Reliance has the capability to refine heavy crude that’s produced in west including in Venezuela, - says Marco Rubio

Describing Reliance as a prominent energy company with a large investment in the US, Marco Rubio said: “This is a company…that has the capability to refine the heavy crude that’s produced in the western hemisphere, including from Venezuela".

 US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Wednesday toured Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat, home to the world’s largest single-site oil refinery, after telling reporters earlier in the day that conversations between US authorities and the conglomerate were aimed at identifying opportunities to partner and work together in energy.  

RIL chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani and executive director Anant Ambani hosted Rubio, who also visited the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex and Vantara, the company’s animal rescue and conservation centre, and is staying overnight at the RIL township near Jamnagar. US ambassador to India Sergio Gor accompanied him.   

Before heading to Gujarat, Rubio met Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran in Mumbai. There were no formal readouts from the US side on these meetings.

Asked by reporters before the visit whether he was seeking an investment commitment from Reliance or an agreement to refine more Venezuelan crude, Rubio said he aimed to have a “broader discussion about their presence globally at a time in which energy is featuring prominently in many of the geopolitical decisions that are being made”.

Rubio has already described India as a “refining superpower” while speaking to reporters in Mumbai, and said RIL could process larger volumes of Venezuelan crude as the country’s oil production increased. “We will talk with Reliance about refining more Venezuelan crude,” he said.

Rubio met External Affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar in Mumbai on Tuesday and said the two countries were “very, very close” to finalising a bilateral trade deal.

According to an RIL statement, the visitors toured the refinery, which can process 1.4 million barrels of crude a day and has a complexity index of 21.1, which the company describes as the world’s highest and which allows it to process even the heaviest crude oils.

“The visit included wide-ranging discussions on the global energy landscape and opportunities for commercial partnerships across conventional and new energy,” the statement said. 

“The exchange covered reliable and affordable energy supplies, technological advances, resilient supply chains and the investment required to meet growing demand.”

Making Anger a 'powerful tool' :::: "In a sign of unrest to come, France is inspiring an expansion of Chaos Inc", says Fox News :::: "forces are galvanizing students and youth for a coordinated strike across 12 countries in Europe under the slogan Fight for Our Future, Not Their Wars"

From the outset, far-left socialist and communist organizations helped organize and amplify France’s student revolt, using grievances over school conditions as a pretext to mobilize a broader political struggle against capitalism, government austerity, policing and military spending.

Of the 54 organizations identified in the October protest ecosystem, 16 — or only about one in three — are student or youth organizations, including communist youth groups and a Muslim student association. The remaining 38 include adult-led communist groups, labor unions, political parties, revolutionary-left organizations, advocacy groups and international propaganda outlets.

In a sign of unrest to come, France is inspiring an expansion of Chaos Inc.

Fox News Digital has learned an international coalition of 28 communist and socialist youth and organizations are galvanizing students and youth for a coordinated strike across 12 countries in Europe under the slogan "Fight for Our Future, Not Their Wars!" 

They are calling for walkouts, demonstrations, assemblies, blockades and occupations.

 As France's fiery student protests merged with a nationwide revolt on Saturday, a communist leader and academic, Vijay Prashad, celebrated the unrest with a message linking protests across three continents.

"Paris-New Delhi-Buenos Aires," Prashad posted on X, borrowing a line from the British punk band The Clash: 

"Let fury have the hour, anger can be power."  

Prashad was important not only for what he said, but for who he is: executive director of Tricontinental Ltd., a nonprofit funded by an American-born Marxist tech tycoon, Neville Roy Singham, who lives in Shanghai.

The message captured how France's riots have become part of a wider international narrative of rebellion — a kind of "Chaos Inc." — amplified by a transnational network of communist and socialist organizations stretching from Europe to Asia, Australia, Africa and South America and North America.

India is perhaps being actively folded into a wider international anarchic left-radical regime change campaign. 

Lawyer and a nominated MP Mahesh Jethmalani calls for Explanation of the partnerships. 

"Disclose the funding, Investigate the transactions.

Identify who supplies strategy and amplification," he says.  

