New Delhi, Jul 22: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday said he would end his indefinite hunger strike if the Centre assures him that no force would be used against the protesting students and no FIRs or other punitive action would be taken against them, asserting that even though he has lost around 11 kg during the fast, he wants to return to his work.

In a video message from Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital, Wangchuk, who appeared visibly frail, said, “I am still alive. This is the 25th day of my fast. I have lost around 11 kg of weight. I have lost muscles. But I am alright.”

“I want to start my work, but I request the government not to use force again on students and do not file any charges or FIRs. I need an assurance for that. If I get that assurance, I will break my fast today. If no assurance comes, I will be forced to continue it,” he added.

Wangchuk said he has decided to continue his fast after the police action on protesters during Monday’s “Chalo Sansad” march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

“Because the attack was brutal, I decided to continue my fast. I want to appreciate all the students who received batons but did not attack, even though they were provoked and people were brought to do stone pelting,” he said.

He said several political leaders, including Union ministers and 65 MPs, have urged him to end his fast.

Earlier, in a letter addressed to Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh, Wangchuk said they met him at the hospital on Tuesday night and assured him that the Centre would positively consider providing adequate compensation to the families of the students who have committed suicide following the NEET paper “leak” and holding a meaningful discussion in Parliament to ensure accountability for exam irregularities, including considering the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

He further sought an assurance that action would not be taken against the protesting students as one of the conditions for breaking his fast.

“Their only ‘offence’ has been to raise their voice for a fair and accountable education system,” Wangchuk said in the letter to the ministers.

Sharing the letter on X, he said, “An appeal to the government regarding breaking my fast…. Once the assurance from the government comes, I will also appeal to the peacefully protesting students to halt the movement for now and enter into dialogue with the government.”

Referring to the “Chalo Sansad” march, Wangchuk said it was peaceful despite atrocities and a disproportionate use of force by police.

He added that 65 MPs from different political parties have written to him, while several of them have met him personally and urged him to end his fast.

“They have all urged me to end my fast, reminding me that I still have much work to do in the service of our nation. I agree with them. I want to live.

“I want to return to my students, to education and to the work that has defined my life. But I cannot do so at the cost of the very young people for whom this movement began,” Wangchuk said.

He stressed that the future of a democracy depends “not on how it treats those who agree with it, but on how it treats its young citizens when they dare to speak with courage, hope and conviction”.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of opposition MPs, including Congress’s Vivek Tankha, CPI-M’s John Brittas and TMC’s Sagarika Ghose, met Wangchuk at the Medanta Hospital and appealed to him to end his fast.

In a letter, MPs from several opposition parties assured him that the issues of examination reforms and accountability in the education sector would be taken up in Parliament.

“The country, especially its youngsters, needs your wisdom and guidance far more than your sacrifice…. Just as the Union Territory of Ladakh needs Sonam Wangchuk, India needs you too, not in suffering, but in service,” the MPs wrote to Wangchuk, while assuring him that they would press the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government against any coercive action against the peaceful protesters.

Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28, after he joined the CJP-led agitation demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and Pradhan’s resignation.

Wangchuk is currently admitted to the Medanta Hospital, after he was shifted from the Safdarjung Hospital following a Delhi High Court order.

New Delhi, July 22: The Government has undertaken several digital initiatives to improve the management of the Haj pilgrimage for Indian pilgrims during Haj 2026. The major initiatives are as follows:

Haj Suvidha App 2.0: The Ministry has launched Haj Suvidha App 2.0, an enhanced digital platform providing pilgrims with end-to-end information and services relating to their Haj journey. The App facilitates access to travel schedules, accommodation details, baggage information, emergency contacts, SOS, health-related information, important advisories, and grievance redressal, thereby improving communication and service delivery. Pilgrims can register and track grievances through the Haj Suvidha App, facilitating timely resolution and improved service delivery.

