Break Government Silos And InnovatePirates Hijack Two Ships Carrying 22 Indians Off Yemen And Somalia, Crew Safety Raises Concern‘NEET, Delimitation, Cauvery, Drugs’: Vijay’s Key Requests Before Amit Shah At Tamil Nadu MeetingPolicy Shift Or Just Words? 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