Mamata's Battle Cry: TMC Hits Streets Over Harassment of Bengalis in BJP States 2
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead a protest march in Kolkata on Wednesday to oppose what her party calls the systematic harassment of Bengali-speaking citizens in BJP-ruled states. The rally, which is being positioned as a defence of Bengal’s cultural identity, will begin at College Square at 1 PM and conclude at Dharmatala.
Top Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, will join the march. With less than a year to go for the West Bengal assembly elections, the TMC is intensifying its rhetoric, accusing the BJP of linguistic profiling, arbitrary detentions, and painting Bengalis as “illegal immigrants.”
“This is not a routine political event,” said state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. “This is a battle to defend Bengal’s honour, language, and identity. If someone calls a Bengali a Bangladeshi, we will not take it lying down.”
Although TMC typically avoids large events ahead of its annual Shahid Dibas rally on July 21, recent incidents — including the detention of Bengali migrant workers in Odisha, eviction drives in Delhi, and a “foreigner” notice issued to a farmer in Assam’s Cooch Behar — have prompted the party to act.
The protest signals a strategic pivot in the TMC’s 2026 election campaign, blending emotional appeals with aggressive grassroots mobilisation. The party aims to energise its base by tapping into regional pride and resistance against perceived cultural marginalisation.
“Bengal will not bow its head,” Bhattacharya declared. “This fight is not just about migrant workers — it’s about the right of Bengalis to exist with dignity in their own country.”
Fauja Singh Killed at 114 in Hit-and-Run, 26-Year-Old SUV Driver Arrested 4
In a tragic turn of events, 114-year-old Fauja Singh, globally celebrated as the world’s oldest marathon runner, was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Punjab’s Jalandhar district. Police sources confirmed on Wednesday that the SUV driver, identified as 26-year-old Amritpal Singh Dhillon of Dasupur in Kartarpur, has been arrested. His vehicle has also been seized.
The fatal incident occurred on Monday as Dhillon was traveling from Bhogpur to Kishahgarh and struck Singh near his native Bias village. Eyewitnesses reported that the impact of the collision was so severe that Singh was thrown 5 to 7 feet into the air.
Singh succumbed to his injuries later that evening, sending shockwaves across the sporting and Punjabi communities that revered him for his unparalleled spirit and endurance.
An FIR has been registered against Dhillon under sections 281 (rash driving on a public way) and 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision.
Fauja Singh, known for his marathon feats well past the age of 100, had become a global symbol of perseverance and vitality. His death marks not just the loss of an athlete, but of an inspiration.
Tesla Rolls Into India: First Mumbai Showroom Launched, Model Y Priced at ₹60 Lakh 6
Tesla has officially entered the Indian market with the launch of its first Experience Centre at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai, showcasing the brand’s flagship Model Y electric SUV priced at ₹59.89 lakh onwards. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who inaugurated the showroom on Tuesday, extended an open invitation to the American EV giant to consider the state for establishing its research and development and manufacturing operations.
“This is a statement that Tesla has chosen the right city and state. Maharashtra is not just a financial hub but also a center for innovation and sustainability,” said Fadnavis, calling Mumbai an entrepreneurial capital aligned with Tesla’s vision.
Recalling his first ride in a Tesla during a 2015 visit to the U.S., the CM expressed happiness that India will finally witness the EV revolution led by Tesla. “It took nearly a decade, but we’re glad Tesla is finally here. India, and especially Maharashtra, is ready,” he said.
Fadnavis added that the state offers robust infrastructure, policies for EV promotion, incentives for manufacturing, and a thriving market for electric vehicles.
The Tesla Model Y is the company’s debut vehicle for India and will be available in two variants — rear-wheel drive (RWD) priced at ₹59.89 lakh and the long-range RWD at ₹67.89 lakh. On-road prices are estimated at ₹61.07 lakh and ₹69.15 lakh respectively, which include an administrative and service fee of ₹50,000.
Customers can also opt for additional features, including Full-Self Driving (FSD), which comes at an extra cost of ₹6 lakh.
Tesla has already shipped its initial batch of Model Y vehicles — reportedly from its China-based plant — and recently leased a 24,565 sq. ft. warehouse in Lodha Logistics Park, Mumbai for five years.
However, despite the grand showroom launch, there is still uncertainty over Tesla’s manufacturing ambitions in India. Union Heavy Industries Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy had earlier stated that Tesla is currently more interested in setting up showrooms than producing cars locally.
Still, the symbolic entry marks a major milestone for India’s electric mobility sector, with Maharashtra now hoping to become Tesla’s home base for deeper integration in the country.
"Samosa to Pizza": Govt Orders Display of Sugar, Oil Content to Curb Obesity 8
In a sweeping move to combat rising obesity and lifestyle diseases, the Union Health Ministry has directed all central ministries and departments to display sugar and oil content in commonly consumed snacks like samosa, kachori, pizza, burger, French fries, gulab jamun, and soft drinks at workplace cafeterias and public spaces.
