Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani expressed concern over allegations that India exports arms and military equipment to Israel, calling such supplies a stain on humanity and India’s values. In a Jamiat statement posted on X on Sunday and reported on August 3, he urged the central government to immediately stop the exports through both public- and private-sector defence institutions.

Madani said supplying weapons despite knowing they are used in indiscriminate killings of innocent civilians, women and children is criminal and equivalent to assisting genocide. He described it as a blatant violation of international law and a betrayal of humanity and India’s core values. He also said military supplies to Israel conflict with India’s historical support for the rights and just demands of the Palestinian people.

An Amnesty International investigative report said several Indian government and private entities supplied significant arms, ammunition and military equipment to Israel between October 2023 and November 2025. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said dual-use goods are approved under strict legal and regulatory mechanisms, and maintained that all exports comply with national law, export-control policy and international obligations.

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor was on course to win the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar, India, ending what the report described as a 31-year BJP dominance of the seat. In the final stage of vote counting, published on August 4, 2026, Kishor was leading the BJP candidate by about 15,864 votes.

The seat fell vacant in April after BJP national president Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Nabin had represented Bankipur continuously since 2010 and won the 2025 assembly election by a margin of 51,936 votes. Before the 2008 delimitation, his late father, Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, represented the area then known as Patna West from 1995 to 2005.

Kishor said Jan Suraaj would not form a political alliance and would instead ally with Bihar’s ordinary people. He thanked supporters, including people from the BJP, RJD and Congress. During campaigning, a remark attributed to former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad that even a dog or cat nominated by the BJP would win circulated widely; he later denied making it. A video of BJP workers preparing laddus during counting also prompted online mockery after Kishor took the lead.

A five-year-old child died in Mysuru district of Karnataka, India, after swallowing a small plastic toy found inside a snack packet, according to a report published on August 3, 2026. The child was identified as Mukund Mayur, a resident of Gauripura village and the only son of Santosh and Aishwarya.

Preliminary investigation found that the small plastic ball included with the snack packet became lodged in the child’s throat. The obstruction caused suffocation, leading to his death. Family members took Mukund for medical treatment, but he could not be saved.

The sudden death has brought grief to the family and created a mourning atmosphere across the village. A case has been filed at Hunsur Rural Police Station following the incident. Police have begun an investigation into the matter, the report said.

Abhijit Deepak, chief of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), said he is ready to release documents on his scholarship and education loan while challenging Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to disclose his educational degree. In a video message reported on August 3, 2026, Deepak responded after Surat-based right-to-information activist Amit Tiwari sought an investigation into his family’s financial situation.

Tiwari questioned how Deepak’s father, Bhagwanrao Deepak, a retired junior engineer at the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, financed his son’s overseas higher education. In the video posted on X, Deepak said he was prepared to show his scholarship letter and education-loan papers, and asked whether Modi would show his original degree.

Deepak said debate should focus on access to education rather than questioning his studies, adding that there should be no problem with an ordinary boy studying at Boston University. The report also revisited the longstanding political dispute over Modi’s degrees. BJP leaders displayed copies of his BA and MA degrees in 2016, while opponents and critics have questioned their authenticity. The government has rejected an RTI request seeking Modi’s graduation certificate, the report said.

Prashant Kishor, leader of the Jan Suraaj Party, was leading the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar after the ninth round of counting, according to an Election Commission update cited in a report published on August 3, 2026. Kishor had received 17,856 votes, while BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar was in second place, trailing by 5,272 votes. The RJD candidate was third.

The contest is Kishor’s first electoral bid after moving from election strategist to politician. His Jan Suraaj Party contested the 2025 Bihar assembly election, but Kishor did not stand as a candidate and the party won no seats. His decision to contest in Bankipur, described as a BJP stronghold, had surprised many political observers.

BJP’s Nitin Nabin had won Bankipur four consecutive times since 2010, including with more than 62 percent of votes in 2025. The by-election was called after Nabin became a Rajya Sabha member. If Kishor wins, it would be the first time BJP loses Bankipur. The report says the election follows nationwide protests over question-paper leaks and may indicate the mood of young voters.

