ITBP Flags Fresh Arunachal Border Tension, Multiple Face-Offs Reported

We The Leaders chief and former Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K. Annamalai stated that his backing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not blind support, asserting that wrong actions will always be questioned. While clarifying that his organisation does not support the Cockroach Janata Party's objectives or methods, Annamalai defended the democratic right of any political group to hold protests, comparing their right to dissent to that of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. He criticised the police crackdown and detention of demonstrators in Delhi, stressing that arrests must follow due process and recalling Narendra Modi's 2011 criticism of midnight crackdowns at Ramlila Maidan. Annamalai also voiced strong criticism against the Gujarat-centric model of development, urging broad-based national growth across southern states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. In response, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders accused Annamalai of fence-sitting and compromising on national security issues.

A sixteen-year-old Dalit student in Coimbatore died by suicide on October 21 after allegedly facing relentless harassment over his caste and food habits. The boy, identified as Akhilan, was subjected to targeted bullying by classmates who questioned him about eating beef and cornered him during school hours. The harassment reportedly escalated after students were made to openly identify their Scheduled Caste background in the classroom for a scholarship initiative. The deceased student's family stated that despite lodging complaints with the school headmaster and teachers, no preventive action was taken. Following protests by the victim's family, the Tamil Nadu Police booked four individuals, including two students, a teacher, and the headmaster, under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has also taken cognizance of the incident and issued a notice to the Coimbatore Police Commissioner seeking a detailed probe.

A political row erupted after photographs were removed from artist Rehan Vadra's exhibition titled 'No Idea Is Final' at Bikaner House in Delhi. Vadra alleged censorship by the Delhi government and venue authorities over images depicting protests against the BJP government, questioning why removal orders came after the layout had been submitted earlier. In response, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan extended an invitation to Vadra, stating that Kerala would be happy and proud to host the exhibition in its entirety without exclusions or exceptions. Satheesan emphasised that the state welcomes dissent and diverse ideas. Vadra's mother, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is an MP representing Kerala.

Delhi's air quality index has slipped into the 'poor' category with a reading of 223 as winter sets in and temperatures fall. In response to deteriorating conditions, GRAP-1 curbs have kicked in across the National Capital Region. Transporters have voiced strong opposition to vehicle restrictions, warning that curbs on transport trucks could spike prices of essential goods and food items in the capital. Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management has put Punjab and Haryana on notice over stubble burning, deploying satellite and drone surveillance to monitor harvest fires. The Delhi government has also appealed to residents to stop burning garbage as authorities review anti-pollution measures.