A ruckus broke out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha's press conference in Punjab's Jalandhar on January 07. While talking about the incident, Chadha said that the matter was solved after talking with the party workers. He also said that the BJP and Congress are making unnecessary issue about it. Chadha was surrounded by his own party workers on January 7 when he went to Jalandhar to hold a press conference. Supporters of AAP's Dr Shiv Dayal Mali, Dr Sanjeev Sharma and Joginder Pal Sharma made serious allegations against the party leaders as AAP workers were seen pushing and beating each other at the Jalandhar Press Club. There were reports of fistfights among workers and protesters over ticket distribution.
The Central Bureau of Investigation Director has received a one-year extension, continuing in the role until May next year. The decision was made by a high-power committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of Opposition.
The latest edition of Statecraft covers major geopolitical shifts as US President Donald Trump arrives in Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The visit, occurring amid the ongoing West Asia conflict and the Strait of Hormuz blockade, focusses on trade, tariffs, and the Iran war.
In this episode of Newstrack, watch the exclusive interview of Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Lahiri as he decodes PM Modi's austerity push amid the escalating crisis in West Asia.
The central government has implemented austerity measures, including reducing ministerial convoys to two vehicles, in response to a looming fuel crisis driven by West Asian geopolitical tensions. While the ruling party frames this as a necessary fiscal step, opposition leaders have labeled the move tokenism, demanding a special parliamentary session to address the economic situation and rising oil prices. Simultaneously, the national currency has depreciated to an all-time low against the dollar, prompting calls from experts for fiscal consolidation and reduced political populism. Amidst these economic challenges, a major controversy has emerged regarding the national medical entrance examination. Investigations into an alleged paper leak and an interstate exam mafia have resulted in multiple arrests across several states, revealing potential political links. Education experts are now advocating for a complete overhaul of the testing system, suggesting decentralized, computer-based examinations to ensure future transparency. Transparency activists further urge the government to disclose fuel stock data to prevent public panic and hoarding during this period of economic instability.