Online Haj Application and Selection: The Haj application process is conducted through an online portal & Haj Suvidha App, and the selection of pilgrims is carried out through a transparent, computerised process, ensuring efficiency and transparency.

Online Payment System: Pilgrims can make Haj-related payments through secure online payment modes, facilitating timely and convenient financial transactions.

Online Flight Selection: Pilgrims are provided with the facility to indicate their preferred flight dates and timings through the online system, subject to operational feasibility, thereby improving convenience and travel planning.

Digital Submission of Passports: The requirement for physical submission of passports has been dispensed with. Pilgrims can submit passport details digitally, reducing paperwork, processing time and the need for repeated visits to State/UT Haj Committees.

Digital Accommodation and Pilgrim Information: Details relating to accommodation, flight details and other pilgrim-specific services are made available digitally through the Haj Suvidha App and the online Haj portal, enabling pilgrims to access information conveniently.

The Government has taken several measures to enhance the welfare of Indian Haj pilgrims during Haj 2026, particularly in the areas of healthcare, accommodation, transportation and emergency assistance. The major initiatives are as follows:

Improved Accommodation: Hotel-style accommodation has been arranged for Indian Haj pilgrims in Makkah for Haj-2026 with improved amenities and services. In Mina camps, the traditional accommodation arrangements have been upgraded by providing sofa-cum-beds, ensuring greater comfort and better utilisation of space.

Medical Infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Clinics, medical centres and dispensaries are established at key pilgrimage locations to provide medical services to Indian Haj pilgrims throughout the Haj period. The Government deputes qualified doctors, paramedics and other medical personnel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide medical assistance to Indian Haj pilgrims.

Comprehensive Insurance Coverage: Every Haj pilgrim is covered under a comprehensive insurance scheme providing coverage of up to ₹6.25 lakh, offering financial protection against unforeseen contingencies during the pilgrimage.

Improved Transportation: Indian Haj pilgrims are facilitated to travel between Makkah and Madinah through the High-Speed Rail, significantly reducing travel time and enhancing safety and convenience.

Special Facilitation for Vulnerable Pilgrims: Pilgrims aged 65 years and above are required to be accompanied by a companion to ensure adequate support and assistance throughout the pilgrimage.

The Government is committed to ensure the safety, welfare, comfort and overall well-being of Indian Haj pilgrims through digital services and reforms.

This information was given by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

New Delhi, July 22: The Government has released the draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026 to consolidate the various Guidelines issued for Television and Radio services, within the framework of the newly enacted Telecommunications Act, 2023.

The following Guidelines have been integrated into this set of rules: (1) Policy Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Satellite Television Channels in India; (2) Guidelines for obtaining a license to provide Direct-to-Home (DTH) Broadcasting Services in India; (3) Guidelines for providing Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS) Broadcasting Services in India; (4) Policy Guidelines on Expansion of FM Radio Broadcasting Services through Private Agencies (Phase III); (5) Revised Policy Guidelines for setting up Community Radio Stations in India; and (6) Guidelines for provisioning of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Services.

With this set of rules, the industry will now have a unified and significantly simplified rule book. These rules are designed to harmonize the existing regime while promoting ease of doing business in the Television and Radio broadcasting sector. The draft rules have been published on the website of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ( inviting inputs, comments or suggestions by the 27th July 2026.

To support industry transition to new regulatory framework, the draft rules provide for voluntary migration of existing licenses/permission to the new authorisation framework or continuation of existing licences/permission until migration.

The draft rules contain provisions to improve availability of Television and Radio services, including community radio services, across the country, including remote and rural areas of Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh.

This information was provided by Union Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw to a starred question in the Lok Sabha raised by Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal and Dineshbhai Makwana.

Karwar, Jul 22: Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Wednesday said future wars cannot be fought by individual military services, underscoring the need for greater jointness among the armed forces.

Speaking after the commissioning of INS Malvan, the second of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), Singh said military technologies must be developed at a pace that keeps them relevant as “technology delayed is technology denied”.

