Vande Mataram, the national song that has stirred passions and political controversies for more than a century, received legal protection on Thursday with Parliament passing a bill making any insult to it a punishable offence, rekindling the long-running debate over its place in India's history and identity.
Actor Vijay, president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The ceremony included a selfie with Rahul Gandhi and a 360-degree video of the cheering crowd. Vijay's party achieved a historic debut, ending the duopoly of DMK and AIADMK.
'Our leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, are in touch with all Opposition parties, including the DMK and the AAP.'
Panshul Bansal, who secured All India Rank 2 in the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, advised protesting students to 'Don't protest. Go, study,' stating he focused on improving his performance after the original exam was cancelled due to a paper leak.
The Congress party has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent video message on paper leaks as an 'eyewash', demanding the sacking of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and accountability for the alleged brutality against student protestors. The party highlighted the government's initial denial of the NEET-UG 2026 leak and its perceived failure to address widespread irregularities.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has reiterated its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on fast-track courts for paper leak cases does not address accountability.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing them of prioritising the wealthy over the poor and failing to create job opportunities.
Prashant Kishor's stunning Bankipur victory has broken the BJP's three-decade dominance in one of its safest urban strongholds, signalling a major political shift in Bihar.
Rahul Gandhi accuses Mamata Banerjee of not directly fighting the BJP, alleging that this indirect approach benefits the ruling party. He also criticised her government's performance on job creation and handling of corruption.
Municipal workers have repainted the graffiti-covered walls around Jantar Mantar, erasing the visual remnants of a student-led protest that led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protest saw walls adorned with slogans, sketches, and messages reflecting youth anger, which have now been removed by the New Delhi Municipal Council.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing them of favouring the wealthy over the poor and prioritising power.
Monday's proceedings demonstrated that the legislative debate has become inseparable from the broader political crisis surrounding the NEET controversy.
Vijay's Jana Nayagan releases in theatres, and fans just can't keep calm!
The Lok Sabha has approved an amendment to India's anti-paper leak law, introducing stricter punishments including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh, in response to recent large-scale student protests and the NEET paper leak case.
Bihar on Wednesday witnessed a pitched battle between hundreds of student activists demanding Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and the police, which used tear gas shells, water cannons and batons in a bid to prevent their 'Lok Bhavan march'.
Opposition leaders across party lines have condemned the forced removal of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site in Delhi, accusing the BJP-led central government of undermining democratic freedoms, curbing dissent, and choosing force over dialogue.
Delhi Police has cancelled all routine leaves for its personnel, effective immediately, in response to the escalating law and order situation and ongoing protests in the capital against the NEET exam paper leak.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack on its first anniversary, asserting India's unity against terrorism and its resolve to stand against forces of hatred and fear.
'Instead of choosing dialogue, the government chose repression... Force ought to be the last resort, not the first.'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called for a high-level investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a girl in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, demanding immediate justice and protection for the victim's family.
Holding Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for alleged police brutalities on protesting students, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that "Jan Shakti" (people's power) will "drag him out" one day to make him accountable.
A Congress spokesperson, quoted in media reports, summed up the party's thinking by saying, 'Whenever BJP is in trouble on the ground, a new 'apolitical' or 'alternative' party appears with the same ideology and the same backers.'
The Allahabad High Court has deferred its order directing an FIR against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in connection with the alleged dual citizenship controversy, pending a review of whether prior notice to the accused was legally required.
As the debate in Parliament over the use of excessive force and pellet guns against student protesters continues, experts have warned that injuries caused by pellet guns can result in irreversible damage, particularly when there is substantial soft-tissue loss, bone defects, or disruption of the continuity of nerves and blood vessels.
As the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) web site opens for NEET-UG registration, aspiring medical students are urged to avoid simple, yet costly, mistakes during the online counselling process, with experts advising thorough preparation and careful choice filling.
The Bihar government, led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, has renamed the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park as 'Patna Zoo' and the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology as 'Bihar State Institute of Dairy Technology'. The cabinet also approved significant allocations for electricity subsidies, college establishments, and infrastructure projects.
The government on Tuesday summoned a top Meta executive after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent post addressing India's youth and promising stringent measures against paper leaks was briefly restricted by Facebook, and although the US-headquartered social media giant blamed it on a technical glitch and apologised, the IT Ministry found the explanation "inadequate".
The hearing in a defamation suit filed against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the 2020 Hathras gangrape case has been deferred to May 2. The case, heard in an MP-MLA court, was delayed due to the presiding judge's transfer. The defamation complaint stems from Gandhi's alleged remarks about the accused 'roaming free' while visiting the victim's family.
Aamir Khan's comments that his 3 Idiots character Phunsukh Wangdu was not based on Sonam Wangchuk has triggered reactions from politicians, activists and social media users, with some accusing the actor of distancing himself from the educationist, who is currently on a hunger strike.
Gen Z protesters are using memes, music, and sarcastic humour on social media platforms like Instagram and X to demand Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET question paper leak and other examination irregularities.
'But they had nothing to negotiate as the government did not negotiate. It is completely the fault of the government as they dumped it on the police.'
The Centre has extended the tenure of CBI chief Praveen Sood by one year, marking his second extension in office. The decision follows a meeting of the selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Union Cabinet has approved a draft bill to introduce stricter punishments for examination paper leaks, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement. This new legislation builds upon the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aiming to curb cheating in public examinations conducted by various central agencies amidst recent controversies like the NEET and NET paper leaks.
BJP sources said the government would introduce a fresh Bill on the issue and has reached out to parties that opposed the earlier legislation.
The Congress party is set to challenge the Modi government on a range of critical issues, including alleged theft of Ram temple donations, 'systemic corrosion' of the education system, and constitutional amendment bills related to delimitation and dismissal of ministers, during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
'I thought this generation was no good, will not be able to do much with all this social media etc. But then, they surprised us.'
Amidst widespread student protests over the NEET paper leak, the Indian government has introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The bill proposes significantly stricter punishments, including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh for individuals involved in paper leaks, and up to Rs 10 crore for organised crimes, aiming to enhance transparency and fairness in public examinations.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has filed an application in the Madhya Pradesh High Court expressing regret over an allegedly defamatory statement made against Kartikeya Singh, son of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Singh had filed a defamation complaint, leading Gandhi to seek quashing of the summons and the case.
The BJP is significantly increasing its digital engagement with young people on Instagram, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers, in response to the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and subsequent student protests. This strategic shift aims to counter the narrative and communicate government actions on examination reforms.
Dharmendra Pradhan's political career faced an unexpected jolt as he resigned as Education Minister following nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak, marking a significant departure from the government's initial dismissive response to the agitation.
