The Delhi Police has registered an FIR over the alleged use of pellet guns during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led march to Parliament on July 20, after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged a protest at a Delhi police station on Friday.

Gandhi sat on a dharna outside the DCP’s office, accompanied by 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, who was injured during the protest and allegedly suffered pellet injuries.

According to PTI, Gandhi first visited the Mandir Marg police station along with Lochab and sought registration of an FIR over the incident. When his demand was not accepted, he proceeded to the Parliament Street police station and met the Deputy Commissioner of Police. After discussions with the DCP failed to resolve the matter, Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, sat on a dharna at the police station, demanding that the alleged pellet firing be formally investigated.

The FIR was subsequently registered by the Delhi Police.

The July 20 CJP march to Parliament had witnessed clashes between protesters and police, with allegations of excessive force and violence on both sides. The alleged use of pellet guns became a major issue after Lochab was injured. Gandhi’s protest on Friday came amid demands for accountability over the police action during the march. The Congress leader has maintained that the incident involving the youth required a formal investigation and registration of a case.

Siliguri, Aug 21: Asserting that neither West Bengal nor India will be safe until its frontiers are secured, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday lamented that despite repeated requests, previous chief minister Mamata Banerjee did not provide land required for fencing the India-Bangladesh border in the state.

Stating that no previous CMs of the state ever attended programmes of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) or the BSF, Shah congratulated Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari for breaking the glass ceiling.

“My desperate pleas to Mamata Banerjee for land to set up border fences by the BSF fell on deaf ears. I had been asking for 1129 acres of land to strengthen border security since 2014. We received the land parcel only after the Adhikari government was formed in the state,” Shah said at a programme for groundbreaking and foundation stone laying ceremonies of various SSB projects at its frontier headquarters in Siliguri.

Stating that the SSB is not a political organisation, Shah said that previous CMs staying away from the celebrations of border forces gave out wrong signals.

Shah said he was saddened by previous dispensations in India not awarding due recognition to the national song Vande Mataram since the country gained Independence.

“The complete version of VandeMataram was never sung in India until at the Red Fort during the Independence Day celebrations this year. It gives me solace that the nation has finally recognised the song on the 150th year of its creation by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,” he said.

New Delhi, Aug 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that India has political stability and continuity in its policies, and the world sees the country as a bright spot of growth and hope.

Addressing the Economic Times World Leaders Forum, Modi also said today, there are many concerns regarding growth and in these times, the world has witnessed a very severe form of weaponisation of resources.

“This atmosphere of distrust is bringing numerous new challenges for the world. Even in such times, the world is seeing India as a bright spot of growth and hope,” he said.

The prime minister said bringing reforms in all spheres is his government’s commitment and that India continues to take several steps to ensure continued growth momentum.

Modi asserted that India will further strengthen its position globally and he is committed to ensuring that.

“We are shaping pro-people, pro-growth policies. We have passed reform bills even during the last Parliament session marred by opposition protests,” he said.

The prime minister said India is undertaking next-generation reforms at the policy level, so that the country’s future is secure.

“It is reforming governance and ease of living. Reform is not a compulsion for us, it is our commitment, our conviction,” he said.

Modi promised that he will ensure that the “reform express” gains further speed.

“I promise more reforms for ease of living for our people,” he said.

Modi said the world has many concerns regarding growth as resources are getting weaponised, but India is being seen as a bright spot of growth.

He said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has a clear roadmap for reforms, with a strong focus on governance.

“Our government is rewarding higher production with incentives,” he said.

Modi alleged that it was the policy of the previous regimes to keep people in scarcity, so that they beg before the government for even basic needs.

He said the licence raj of the previous governments used to add to the burden of unemployment, whereas the current government’s production-linked-incentive model is creating opportunities.

“We are not just changing regulations, we are changing the entire policy of regulations. Our government believes that there should be no regulation for doing something that has not been explicitly prohibited under a law,” he said.

“We are moving from the ‘prohibited-unless-permitted’ approach to the ‘permitted-unless-prohibited’ model,” the prime minister said.

He said India has moved away from the PLP (Production-Linked Punishment) model of the previous governments to PLIs (Production-Linked Incentives) now.

“Today’s young generation will be surprised to hear that there was a time in our country when if a company exceeded the fixed production limit, it would be punished. This was the PLP model of the previous licence-raj governments,” he said.

The prime minister said there have also been instances where if a factory produced more due to higher demand, it would receive a notice.