"Start with Indian Alliance Paris. Fox News and @AsraNomani identifies the France-based diaspora organisation linking French and Indian protest messaging and that it partnered with the People’s Forum in Manhattan." 

Then comes Progressive International’s own October 16 briefing. 

It puts India, France, Spain and Albania in the same political frame and explicitly describes its work to “support and connect” these forces. It even asks how popular revolt can become organised political power. 

Its India section names names: Abhijeet Dipke, Left student organisations AISA, SFI and AISF, and Progressive International figures Nikhil Dey and Shaik Salauddin. 

"Forget the commentary for a moment. Let's look at the financial trail," Mahesh tweets.  

Among the international amplifiers for this mayhem are organizations within the Singham network, including Tricontinental, named for a communist convention in Havana, Cuba, in 1966.

There is a montage of chaotic scenes from Montpellier, Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Saint-Étienne, showing activists engulfed in smoke, Palestinian flags flapping above the crowds, black smoke billowing over flames and police hitting demonstrators with clubs. Its editors added a soundtrack of dramatic music. 

Its videos include politicians from the far-left socialist political party La France Insoumise (LFI).

In an interview,  Jodie Evans, Singham's wife and co-founder of a far-left group he funded, CodePink, promoted a planned November campaign in Washington opposing U.S. military spending.  

She explicitly invoked youth demonstrations abroad, including France, Spain and India, while urging Americans to participate in CodePink's campaign.

"I want people to look at France, Spain and India," Evans said, urging Americans to take to the streets.

MUSLIM STUDENT AND PRO-PALESTINE ORGANIZATIONS (2)

Union juive française pour la paix (UJFP) — French Jewish Union for Peace: A Jewish peace and Palestine-solidarity organization that publicized "support for high school students" who joined protests in early October.

Urgence Palestine — Palestine Emergency: A French Palestine-solidarity organization whose protest-related social-media activity appears in the research, although direct organization of the October 17 demonstrations is not established.

ends 

Jantar Mantar ::: Sometimes, a group of barely 20 people would march raising slogan “Bal Thackeray hosh mein aao” :::: The spectacle could occasionally look comical,

For decades, Jantar Mantar, a stone’s throw from Parliament and close to the headquarters of PTI, the United  News of India (UNI) and the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), has hosted demonstrations by farmers, trade unions, political parties, students, civil-society groups and individuals pursuing personal causes.

The venue has also witnessed moments of tragedy. On April 22, 2015, 40-year-old farmer Gajendra Singh Kalyanwat from Rajasthan’s Dausa district died by suicide after hanging himself from a tree during an Aam Aadmi Party rally against land acquisition.

In October 2017, the National Green Tribunal took note of complaints by Jantar Mantar Road residents about continuous demonstrations, noise and air pollution, sanitation problems and disruption to everyday life. Its order was subsequently challenged in the Supreme Court by the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and other appellants, including organisations representing farmers and ex-servicemen and an individual protester.

Not every demonstration was large or politically consequential. Sometimes, a group of barely 20 people would march around raising slogans such as “Bal Thackeray hosh mein aao”. The spectacle could occasionally look comical, too.

'When Jantar Mantar Became ND’s Beat'

On the personal front, when I was attached to the Reporting Unit at PTI headquarters, I took assignments at Jantar Mantar as both a challenge and an opportunity.

Most Delhi colleagues and bosses were impressed by my Hindi. Perhaps they were willing to overlook what I considered my two weaknesses: being a Bengali and having studied and worked in the Northeast.

And so the arrangement began. “Jantar Mantar hai toh ND ko bhej do.”

The name ND stuck. At times, a few Intelligence Bureau officials, now retired, would affectionately address me by that name. The venue was not far away. But Delhi’s summer made things difficult for someone who dreaded the heat, heatwaves and the prospect of finding a comfortable place for lunch in such inhospitable weather. A banana often came to the rescue.

We met friends there, and some of those friendships have endured. Nevertheless, the challenge was fun — at least initially. Gradually, however, I began to realise that Delhi’s jugaadu game was also at work. In PTI’s internal politics, assignments to Jantar Mantar could feel like a form of punishment. 