The advisory urges installation of “Oil and Sugar Boards” that visually highlight the high fat and sugar content in these popular items as part of a broader effort to promote healthy lifestyles. The boards are intended to act as nudges in schools, offices, and government buildings.
The ministry also called for the inclusion of health-related messages on all official stationery — such as letterheads, folders, and notepads — to reinforce the message of daily awareness against obesity.
The move comes amid alarming statistics. According to NFHS-5 (2019–21), over 20% of urban adults in India are overweight or obese. A Lancet study predicts that the number of obese and overweight adults in India may surge from 18 crore in 2021 to 44.9 crore by 2050, making it the second-highest globally.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, in a letter dated June 21, referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for healthier living during the 38th National Games in Dehradun earlier this year. Modi had invoked the Fit India campaign and urged citizens to cut oil consumption by 10%.
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora, who heads the Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation, has also backed the initiative, stressing that global fast food like pizzas and doughnuts should be regulated just like local street food such as samosas and jalebis.
Srivastava highlighted that excessive sugar and oil intake significantly contributes to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. She urged ministries to lead by example, promoting low-fat and fruit-rich diets in offices, encouraging physical activity, and providing healthier food options.
The circular also included prototype boards that departments can adapt as per requirement, aiming to convert the PM’s Swastha Bharat vision into a mass movement starting with government offices.
Odisha Student Dies After Self-Immolation Over Sexual Harassment; CM Vows Harshest Punishment 10
A second-year Integrated B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Odisha’s Balasore district died late Monday night after setting herself on fire over alleged inaction on a sexual harassment complaint against a professor. The 20-year-old, who sustained 95% burns, had been undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
She reportedly attempted suicide on Saturday, frustrated by the lack of response from college authorities regarding her complaint. Despite efforts by doctors, including intensive care and renal replacement therapy, she was declared clinically dead at 11:46 PM on July 14.
Expressing deep sorrow, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the culprits would face the “strictest punishment under the law.” “I have personally instructed the authorities to take swift action,” Majhi posted on X, adding that the government stands with the victim’s family during this tragic time.
President Droupadi Murmu, who was in AIIMS Bhubaneswar for its convocation, made an unscheduled visit to the burn ward to enquire about the student’s condition prior to her death.
Meanwhile, Odisha Police arrested Education Department Head Samira Kumar Sahu and college principal Dilip Ghose in connection with the incident. The case has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for urgent reforms in handling sexual harassment complaints in educational institutions.
India's Shubhanshu Shukla and Axiom-4 Crew Begin Journey Back to Earth After Historic ISS Mission 12
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with the rest of the Axiom-4 crew, boarded the SpaceX Dragon Grace spacecraft on Monday to begin their return journey to Earth following an 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Shukla, who served as the mission pilot, was joined by mission commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The crew suited up and entered the capsule, closing the hatch at 2:37 PM IST. Final checks were underway ahead of undocking, scheduled for 4:35 PM IST.
NASA streamed the departure procedures live, with the spacecraft set for a fully autonomous descent. After detaching from the ISS, Dragon will execute a sequence of engine burns to distance itself from the station before atmospheric re-entry. The capsule’s trunk will be jettisoned, and the heat shield positioned to withstand temperatures reaching 1,600°C.
As the spacecraft re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, parachutes will deploy in two stages—stabilizers at about 5.7 km altitude, followed by main chutes at around 2 km—to ensure a safe ocean landing.
Splashdown is expected off the coast of California at approximately 3:01 PM IST on Tuesday. A recovery vessel will retrieve the capsule shortly after.
The Axiom-4 mission was launched on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from Florida, marking a major milestone in commercial spaceflight and international collaboration, with Shukla’s participation representing a proud moment for India’s growing space ambitions.
National Herald Case Heats Up: Delhi Court Reserves Order on ED Chargesheet Against Gandhis 14
A Delhi court on Monday reserved its order on whether to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet in the high-profile National Herald case involving top Congress leaders. Special Judge Vishal Gogne said the matter will next be heard on July 29.
The ED has named Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, deceased Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, as well as Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and two companies — Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd — in its chargesheet.
The agency has accused the Congress leadership of criminal conspiracy and money laundering linked to the alleged fraudulent takeover of assets worth ₹2,000 crore from Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.
According to the ED, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi jointly controlled 76% of Young Indian, which acquired AJL’s massive assets in lieu of a ₹90 crore loan, an act the agency claims was a sham to usurp prime properties under the guise of debt clearance.
Maharashtra Public Safety Bill: A Ruthless Blueprint to Bulldoze Democracy? 16
As the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly begins, the state stands on the brink of a dangerous descent into authoritarianism. The Maharashtra Public Safety Bill, 2024, introduced under the pretext of protecting public safety, is a deeply flawed, repressive, and unconstitutional piece of legislation that seeks not to safeguard citizens but to suffocate democracy. The BJP-led government, which itself is mired in accusations of electoral manipulation and misuse of democratic institutions, now wants to codify fear, surveillance, and state control into law. This bill, already passed in the lower house and likely to pass in the upper house, grants unchecked and sweeping powers to the police and state authorities to label any organisation or individual as unlawful, seize properties, detain without bail, suppress media platforms, and criminalise dissent — all under elastic and vague terms like “urban Naxal” or “anti-constitutional activity.” These terms have not been defined and are instead left to the discretion of those in power, making the law a blunt weapon to crush critics, muzzle journalists, destroy independent voices, and delegitimise peaceful protests. It is a law not made for justice, but for vengeance.
