National

As the Hindutva Coalition Unites in Bihar, RJD Reembraces Mandal Politics

Published

11 months ago

March 9, 2025

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ramps up its political strategy ahead of the Bihar assembly elections by bringing in prominent Hindutva figures, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is signaling a return to Mandal politics to challenge this approach.
In the realm of politics, coincidences are rare; rather, there is an element of strategy aimed at seizing or maintaining power.

The concurrent appearances of key Hindutva leaders—Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, Bageshwar Baba Acharya Dhirendra Shastri, and Sri Sri Pandit Ravi Shankar—have certainly caught attention in Bihar.

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Leaders of the Mahagathbandhan have labeled this move as politically motivated, while the BJP contests such claims. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) remains quiet on the matter.
In response, RJD leaders have opted to vigorously advocate for the issue of reservations. They accuse the NDA government in Bihar of neglecting the legitimate demands of unemployed youth from backward, extremely backward, Dalit, and tribal communities by failing to increase the reservation cap to 65 percent.
On Sunday, the RJD conducted a day-long dharna in Patna to protest the NDA government’s policies.
During the protest, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav highlighted that the 17-month-old Mahagathbandhan government had successfully raised the reservation limit from 49.5 to 65 percent and had proposed its inclusion in the 9th Schedule at the Centre.
He stated, “The BJP-led central government has not approved this inclusion, thereby denying 16 percent reservation to unemployed youth from backward, extremely backward, Dalit, and tribal communities. By sidelining our demand, they are robbing these youth of their opportunities. The BJP-Nitish administration has deprived our people of approximately 50,000 job opportunities to date.”
The RJD leader noted that the party is closely monitoring the situation, which is currently under review by the Supreme Court.
He asserted, “However, we will not passively await the court’s decision indefinitely. We will raise this issue across all platforms, from the streets to the Assembly, ensuring that the NDA government does not infringe upon the rights of our youth.”

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National

Three Burned Alive as Car Falls from Bridge in Gujarat’s Rajkot

Published

1 week ago

January 31, 2026

Namma Kudla

Gujarat: A tragic accident claimed the lives of three people in Gujarat’s Rajkot district on Monday.A car fell from a bridge and caught fire, killing all occupants on the spot.

The incident occurred on the Gondal–Atkot highway.The car was travelling from Chhota Udepur towards Gondal.

According to reports, the vehicle hit the bridge’s safety barrier.After the collision, the car fell nearly eight feet into a small stream below the bridge.

Soon after the fall, the car caught fire.The occupants were trapped inside the vehicle and were unable to escape.All three were burned alive and died at the scene.

Police and fire personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information.The fire was later brought under control.The bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem examination.

The exact cause of the accident is under investigation. Further details are awaited.

National

Girl Records Reels Inside Jail, Video Sparks Debate

Published

1 week ago

January 30, 2026

Namma Kudla

Bhopal: A young woman has come under public attention after recording reels inside a jail while meeting her boyfriend.

The incident happened at Raipur Central Jail in Chhattisgarh, which is known for high security. Mobile phones are strictly not allowed inside the jail. Despite this rule, the woman carried her phone into the visitor room.

She recorded videos while talking to her boyfriend during the meeting. In the video, she speaks emotionally about visiting him on his birthday. She says she feels sad because she cannot stay with him on his special day.

After the meeting, she uploaded the video on her social media account. The video quickly went viral on different platforms. The inmate seen in the video is identified as Tarakeshwar.

He is currently lodged in Raipur Central Jail. He is an accused in a case under the NDPS Act. The incident has raised serious questions about jail security.

People on social media are criticising jail staff and officials. Many users are asking how a mobile phone was allowed inside the jail.

They are also questioning the checking process at the jail entrance. So far, jail authorities have not given any official reaction.

National

MBBS Student Alleges She Was Drugged, Raped by Friend in Delhi Hotel

Published

4 months ago

October 6, 2025

Namma Kudla

New Delhi: An 18-year-old MBBS student has accused a 20-year-old male friend of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area. The alleged incident took place on September 9, police officials said.

According to the complaint, the accused, who is also a medical student, invited the woman to “Hotel Apple” on the pretext of spending time together. Once there, he allegedly gave her a drink laced with drugs and then raped her.

The survivor told police that the accused recorded obscene videos and took pictures during the assault. He later threatened to make the content viral if she reported the incident.

The woman, a native of Jind in Haryana, is currently staying at the hostel of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College in Rohini, Delhi.

Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A search is underway to locate and arrest the accused, officials added.

In a separate case earlier this month, a school manager in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 8 student. In February, a tuition teacher in Delhi’s CR Park area was accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old student over three years and threatening her with blackmail.