He also called for faster progress towards self-reliance in the aviation sector, particularly referring to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

“No future war is going to be fought by an individual service. All of us, whether we are in blues (IAF), whites (Navy), or OGs (Olive Green of the Army), or whichever colour, whether we are in allied services, we all have to fight together as one nation, and then only we will succeed,” he said.

Singh said that the momentum that this collective mission has gained over the last four to five years, particularly after the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff post, will continue to grow stronger. “All of us will move forward together and bring greater glory to the nation,” he said.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, senior naval officers, veterans and representatives of state-run Cochin Shipyard Ltd.

The IAF chief said, “We all understand how important maritime security and the maritime power for India’s growth are. Because any nation, they say, the maritime routes decide your trade and your trade decides your destiny. And as far as India is concerned, we all understand how important the Indian Ocean region is to us.”

He said the Indian Navy has been playing a vital role in securing sea lines of communication and ensuring that Indian trade and economic growth continue unhindered.

Without naming the Iran-US conflict, Singh said that developments around the world in recent times have strengthened the belief that no country can succeed unless it has secure sea lines of communication and free trade.

Referring to the government’s thrust on self-reliance, the Air Chief said the Navy had made significant progress in indigenous shipbuilding and expressed hope that the aviation sector would emulate the model.

“I just hope that the other two services, especially the Indian Air Force, learn the lesson as to how the Indian Navy has been able to get this whole concept right, where you have your Indian Navy officers who are embedded in your shipbuilding right from the beginning,” he said.

Singh said these people grow up in the same chain and become even the seniormost in those shipyards. “And even after retirement, they continue to render the services. Something similar, I think, the Indian Air Force has to adopt to make sure that even in the aviation sector, our self-reliance, our dream of being self-reliant becomes a reality and becomes a reality soon,” he said.

He said that the Air Force was steadily moving closer to achieving its dream of self-reliance. “The Indian Navy adopted this vision of self-reliance very early on. In fact, it is we who took longer, because different sectors require different amounts of time to develop,” he added.

The Air Chief said that INS Malvan has around 80 per cent indigenous content by value, which reflects the success of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

He said the country was moving closer towards the goal of self-reliance, adding that while some components still needed to be sourced or co-produced abroad, those gaps would eventually be bridged.

Emphasising the importance of indigenous research and development, Singh said military technologies must be developed at a pace that keeps them relevant.

“If you are growing at a speed that by the time you design and develop something, by the time you produce something, the world has moved over to a new technology, then that has no meaning. According to me, any technology delayed is technology denied,” he said.

He said the growth of indigenous R&D (research and development) and production capabilities was encouraging, though the country still had some distance to cover before achieving its targets.

Singh also praised the Indian Navy for inducting its seventh warship this year and commended Cochin Shipyard and the Navy’s project teams for successfully delivering INS Malvan.

Referring to Naval Base Karwar, where the commissioning ceremony was held, Singh described it as one of the world’s most modern naval bases and a symbol of India’s maritime strategic vision under Project Seabird, an ambitious naval infrastructure initiative.

New Delhi, Jul 22: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined a request for urgent listing of a plea challenging the police action against students during the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest march in Delhi.

The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.

“I have the videos as well regarding police brutality… If it can be listed tomorrow (Thursday)… students are there,” the lawyer said.

He said that students had allegedly been subjected to police brutality during the protest and said the petition contained three prayers.

The CJI declined the request and made it clear that the bench was not inclined to examine video footage at the mentioning stage.

“We are not interested in videos, we don’t have time to watch… We don’t want to watch videos,” the CJI said.

When the counsel reiterated that students had been beaten up and again referred to the video evidence, the CJI said, “Don’t waste our time. We don’t want to watch any videos.”

The plea relates to the police action during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest march to Parliament on Monday, the opening day of the Monsoon session, when thousands of students and young protesters converged in the heart of Delhi to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities.

The march witnessed clashes between protesters and security personnel, who used lathis and tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to move towards Parliament.