Despite more than 13,000 submissions from concerned citizens and organisations, the final version of the bill reflects no meaningful change. The so-called joint committee that reviewed it functioned more as a facade of democratic process than a genuine attempt at inclusivity. Not a single major amendment was made to address the fundamental issues raised by civil society. The Maharashtra government has shown deliberate contempt for public participation, transparency, and accountability. This is not governance; it is executive arrogance wearing a constitutional mask.
If this bill is truly about public safety, then why has the government not acted against violent right-wing elements who openly abuse minorities, threaten journalists, strip and assault women, burn the Constitution, and glorify communal hatred? What about those who lynch in the name of religion, troll dissenters with state-sponsored impunity, or bulldoze homes of the marginalised under false pretexts? What about the hate mongers who defame Ambedkar, insult Mahatma Gandhi, brand every protest as sedition, and carry out orchestrated campaigns of misinformation and communal division? If these acts are not threats to public safety, then what is?
This law is not even pretending to be neutral. It is targeted, it is political, and it is vengeful. It sends a clear message — that to question the government is to risk your freedom, to protest is to risk your life, and to speak is to invite punishment. The idea of democracy is built on dissent. The right to oppose, to question, to resist, and to hold power accountable is the cornerstone of any functioning republic. By criminalising dissent, the Maharashtra government is not protecting citizens — it is protecting itself from them. And in doing so, it is betraying the very soul of the Constitution it claims to defend.
On June 30, when the Assembly reconvenes, thousands of citizens, activists, students, and rights defenders will gather at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. This protest is not merely a march — it is a cry for sanity, a demand for justice, and a resistance against this assault on civil liberty. The Anti-Public Safety Bill Committee, which emerged from widespread grassroots anger, has been organising protests across 78 locations in 36 districts for over a year. Their message is clear: withdraw this bill, scrap this law, and stop dismantling democracy one act at a time.
India is not a police state. Maharashtra is not a laboratory for authoritarian experiments. Public safety cannot be achieved by suppressing the public. This bill is an insult to the Constitution, a mockery of democracy, and a dangerous precedent that must be opposed with every ounce of courage and conviction. Today it is activists and students; tomorrow it could be anyone. Once the state is allowed to criminalise thought, freedom itself becomes a crime. This is a moment for Maharashtra to choose — fear or freedom. The battle is not about a bill, it is about the future of our republic.
Mahayuti's Fort Frenzy: Shivaji-Era Forts Get UNESCO Nod, Maharashtra MLAs Celebrate with Slogans 18
Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti legislators erupted in celebration on Monday at the steps of Vidhan Bhavan after UNESCO officially recognised 12 historic forts, including several associated with Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as World Heritage Sites.
Calling it a proud moment for Maharashtra and a tribute to Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy, legislators from the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP gathered with banners and slogans to mark the occasion ahead of the monsoon session of the state legislature.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) added the “Maratha Military Landscapes” to its World Heritage List during the 47th session of its World Heritage Committee in Paris last week.
The recognised sites include 11 forts in Maharashtra—Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijay Durg, and Sindhudurg—and the Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
Legislators expressed hope that this global recognition will not only ensure better preservation of the sites but also raise awareness about the military genius and cultural legacy of the Maratha empire.
Sambhaji Brigade founding member Pravin Gaikwad was assaulted in Maharashtra’s Solapur district on Sunday, allegedly over his remarks on Swami Samarth, a revered figure considered a reincarnation of Shree Dattatreya. A viral video shows Gaikwad being dragged from his vehicle and attacked by a group, with black ink hurled at him.
The incident triggered a political storm after visuals surfaced showing Deepak Kate, one of the accused, with BJP leaders. However, Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule quickly denied any party involvement. “The BJP has no connection to the attack on Gaikwad. It is not in our character to engage in such acts. An accused is an accused, regardless of affiliation,” Bawankule told reporters.
The police booked Kate and six others from the Shivdharm Foundation under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for rioting. They were later released after being served notices.
Gaikwad, known for his progressive stance, alleged the assault was ideologically motivated by Hindutva-aligned groups. The attackers were also reportedly angered by his casual reference to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj as just “Sambhaji” and demanded that his organisation be renamed as the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Brigade.
BJP MLC Parinay Fuke accused opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar and Sushma Andhare of politicising the event. “They see BJP’s hand in every incident. This shouldn’t be politicised, though action against the attackers is justified,” Fuke said.
Gaikwad was attending a felicitation event in Akkalkot when the incident occurred. The village is known for its spiritual association with Swami Samarth.
The Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha rights group, has a controversial past. In 2004, it was accused of vandalising Pune’s Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute over content in American scholar James Laine’s book on Shivaji Maharaj, which the outfit found offensive.