“Those who mock Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat today are carrying forward the same mindset of their predecessors. A particular kind of distorted thinking was behind this approach,” he said.

Citing an example, the prime minister said earlier, no one could make India’s map without permission even though foreign satellites could map India, but his government has changed this system.

He also said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has decided that border infrastructure is India’s strength and not weakness.

“We have changed the picture of our border infrastructure,” Modi said.

The prime minister accused the previous governments of making announcements only for elections, while adding that headlines in politics have a life of just 24 hours.

“I would have made headlines by just promising free electricity, but I decided to provide free solar energy to every household,” he said.

Modi said over the last few years, the world has witnessed numerous ups and downs, and these experiences have made one thing clear — whether one likes it or not, the future of every country is connected with that of other countries.

“Nothing is possible in isolation, so this theme of this year’s summit, ‘Shared Future’, has become even more relevant. India has always moved forward with this very spirit,” he said, adding that during the country’s G20 presidency, the mantra was “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.

Modi said the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) forecast suggests that India will remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy, while asserting that the country is taking steps that are giving momentum to its development.

The prime minister also referred to the crisis often engulfing the previous governments, alleging that certain people then always wanted a shortage of essential things and to keep the country’s citizens in deprivation.

They wanted the public to come before them with folded hands, he said.

Modi said earlier, the approach to regulation was “prohibited unless permitted”, but the current government is changing this approach to “permitted unless prohibited”.

“This means that if something is not legally prohibited, there is no need to seek permission at every step. The basic ideology is that the foundation of the relationship between the public and the government should not be suspicion, but trust,” he said.

New Delhi, Aug 21: The government on Friday rejected claims that diversion of sugar for ethanol production was driving a sharp rise in the price of the sweetener and instead blamed the industry for jacking up prices despite the country having sufficient stock to meet domestic demand.

The Centre has asked States to take action against hoarding and black marketing of the sweetener and also start preparing for early start of the crushing season by mills, by around October 15. It is also considering reducing the stock that dealers can hold.

Briefing the media on sugar availability and prices, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said the government has taken precautionary measures by allowing imports of 10 lakh tonnes of sugar by October 31 and imposing stock-holding limits on dealers as well as bulk consumers such as soft-drink and ice-cream makers.

He asserted that there are ample sugar stocks in the country despite a fall in production to 306 lakh tonnes for the 2025-26 marketing year (October-September), down from earlier estimates of 343 lakh tonnes, mainly because of pest disease in sugarcane crops and waterlogging caused by excess rains. Annual domestic demand is around 280-285 lakh tonnes.

Following the government’s recent measures, the secretary said retail prices are expected to fall in the coming days. The all-India average retail price has shot up to Rs 56 per kg from Rs 48 per kg on July 20.

Chopra pointed out that ex-mill sugar prices have shot up to Rs 62 per kg from Rs 47-48 per kg in just about 7-10 days, and said this kind of hike is “unjustified”.

On Friday, the secretary called representatives of the industry bodies ISMA and the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFSCF) and told them that this sudden, sharp hike in ex-mill prices is “not acceptable”.

“We have always been assisting the sugar sector, and we expect that they will not take advantage of these situations to the detriment of the consumers of the country,” Chopra said.

On the ethanol issue, the secretary said it is incorrect to attribute the recent increase in sugar prices to diversion of sugar for ethanol production.

“Some of the stakeholders are trying to create the impression that the sugar prices have gone up only because of ethanol diversion, which is completely baseless,” Chopra said, adding that the diversification to ethanol has improved the financial health of the sugar sector and also helped in timely payment to farmers.

In the 2022-23 marketing year, he said almost 43 lakh tonnes of sugar was diverted, which in percentage terms stood at 12 per cent of the total sugar stock.

Only 28 lakh tonnes of sugar have been diverted in the current 2025-26 marketing season, the secretary said. Only one-fourth of ethanol is now made from sugar and the rest from grains, mainly maize.

Regarding prices, Chopra said, “There has been this sharp increase in the prices of sugar in the recent past, and they have gone up from Rs 48 just about 15 days back to a level of Rs 56 now. It is important to clarify that this is not based on any fundamentals”.

Stating that there are “ample and adequate” stocks in the country, he said, “There is no reason for any of these stakeholders to take advantage of this kind of a position. Profiteer, hoard, speculate, and create the impression that the country has no sugar in stock.”

India will have a closing stock of 33-35 lakh tonnes at the end of September 2026, he said, adding that the mills are expected to start early this year by October 15th.

