Morning Digest: Education Minister Pradhan says Rahul, Congress exploiting students; thousands brave rain, regroup at CJP protest site, day after police crackdown, and more

Protesters, petrol pump, police... and one woman

The national capital has seen heavy clashes between Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters and Delhi Police personnel even as activist Sonam Wangchuk continued his hunger strike to demand educational reform. The area around Janpath station of the Delhi Metro saw widespread protests on July 20, 2026, along with repeated lathi charges by the Delhi Police. While on the site on July 20, 2026, The Hindu came across a petrol pump. A Bharat Petroleum fuel station. The signs of violence were visible. 

Union Education Minister Pradhan says Rahul, Congress exploiting students

The principal Opposition party, the Congress, on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) seized the leadership of the anti-government agitation protesting the spate of paper leaks and seeking education reform, with the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi leading the Congress contingent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s doorstep. They were accompanied by other top Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.

Thousands brave rain, regroup at CJP protest site, day after police crackdown

Braving rain, thousands of people regrouped at the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest site at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi by Tuesday (July 21, 2026) afternoon, after security forces almost cleared the area a day before. Though the security forces demolished the tents and parts of the main stage on Monday (July 20, 2026) evening, a few hundred people regrouped at the main protest site on Monday (July 20, 2026) late night itself.

Wangchuk shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta in Gurugram after Delhi HC order

Activist Sonam Wangchuk was discharged from the Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) evening and shifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for further treatment in compliance with a Delhi High Court order, officials said. Mr. Wangchuk was brought to the Medanta Hospital in an ambulance at 7.28 p.m. under tight security. He has been admitted to ICU 8 and his treatment has begun under the supervision of Dr Sushila Kataria, an internal medicine specialist, said a Medanta Hospital official.

Rahul changed goalposts to end sit-in, says govt.; BJP terms protest at PM’s residence a ‘symbol of anarchy’

The Union government and the BJP accused the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha of “changing the goalposts” with his demands for ending his sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence over the NEET paper leak, resulting in Opposition leaders being summarily detained by Delhi Police, with BJP’s national president Nitin Nabin terming his conduct “a symbol of anarchy”. The man at the centre of the controversy, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, also spoke up late on Tuesday evening, posting on X that Mr. Gandhi was “shamelessly” exploiting students as a “political tool”.

Parliament fails to function for the second day

Both Houses of Parliament remained paralysed on the second day of the Monsoon Session on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) as Opposition members protested over the alleged NEET paper leak, the police crackdown on students protesting in the national capital and the alleged Ram Temple donation theft. Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned twice at 11 a.m. and noon before the House was adjourned for the day at 2 p.m. Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha.

Venezuela earthquakes death toll rises to 5,278

The number of people killed in the powerful dual Venezuela earthquakes last month rose to 5,278, according to official figures updated on Monday (July 20, 2026). The June 24 earthquakes, which recorded magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, profoundly impacted the north of the country, particularly the coastal state of La Guaira, near the capital Caracas. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Telegram the death toll from the quakes reached at least 5,278, while the number of reported injuries remained at 16,740.

Africa surpasses Asia with highest population facing hunger: UN

Africa has for the first time become the continent with the largest number of people facing hunger, a UN report said Tuesday (July 21, 2026), as a growing number of Africans have faced undernourishment. The UN’s annual report on food security and nutrition found that there has been gradual improvement towards reducing hunger overall in recent years, but that progress has been uneven.

AAP accuses Congress of trying to weaken CJP-led protest

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of trying to “weaken” the movement started by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan by organising a sit-in protest outside the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the same issue. It accused the BJP and Congress of being “one unit”.

21 dead in a day’s deluge in Assam; total flood toll 31

In one of the highest single-day flood-related fatalities recorded in recent times, 21 people lost their lives across four districts in Assam on Tuesday (July 21, 2026). According to official estimates, 31 people have died so far in the current wave of floods, almost half of them in eastern Assam’s Sivasagar district. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), in its update almost at midnight, said the situation worsened after a brief let-up by Tuesday (July 21) evening. Floodwaters hit 872 villages across 16 districts, all except five in the eastern part of the State, affecting 5.65 lakh people and a crop area of 24,210.35 hectares.