Protests over alleged recruitment examination irregularities have intensified in Jharkhand, India, where student leader Devendranath Mahato began an indefinite hunger strike at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi. Job aspirants are demanding cancellation of the 14th JPSC preliminary examination, an impartial inquiry into allegations of a question-paper leak, and reforms to the state’s recruitment system.

The protest has received support from the Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP, which the report said strengthened the agitation. The movement arose from allegations involving question-paper leaks, irregularities in recruitment procedures and administrative negligence. Students say such incidents have repeatedly harmed their career prospects.

Mahato said the dispute began after the 14th preliminary test results were announced last month. He said protesters began the movement on July 5, met the governor on July 7, burned an effigy on July 8, and submitted evidence to the chief minister on July 20. Mahato alleged that the government and Jharkhand Public Service Commission had failed to adequately address student concerns. He said he would continue fasting until demands presented to Chief Minister Hemant Soren are met.

In an analysis published on August 3, 2026, Ashutosh Varshney argues that student protests in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in India began over education reform but developed into sharp criticism of Narendra Modi’s government. The article says authorities attempted to suppress the demonstrations through force, including pellet guns and nail-studded batons, but failed to intimidate students as the number of protesters continued to grow. It claims the government ultimately yielded.

The analysis says students also displayed courage online, using satire, mockery and humour to challenge what it describes as the BJP’s long-standing dominance of social media. It argues that familiar allegations branding protesters anti-national, foreign-funded or disrespectful of Indian culture did not succeed. Government-aligned television presenters and reporters also faced students’ anger, while the BJP’s ability to control the public narrative was described as badly weakened.

Varshney cautions that it would be unwise to conclude that the atmosphere of fear has permanently disappeared, saying the BJP may retaliate when conditions are favourable. Still, he says space for criticism and dissent has opened for now. The article suggests the movement could affect parliamentary strategy and the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly election.

The Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP, will meet to determine its future programme after a month-long protest against an exam paper leak at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, India. Organisational sources said the meeting will be held on August 5 at the residence of CJP founder Abhijit Deepak in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. Core members are expected to discuss the group’s next activities and future plans.

According to the sources, after last month’s Jantar Mantar protest, CJP workers and volunteers were asked to spend some time with their families. Students and volunteers were also asked to consult with others, gather views and suggestions, and join the meeting with that input. The organisation claimed that its movement over the alleged paper-leak scandal received a strong response among the Gen Z generation across the country.

CJP also claimed that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned last week following the movement. The organisation said it will announce its next steps at a press conference after the August 5 meeting.

Political controversy has intensified in India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had “forgiven” students despite objectionable remarks made about him and his mother during protests. In an Instagram video released Friday night, Modi said it was time to guide young people onto the right path. The comments drew criticism from Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said students harmed by question-paper leaks and cancelled examinations did not need forgiveness and that the prime minister should instead apologize to them. He accused the government of creating a corrupt examination system that had damaged many students’ futures, and said Modi had not met affected students or families. Congress leaders P. Chidambaram and Pawan Khera also questioned and criticized the prime minister’s remarks.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the public would not forgive the BJP. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray called on the prime minister and home minister to apologize for police force against protesting students. The central government said it had taken steps including legal amendments and a task force to reform examinations. BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi criticized opposition conduct.

At least eight people have died and 13 were injured in floods and landslides triggered by persistent heavy rain in Kerala, India. Eight others remain missing, Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan said on Sunday. Waterlogging and extensive property damage were reported across different parts of the state as rain and flooding continued.

Satheesan said 27 houses were completely destroyed and 196 were partially damaged. Authorities moved 5,792 people to 209 relief camps established across the state. The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for 12 districts amid the severe weather conditions.

According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, some areas received up to 320 millimetres of rainfall on Saturday, flooding roads and low-lying areas. Ayyankunnu in Kannur district recorded the highest total of 320 millimetres. Many other places in northern Kerala received between 90 and 180 millimetres of rain from 3 a.m. until midnight on Saturday.

Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming action thriller King is drawing attention before its planned worldwide release during the upcoming Christmas week. Bollywood reports suggest Zee Music may acquire the film’s music rights for about Rs 50 crore. If completed, the deal would be considered among the biggest music-rights agreements in Indian cinema.

No final decision has been made, however. Punit Goenka, managing director and chief executive officer of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, told Variety India that he did not want to comment on the financial value of the proposed agreement. He confirmed that discussions with the production company were progressing positively.

Goenka said Zee Music prioritizes agreements in which producers also receive fair financial benefits. King is jointly produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Films. Sachin-Jigar are handling the film’s music, while Anirudh Ravichander is composing the background score. The cast also includes Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Rani Mukerji.

Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has announced a march toward Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on August 4 to protest the rollout of ethanol-blended E-20 petrol. The former Delhi chief minister made the announcement on Saturday during the “National Townhall Against E-20” programme.

Kejriwal said he had recently asked Indians to sign an online petition addressed to the prime minister, and that more than 200,000 people had already signed it. He said he would personally submit printed copies of the signatures at the prime minister’s residence at noon on August 4. He added that only 100 people would accompany him, describing them as people unafraid of police baton charges or imprisonment.

Questioning E-20 petrol’s safety, Kejriwal said the government could hold discussions and both sides could present evidence. Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra rejected the allegations and said Kejriwal should provide at least 100 examples of vehicles whose engines failed or were damaged due to E-20 fuel. Complaints have alleged engine damage and reduced mileage from petrol containing 20 percent ethanol.

All India Students’ Association president Neha said demands for Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation will continue following alleged police repression of an anti-question-paper-leak protest in Delhi on July 20. She also called for the removal of Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and the release of arrested students, saying nationwide programmes would continue. In an interview with PTI, Neha said the campaign had expanded beyond exam paper leaks to demand accountability over policing and the central government’s conduct.

After a 23-day hunger strike, Neha said action against lower-level officials would not be sufficient, arguing that political responsibility lay with Shah and the police commissioner. She alleged that police used excessive force, including pellet guns, tear gas and baton charges, during a march towards Parliament. Delhi Police denied the allegations, while the central government said security personnel acted according to law.

The movement initially sought an investigation into alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Its first phase was suspended on July 25 after Pradhan resigned and assurances were given on several demands. A government bill aimed at preventing paper leaks and examination irregularities was later passed in the Rajya Sabha on July 30 amid an opposition walkout.

Indian Muslim leaders have voiced deep concern after Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on Thursday. The measure makes deliberate disrespect for or obstruction of the national song Vande Mataram an offence, punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine, or both. It gives Vande Mataram legal status equal to the national anthem Jana Gana Mana.

In a statement released Friday, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board said the law runs counter to the Constitution, secularism and democratic values, and seriously harms citizens’ religious freedom. Its spokesperson, Dr S. Q. R. Ilyas, said any attempt to make Vande Mataram compulsory for people of all religions and communities was objectionable and contrary to fundamental constitutional principles.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Arshad Madani similarly called the bill contrary to the Constitution and religious freedom, describing it as an effort to divert attention from people’s real problems for electoral politics. He said Muslims do not object to anyone singing or reciting the song, but some sections do not align with Islamic belief and Muslims cannot be compelled to sing or accept it. The board said only its first two verses were adopted nationally after Constituent Assembly discussions.

Suvendu Adhikari, described as West Bengal’s chief minister, spoke about India’s Citizenship Amendment Act at the launch of the state’s 16th digital census on Saturday. He said Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians entering India from neighbouring countries are not infiltrators but refugees. Muslims were not included in the categories he described.

The disputed CAA provides for faster citizenship for six religious minority communities, including Hindus, arriving from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, while excluding Muslims. Critics and human rights groups say the law conflicts with Article 14 of India’s Constitution, which provides equality before law, as well as with secular principles.

Adhikari cited a September 1, 2025 government notification, saying refugees who arrived by December 31, 2014 to save their religion or lives cannot face cases or police harassment. He said illegal infiltrators would be identified through legal procedures and returned. Referring to an earlier error in Birbhum in which an Indian citizen faced difficulties before being brought back, he said his government would ensure that no genuine Indian citizen suffers in the process.