“So we are estimating, since the crushing will start early this year by 15th of October, there will be about 10-12 lakh tonnes of additional sugar available in the month of October, which will ensure that the availability will be more than adequate to cater to the domestic requirements,” Chopra said.

Despite a comfortable stock situation, he said, “as a matter of abundant precaution, the government has also given approval to have duty-free import of about 10 lakh tons of raw sugar”.

Apart from that, Chopra said sugar refineries that have imported raw sugar under the advance authorisation scheme have been allowed to transfer their stocks for domestic sales. This will help in boosting sugar availability by 3-4 lakh tonnes immediately.

“These are all additional steps taken as a matter of abundant precaution. There is no justification for some of these players in the sugar sector to have hiked the prices. We are in fact aware,” he said.

Chopra said he held meetings with the two sugar associations and “told them that what has happened over the past few days is not acceptable”.

“The ex-mill prices, for no reason, have shot up from a level of Rs 47-48 per kg to a level of Rs 62 per kg in just about 7-10 days, and there is no reason why they have actually jacked up the prices. So we have conveyed our sentiments to the industry”.

To create “artificial scarcity”, the secretary said some sugar mills are selling the stocks only on paper and not selling it physically. Therefore, he has instructed that the quantities sold must reach the markets for retail sale.

Chopra informed that he held a meeting with all the major sugar-producing states.

“They have also been told to be in readiness to start the sugar crushing early around 15th of October. We have also told them to come down heavily on the black marketers, hoarders and speculators,” he said.

The secretary said the government is also considering tightening the stock-holding limits for dealers, which are currently set at 400 tonnes.

Regarding the stock limit on bulk users, the secretary said it could be a little inconvenient for them. From September 1, bulk consumers will also be barred from holding stocks exceeding 15 days of consumption.

“But keeping in view the situation where some people are bent on holding the stocks unnecessarily without any reason when ample stocks are available, I think these are some steps that the government has taken of late, which will ensure that the availability in the market improves,” he said.

Chopra assured that there would be no issues with stock availability during the festive season and beyond. He asserted that the government would take all possible steps to protect the interest of farmers and consumers.

New Delhi, Aug 21: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda, today reviewed the prevailing situation and preparedness for H1N1 Influenza in the country, with particular focus on the National Capital. Delhi Health Minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh also attended the meeting.

The Union Health Minister reviewed the national surveillance and epidemiological situation, Influenza-like illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) trends, testing and laboratory surveillance, and preparedness of healthcare facilities to manage seasonal influenza cases. Nadda emphasised the need for continued vigilance, robust surveillance and proactive preparedness, with close monitoring of influenza trends and timely identification and management of any unusual increase or clustering of cases.

The preparedness of healthcare facilities in Delhi was reviewed, including the availability of hospital beds, critical care facilities, oxygen-supported beds, ventilators, essential medicines, diagnostics, and other critical supplies. The Minister stressed the importance of adequate surge capacity and seamless referral mechanisms, particularly for patients requiring specialised or critical care.

The Union Health Minister called for continued strengthening of early detection, timely testing and appropriate clinical management of influenza cases, along with effective utilisation of the existing surveillance and laboratory network.

Earlier, on 10th July 2026, the Union Health Secretary had written to all States/UTs advising them to strengthen preparedness and surveillance for Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) and ensure healthcare facilities remain adequately prepared.

Nadda also emphasised public awareness and preventive health practices, including respiratory hygiene and hand hygiene, and advised individuals with persistent or severe respiratory symptoms, breathing difficulty or other warning signs to seek medical advice promptly.

The Union Health Minister reiterated that the situation is being closely and continuously monitored, while emphasising the need for sustained and coordinated efforts for the prevention and control of seasonal diseases, including Dengue and Malaria. Nadda called for a proactive and preparedness-oriented approach by State Governments, with active participation of Municipal Councillors and other local bodies in generating awareness among communities on the prevention, spread and control of seasonal diseases.

Highlighting the increase in TB detection in the National Capital through the active involvement of local bodies and a whole-of-government approach, the Union Minister stressed the importance of active participation of public representatives at all levels in disseminating factual and evidence-based information and strengthening community engagement.

The Ministry continues to coordinate closely with States/UTs, hospitals, laboratories and other stakeholders to ensure effective surveillance, early detection, timely clinical management and proactive preparedness for seasonal influenza, including H1N1.

The meeting was also attended by Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava; Additional Secretary (Public Health) Dr. Rakesh Gupta; Delhi State Health Secretary Rupesh Kumar Thakur and other senior officers.