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			<title>The Weekend Leader</title>
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<title><![CDATA[Tharoor Backs ?Cockroach Janta Party?, Says Democracy Must Allow Satire]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday defended the controversial ?Cockroach Janta Party? (CJP), asserting that claims portraying the movement as a Pakistani-manufactured conspiracy were ?too simplistic? and stressing that a vast majority of its followers were Indians. 

Referring to counter-claims made by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University student, Tharoor said 94 per cent of the party?s followers were reportedly based in India, underlining that the phenomenon reflected genuine public sentiment among the country?s youth.

In a detailed post on X, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said democracy should not suppress satirical or dissenting voices, even if they emerge in provocative forms.

?Whatever be the truth (and perhaps Instagram should put the record straight), my point is that suppressing it is foolish in a democracy. Democracy?s great virtue is the outlets it provides for public sentiment, frustration and grievances. Letting these be aired on a satirical site IS in the national interest,? Tharoor said in the X post while welcoming the public debate triggered by his earlier comments and interviews on the CJP controversy.

The CJP emerged earlier this month as a satirical political movement founded by political communications strategist Dipke, who had previously worked with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Tharoor argued that such movements often serve as democratic outlets for frustration and discontent. Whatever be the founders? motivations, there is no denying that they have tapped into an important strain of national sentiment among the youth, he said.

The Congress leader warned both the government and the opposition against ignoring or suppressing the underlying anger among young Indians.

?As custodians of our democracy, both the government and the Opposition need to sit up, listen and tackle the underlying discontent. Ignoring it, denying it and worst of all, suppressing it would be disastrous,? the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram warned.

Comparing such expressions to ?valves on a pressure-cooker?, he said democratic systems needed safe outlets for grievances.

?Such movements serve like the valves on a pressure-cooker, letting off steam, he said, adding that if the valves were closed, the cooker would explode under the pressure. I prefer satire to chaos, anarchy or revolution. I also feel it is our job to identify and deliver solutions to the problems of Young India. Let?s lift the ban and tune in!? Tharoor said.

The CJP movement gained traction after controversy surrounding remarks allegedly made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a hearing on a plea recently.

Dipke, who hails from Maharashtra, however, said that the idea was inspired after reports claimed the Chief Justice used the terms 'parasites' and 'cockroaches' while criticising individuals entering the legal profession through fake degrees. The remark sparked sharp criticism online, particularly among young social media users.

The CJI later clarified that his remarks had been misrepresented and were intended only for those acquiring ?fake and bogus degrees?.

Within a week of its formation on May 16, the CJP reportedly crossed one crore followers on Instagram before its account was withheld following the controversy on Thursday.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81113/tharoor-backs-cockroach-janta-party-says-democracy-must-allow-satire.html</link>
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<title><![CDATA[India Strengthens Strategic Capability With Successful Agni-1 Test Launch]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Short Range Ballistic Missile ?Agni-1? was successfully test-launched from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha, on Friday, said the Ministry of Defence.
The launch validated all operational and technical parameters. The test was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command, said an official statement.

On September 24, 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation, in collaboration with the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), carried out the successful launch of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime Missile from a rail-based mobile launcher system, under a full operational scenario.

This next-generation missile is designed to cover a range of up to 2,000 km and is equipped with various advanced features.

The first-of-its-kind launch was carried out from a specially designed rail-based mobile launcher having the capability to move on the rail network without any preconditions, said an official statement.

It provides for cross-country mobility and has the capability to launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility. It is self-sustained and is equipped with all independent launch capability features, including the state-of-the-art communication systems and protection mechanisms.

The Missile trajectory was tracked by various ground stations, and it was a textbook launch meeting all mission objectives. This successful launch would enable futuristic rail-based systems induction into services. The launch was witnessed by senior scientists of DRDO and Officers of the Strategic Forces Command.

The Road Mobile Agni-P has already been inducted into service after a series of successful flight trials.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, SFC and the Armed Forces on the successful test of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile and stated that this flight test has put India in the group of select nations which have developed a canisterised launch system from the rail network.
--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81112/india-strengthens-strategic-capability-with-successful-agni1-test-launch.html</link>
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<title><![CDATA[Bihar CM?s ?Ask Caste First, Then Fire? Remark Triggers Political Row]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Congress and the Samajwadi Party, on Friday, criticised Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary over his 'ask caste' remark regarding encounters in the state. However, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) hit back, asserting criminals don't have any caste. 

Taking a jibe at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's allegation that "caste-based encounters" were being carried out in Bihar, CM Choudhary had said: "Some people are now saying that if a police encounter happens, the police should first ask about the caste of the criminal. I would tell the police personnel -- fine, ask their caste first and then fire."

Responding to the same, Congress leader Surendra Rajput stated that the Bihar Chief Minister's statement amounts to a "criminal act".

"If Bihar Police are deliberately causing encounters, then they, as well as the government, are murderers," he told IANS.

Rajput was optimistic that the Supreme Court will serve the Chief Minister a notice over the remark.

Congress leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that just like other BJP-ruled states, crime is increasing on a large scale in Bihar as well.

"In many places the law-and-order system has completely failed. The government should remain alert and take appropriate action," he added.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma said: "In Bihar, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, there is a competition among Chief Ministers to become more hardline Hindus, who can specialise in encounters, and who can run more bulldozers, because in the BJP, popularity means standing up for violence."

"There is no concern about what the rule of law is," he added.

However, Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi defended Chief Minister Choudhary saying that criminals must be sent a strong message and that "bullets will be answered with bullets".

