Bihar bandh hits normal life

A festive celebration in the national capital has incorporated a political theme, with organizers adding a 30-foot cockroach effigy to the traditional Ravana Dahan spectacle. Set to be burned alongside the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakaran, and Meghnad in Delhi's Subhash Place, the giant insect effigy is seen as a symbol of evil and follows recent protests by the Cockroach Janata Party. The unusual addition highlights the organizers' creativity and the intersection of political commentary with religious festivities during the Dussehra celebrations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is arriving in India for high-level bilateral engagements focused on trade, investment, and energy cooperation. In Mumbai, Rubio is scheduled to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, interact with business leaders, pay homage to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks, and participate in an event marking 250 years of freedom. The second leg of his visit will take place in Jamnagar, home to Reliance Industries' oil refining complex, the largest in the world. The visit comes amid rising domestic energy pressures in the United States, where soaring diesel prices exceeding six dollars per gallon threaten to accelerate inflation ahead of key midterm elections. Washington is exploring diversified refined fuel supplies, including potential diesel shipments from India, while balancing its broader foreign policy objectives and energy stability.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the grand Dussehra celebrations at IP Extension in East Delhi. Organised by the Shri Ramlila Committee Indraprastha, the event features the traditional Ravana Dahan alongside other effigies, themed this year against counterfeit medicine syndicates. The Delhi Police have put in place a multi-layered security protocol and issued travel advisories across Patparganj to manage large festive crowds. While the Prime Minister previously attended events in areas such as Dwarka and Central Delhi's Red Fort grounds, this marks his visit to the East Delhi venue following last year's weather disruption.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Swayamsevaks on the organisation's Foundation Day, paying homage to those who nurtured the Sangh. Highlighting that the RSS has completed a century, the Prime Minister noted that countless Swayamsevaks have worked for society with a deep sense of duty and a nation-first spirit to strengthen national development. Meanwhile, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed Karyakartas on Vijaya Dashami, cautioning that forces seeking regime change could target India. Bhagwat warned that protests could become instruments of political interest and divide society, citing recent political upheavals in countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, and France.