BJP and RSS in sync on protests? Foreign hand claims way to discredit protests?

Jio Platforms has witnessed an overwhelming response to its initial public offering, securing an institutional demand of two lakh crore rupees, a record for any Indian IPO. The company allotted shares worth over 8,109 crore rupees to 1,212 anchor investors at the upper price band of 1,119 rupees per share. Major global subscribers include BlackRock, Capital Group, Fidelity, alongside sovereign wealth funds such as Singapore's GIC, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Qatar Investment Authority. Top domestic mutual funds including SBI, ICICI Prudential, and HDFC are also participating. Aiming to raise more than 30,000 crore rupees, the largest issue in the country opens for public subscription on Wednesday and closes on Friday, October 23.

The Gujarat government has granted approval for the allotment of a 978 square metre disputed land plot in Vadodara to cricketer-turned-politician and Lok Sabha MP Yusuf Pathan. The plot, located adjacent to his bungalow and previously valued at 20.53 crore rupees, had been at the centre of a legal dispute since 2012. The allotment decision comes months after Pathan left the Trinamool Congress and switched political sides. Under the proposal, part of the land will be gifted while the remainder must be paid for per the valuation committee's assessment, with the Vadodara Municipal Corporation being compensated for the land.

In this debate on Face Off, political scientist and Swaraj India co-founder Yogendra Yadav and former Rajya Sabha MP Rakesh Sinha examine the nature of ongoing public agitations and allegations of foreign interference. Yadav contends that legitimate dissent must remain anchored within the constitutional framework, stressing that regime change must only signify the democratic transfer of power through elections rather than unconstitutional insurrection. Countering the arguments, Sinha asserts that democratic institutions guarantee peaceful demonstration but warns against external narratives and agitations that deviate from Gandhian principles. The discussion delves into recent statements made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the validity of street protests, and institutional accountability.