"The police have also been instructed to respond firmly. If there are criminals in Bihar, they should give up crime, otherwise they will not be spared. The Chief Minister also made this clear yesterday that under no circumstances will incidents of crime in Bihar be tolerated," he told IANS.

JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad also supported CM Choudhary's stance that criminals are not encountered on the basis of caste.

"Tejashwi Yadav needs to be asked that why is he constantly raising questions over the efforts of police to wipe out criminal activities from Bihar," he said.

Prasad highlighted that criminals don't have any religion or caste.

Echoing the state BJP chief, the JD(U) leader said: "Action against criminals will continue in Bihar. Either they quit crime or else they will have to leave the state."

Reacting on the issue, BJP MLA C. P. Singh said: "I do not understand the issue of caste in this matter. A criminal is a criminal. It is not as if criminals belong to only one caste. A criminal can be Rajput, Brahmin, Baniya, or Yadav, anyone can be a criminal."

Uttar Pradesh Minister Hanshraj Vishwakarma underlined that Samrat Choudhary's statement should not be misunderstood. "Criminals should be punished irrespective of caste," he urged.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81111/bihar-cms-ask-caste-first-then-fire-remark-triggers-political-row.html</link>
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<title><![CDATA[Amit Shah Warns Illegal Infiltrators, Promises Stronger Border Crackdown]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that the government has resolved not only to stop infiltration but also identify every single illegal person ?one by one? and push them out of the country.
Delivering the K.F. Rustomji Lecture organised in memory of the founder and first Border Guard of BSF, HM Shah said the government would not allow any artificial alteration of demography and promised to hold a meeting with Chief Ministers of Tripura, Assam and West Bengal to strengthen the security grid in border states.

Calling the attempt to alter demography a ?conspiracy?, HM Shah said, ?The BSF has to foil this conspiracy. And today, I can declare that in Tripura, Assam and West Bengal there are governments which support the principle that there should be no infiltration.?            

He said the BSF should not only guard the border but also build communication bridges with village patwari and police station, district collector and district superintendent of police to detect infiltrators, infiltration routes and cattle smuggling routes and plug them.?

?It is BSF?s responsibility to identify and stop these activities,? he said.

The Home Minister said that very soon, a meeting of the Chief Ministers of these three border states will be convened in the Ministry to further strengthen the fight against infiltrators.

?The time has come that infiltration should also be put to an end,? he said, citing the successful example of the eradication of Maoism.

?When we decided to eliminate Maoism, many officials warned us not to go ahead. But our brave jawans achieved the difficult task. Similarly, I am confident our jawans will also eliminate infiltration from its roots,? he said, adding that a security problem needs to be struck at its roots rather than being ignored and allowed to exist for years.

He said to check infiltration, the Union government has increased the BSF?s jurisdiction from 15 km up to 50 km from the border to arrest and conduct searches, and West Bengal has also started handing over land to the force for border fencing.

The event also featured the Border Security Force (BSF) Investiture Ceremony in which 43 BSF personnel were given awards.

On an earlier occasion, HM Shah had said that the journey of the BSF from 1965 to 2025 demonstrates how an organisation that began with limited resources in challenging circumstances has emerged as the world's largest and most prestigious border security force.

He said that BSF is the finest example of how patriotism can overcome all difficulties to achieve global excellence.

He had highlighted that the patriotism and dedication shown by BSF personnel in adverse conditions ? be it temperatures above 45 degrees or extremely low, dense jungles, rugged mountains, or coastal areas ? have earned the BSF the honour of being the first line of defence.

HM Shah added that a decision was made in the country to assign one force to secure each border, and based on the BSF's capability, it was entrusted with the responsibility of securing two of the most challenging borders, Bangladesh and Pakistan.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81110/amit-shah-warns-illegal-infiltrators-promises-stronger-border-crackdown.html</link>
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<title><![CDATA[Twisha Sharma Death Case: MP High Court Orders Second Autopsy By AIIMS Delhi]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a significant development in the alleged dowry death case of Twisha Sharma, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday ordered a second autopsy of her mortal remains to be conducted by a team of doctors from AIIMS Delhi. 

The High Court passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Twisha Sharma?s family, which had challenged a lower court?s refusal to allow a fresh post-mortem examination.

The family argued that several inconsistencies and procedural lapses in the first autopsy raised doubts about the fairness of the investigation.

During the hearing, the court directed the state authorities to preserve all medical and forensic evidence and extend full cooperation to the AIIMS Delhi team.

The High Court also instructed that all records related to the case, including the first post-mortem report and investigation documents, be handed over to the medical experts conducting the second autopsy.

The court observed that an independent medical examination was necessary in view of the allegations raised by the victim?s family and the seriousness of the case.

Twisha Sharma was found dead at her in-laws? residence in Bag Mugalia Extension under the Katara Hills police station area in Bhopal on May 12.

In their petition before the High Court, Twisha?s family alleged major irregularities in the initial investigation.

They claimed that the FIR was registered three days after her death, despite repeated demands for immediate police action.

The family also questioned the manner in which the first post-mortem was conducted.

According to their counsel, the material allegedly used for hanging was not provided to doctors during the examination.

Another issue highlighted before the court was the alleged mismatch between Twisha?s height mentioned in the post-mortem report and the measurements recorded by police investigators.

The case has attracted widespread attention after allegations of dowry harassment surfaced against Twisha Sharma's in-laws.

Retired judge Giribala Singh, Twisha?s mother-in-law, is among those named in the FIR registered at Katara Hills police station.

Police registered the case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government has already recommended a CBI probe into the matter, and procedural formalities for the transfer are underway.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81109/twisha-sharma-death-case-mp-high-court-orders-second-autopsy-by-aiims-delhi.html</link>
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