Where Indians come to watch, and be watched

A Delhi court has restored activist Umar Khalid's weekly video meetings with his family. Jail authorities had previously reduced these meetings from two to one weekly session. The court found no justification for the reduction in the number of meetings. Khalid remains in jail in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case. This order follows the rejection of his recent bail pleas by a Delhi court.

Several Jan Suraaj leaders joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday. This development occurs before the Bankipur Assembly bypoll scheduled for July 30. Prashant Kishor is contesting this election against the BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha. New entrants expressed their commitment to Prime Minister Modi's leadership and national development. The bypoll was necessitated after Nitin Nabin resigned from the assembly seat.

The Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Centre and Delhi government regarding a PIL. This plea requests urgent medical intervention for climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike. The activist-lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini filed the public interest litigation seeking hospitalisation and supervised treatment. Wangchuk has been fasting since June 28, demanding the Education Minister's resignation over examination irregularities.

Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra has resigned from Mamata Banerjee's faction. He joined the rebel TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday. Mitra accused Abhishek Banerjee of refusing to step aside during the party's crisis. This development follows summons issued to Mitra's family by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED is investigating a municipal recruitment scam in West Bengal.

Taslima Nasreen's upcoming return to Kolkata after 20 years sparks intense political discussions. The Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party both voiced their strong opinions regarding her visit. Exiled since 2007, Nasreen is set to participate in an anti-fundamentalism literary event this August. Her previous works and the circumstances of her exile have sent shockwaves through conversations about free speech and the intersection with religious beliefs in West Bengal.

A plea seeks court intervention to force-feed activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose hunger strike has entered its eighteenth day. Concerns are growing over his deteriorating health as he has reportedly lost significant weight. The petition urges authorities to shift him to a government hospital for medical intervention. It argues that saving his life is of paramount importance for the nation.

A plea seeks court intervention to force-feed activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose hunger strike has entered its eighteenth day. Concerns are growing over his deteriorating health as he has reportedly lost significant weight. The petition urges authorities to shift him to a government hospital for medical intervention. It argues that saving his life is of paramount importance for the nation.

The Congress invited Mamata Banerjee to its Martyrs' Day event in Kolkata. This invitation came with a condition that she acknowledge leaving Congress was a mistake. West Bengal Congress president stated Mamata should not distort the historical significance of the 1993 movement. He added that admitting her past decision was wrong would be a significant gesture. The Congress stage remains open for her to pay respects to the martyrs.

India summoned Iran's deputy chief of mission to protest recent attacks on commercial ships. One Indian seafarer tragically lost his life and two others were critically injured. These attacks on vessels like MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa have intensified recently. India strongly condemned the violence and urged an immediate cessation of hostilities. The government seeks the restoration of free and safe navigation through international waterways.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau informed the Supreme Court about the inquiry timeline. The complex investigation into the Air India crash is expected to conclude soon. Analysis activities will be completed within six weeks, subject to external factors. A draft final report is anticipated by October 2026 for review. This timeline aligns with international practices for accident investigations.

The Supreme Court questioned English's indigenous status while refusing to halt the CBSE's three-language scheme. This policy aims to promote Hindi and regional languages, aligning with constitutional goals. Petitioners argued against the scheme due to teacher and infrastructure challenges. They also noted limited availability of books on the NCERT website. The Centre and CBSE will file their responses within ten days.