Amid CJP protest, PM Modi announces fast-track courts for paper leak cases, vows strict punishment

A protester described an unsettling incident at a CJP protest in Kolkata, receiving a Blinkit delivery containing pork bacon as a religious provocation.CJP protest: Blinkit user sends pork to Muslim demonstrator in Kolkata; gets reply, 'I don't hate you' (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)(PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)A social media user has described an unsettling incident during the CJP protest in Kolkata. The user, “sajahan_anyways”, shared his experience through a detailed Instagram carousel post.The demonstration itself drew large crowds carrying various political flags. Groups included Left-affiliated student organisations like SFI, AISA and PDSF.The user then described receiving an unusual Blinkit delivery notification during the CJP protest in Kolkata. The message strangely started with the greeting "Hey Mullah". It stated someone named Shourjya Shikhar Betal had placed an order. The order was reportedly getting delivered within 9 minutes at that point.This report is based on user-generated content from social media. LiveMint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.Instagram PostOn Instagram, the user revealed that the delivery location was near a protest site. It specified "near CPIM protest site Sealdah, Raja Bazar, Kolkata" precisely. The order itself contained a small pack of pork bacon. The user noted this was seemingly a deliberate religious provocation.“You sending me Pork with my name as 'Hey Mullah' will not make me hate you. Neither will it stop me from believing what is right. You should not have sent that in COD. The least you could've done was pay for what you have ordered. Under this regime, ₹228 is luxury, brother,” the user wrote.“You should have thought about the delivery person (his name was Mohammed). You jeopardised his safety. For you, this person had to come to Sealdah all the way from Park Street just to find that there was no recipient. Do you know the cost he has to pay for ethanol-blend petrol in this economic crisis?” the user asked.The post criticised the broader treatment of gig workers under current policies.“And you SHOULD be sensitive, especially when your government has made Gig workers' lives an absolute hell… Didn't you feel an ounce of shame while doing this mockery?” the user asked further.The user suggested that the sender's action reflected personal unhappiness. They attributed it to what they called “media-driven Islamophobia”.“I know you are sad with your own life, and that is how hating the Muslims eases that pain…I need you to know that I don't hate you. I understand you. And, from the bottom of my heart, I do believe that one day you will change your views,” the user wrote.“You will realise who actually loves this country and who is selling this country off to businessmen. And we will walk together in a rally against injustice,” the user concluded.Finally, the user addressed Blinkit directly regarding platform misuse. They questioned whether the company knew such harassment was possible. They asked what preventative measures the company might now consider.“Dear Blinkit, did you know that somebody can use your platform to spread hatred? Did you know that someone can call another person ‘Mullah’ on your platform? I didn't know that. Now that both of us know that, what can YOU do and what can I do to prevent this from happening again?” the user asked.Disclosure: The original social media post has been lightly edited for better readability.About the AuthorSounak MukhopadhyaySounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour

Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray announced a joint protest on July 26 to address concerns over police actions against students and the NEET paper leak. They criticised the government’s insensitivity and warned against disruptions during the upcoming peaceful march.NEET row: Uddhav-Raj announce Mumbai protest on Sunday with no political flags (Image: PTI)(PTI)Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Thursday announced a joint morcha on July 26 to highlight the concerns of students and their parents over the alleged police crackdown on protesters during Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest march and the NEET paper leak controversy.Raj warned to “thrash” anyone who creates disorder during their “peaceful” protest in the offing. He said the march would start from Shivaji Park and conclude at the Siddhivinayak temple, stressing that participants would not carry any political party flags.What did Uddhav Thackeray say?Speaking at a joint press conference, Uddhav accused the government of being insensitive, but said the student community was no longer intimidated.Quick answers to key questions•5 QUESTIONSThe July 26 protest aims to address concerns of students and parents related to the alleged police crackdown on previous protesters and the NEET paper leak controversy.They argue that the government has failed to acknowledge the hardships faced by students and has responded to protests with police violence, indicating a lack of genuine concern for their welfare.They plan to hold a peaceful protest march from Shivaji Park to the Siddhivinayak temple, with no political flags allowed to ensure it's a non-partisan demonstration.The CJP demands the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accountability for examination irregularities, and a stop to violence against peaceful protesters.Yes, the AIU advises universities to counsel students to focus on their academics and not allow their energies to be diverted by protests, as prolonged agitation could harm their education."Will the prime minister take responsibility for policemen who assaulted students and tore the clothes of women protesters?" he asked, according to PTI."This issue is not limited to just the NEET exam. A person from Bihar met Sanjay Raut and shared the hardships and problems they are facing. We will have to fight against this. I met the students as well; they were beaten and thrashed. Their clothes were torn," Uddhav mentioned, as per ANI.Uddhav also criticised the Union government, saying the current situation in the country suggested that the issue extended beyond Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and reflected the need for a change in the government itself.He also revealed that he had spoken with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi regarding the protest, adding that Maharashtra Congress leaders would participate in the march. Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress are allies in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).Uddhav said the upcoming protest would be a non-partisan demonstration held in the national interest. He alleged that the Prime Minister's tweet issued earlier in the day was unnecessary and accused the authorities of using police personnel to assault students. Uddhav further claimed that individuals without identification cards had posed as police officers and carried out lathi-charges on the protesting students."In this movement, only the Tricolour will be seen; no political party flags will be allowed," Uddhav stated.‘Pressure on students is immense’: RajRaj claimed that the government had been forced onto the defensive as the students' movement had gathered significant momentum across the state, adding, “We will thrash anyone who tries to disrupt our peaceful protest in Mumbai on July 26.""The kind of pressure being exerted on students today is immense. When the BJP was in the opposition, they used to demand the resignations of many people. After the 26/11 attack

Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University (VMSB-UTU) in Dehradun has cancelled examinations for two subjects after an inquiry found that an external question paper setter allegedly shared questions with students before the tests. Fresh examinations will now be held in August.Representational Image, (hemant mishra/mint)Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University (VMSB-UTU) in Dehradun has cancelled examinations for two subjects after an inquiry found that an external question paper setter allegedly shared questions with students before the exams, according to an official order.The university has ordered fresh examinations for Machine Learning for Internet of Things (subject code IOTT004) and Electromagnetic Field Theory (subject code ECT043), which were conducted as part of the even-semester examinations for the 2025-26 academic session.Complaint led to high-level inquiryAccording to the university order, the decision followed a complaint regarding the examination for Machine Learning for Internet of Things.Acting on the complaint, the university constituted a high-level inquiry committee on the directions of the Vice-Chancellor. Separately, Shivalik College of Engineering, Dehradun, where the external paper setter was employed, also carried out an internal inquiry.The inquiry found that Ashish Kumar Gupta, Assistant Professor at Shivalik College of Engineering, Dehradun, who had been appointed as an external question paper setter, allegedly shared the same questions with students through the institute's internal portal and on WhatsApp before the examination.The university described the alleged sharing of questions as a serious violation of the confidentiality, integrity and academic standards of its examination system.Second paper also cancelledThe inquiry further found a strong possibility of similar discrepancies and a breach of confidentiality in the question paper for Electromagnetic Field Theory, which had also been prepared by Gupta."Keeping the credibility, purity and student interest of the examination system paramount," the university said it had cancelled both examinations with immediate effect.The re-examinations for the two subjects will be held in the third week of August 2026. The university said the detailed date sheet and list of examination centres will be released separately on its official website.Professor barred for seven yearsThe university has directed all affiliated institutions to immediately inform the affected students about the cancellation and re-examination schedule so they have sufficient time to prepare. Institutions have also been instructed to upload the order on their respective websites for the benefit of students.In addition, the university has barred Ashish Kumar Gupta, Assistant Professor at Shivalik College of Engineering, Dehradun, from undertaking any examination-related work for VMSB-UTU for seven years, with immediate effect.The university also issued a strong warning to Shivalik College of Engineering, Dehradun, alleging that it failed to maintain adequate monitoring and control mechanisms at the institutional level. It directed the institute to ensure its faculty members strictly adhere to the confidentiality and integrity requirements of the examination system to prevent any recurrence.About the AuthorAnjali ThakurAnjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour. Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, br

Gulam JeelaniGulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience. Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times. Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership. Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter. Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.