The perceived reason? “He acts over-smart.” That was one factor, at least as I saw it. Soon, PTI boss M.K. Razdan began saying at meetings: “ND is a man for all seasons.”  

That was quite enough. The industry of professional jealousy was apparently alive and well in an organisation where, in my assessment, mediocrity sometimes found its champions.

Razdan sahab, or MKR, was himself a workaholic and was not, in my view, the problem per se. But he was surrounded by people eager to cultivate his favour. Most colleagues were simply doing their jobs. The late Sujit Chatterjee, the son of a respected senior journalist, was among those I remember as a ready competitor in an atmosphere shaped by Delhi’s insecurities.

There were other characters, too — a few on the Congress beat and some from what I privately thought of as the LLD club. The familiar refrain was that the world was a difficult place and everyone seemed to be watching everyone else.

Then there was the character who reminded me of the “Angrez ke zamaane ke jailor” — someone who declined to use computers. Eventually, female colleagues began joking: 

“Are you looking for ND? He must be at Jantar Mantar.”  

The government’s standing order dated October 11, 2026, designates Ramlila Ground in Old Delhi, CBD Ground in East Delhi and Burari Ground in North Delhi as alternative protest venues. The three locations are approximately 3 km, 13.5 km and 44 km away from Jantar Mantar in central Delhi, respectively.

The move comes amid a standoff between the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and Delhi Police over permission to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar. CJP leaders walked out of Parliament Street police station on Monday, reiterating their demand for a date for the protest and seeking an explanation for the denial of permission.

The latest development follows the Supreme Court’s October 9 observations that Delhi should consider a larger alternative protest site equipped with basic facilities, including toilets, drinking water, medical assistance and emergency access.  

An October 11 order designates Ramlila Ground, CBD Ground and Burari Ground for demonstrations as the CJP’s standoff with Delhi Police puts protest permissions under scrutiny.

One major fallout of the 2026 season of protests may be a change in Delhi’s protest geography. Narendra Modi-led government has designated three alternative venues for demonstrations, potentially ending Jantar Mantar’s long-standing role as the preferred destination for protesters in the national capital.

From Jantar Mantar dharnas to freelance status, and now residing in Ghaziabad, ND (as the author is known among his friends) has indeed come a long way. Quote, unquote!

If I opt to go personal yet again, and write in the first person, I must begin with my favourite statement about being a victim of Delhi’s jugaadu politics in journalism — at the Press Trust of India (PTI).  

Blogger 

From Jantar Mantar to Burari?

The October 11 order gives this old newsroom joke a new twist. Imagine another ND — or Ruata, my former PTI colleague from Aizawl— arriving in Delhi to work at PTI. Would the new recruit now be sent to Burari Ground instead?

What a pity!  The reference to Ruata, Vanlalruata, now associated with the Times of India’s Aizawl bureau, brings back another lighter moment.

A Delhi woman colleague, who would later become Mrs Kaul, once asked him: “Young boy, can you do this copy?” My friend’s Hmar spirit immediately rose to the occasion. “Young lady, I am not a boy. I have a daughter of your age,” he retorted. That was Ruata for you.

When Reporting Became a Test of Loyalties

Another memory concerns a story I had filed about women Naga insurgents. A woman on the Delhi Desk, whose outlook I associated with the narrow confines of Punjabi Bagh, told me that the next time I met the Naga women insurgents, I should photograph them and ask a few “uncomfortable questions”.

She then delivered her verdict: “You are glorifying Naga insurgency.”

I remember the episode as an example of how reporting from the Northeast could be judged through the assumptions of people far removed from the region.

Back in Nagaland, I was regarded as a plain manu — an ordinary man. Some even suspected that PTI was a government-funded enterprise, reflecting the perception that the  news agency was somehow a sarkari affair.  Life had come full circle, I thought.

I kept quiet for a while. Eventually, I had to point out that the insurgent women were not my girlfriends.  

Blogger and H C Vanlalruata : Election coverage - 2018 

Ruata, of course, congratulated me. His verdict was characteristically generous: “Tonight’s dinner is in Mizoram House.” And that, in its own way, was Delhi journalism — assignments, rivalries,  misunderstandings, friendships and stories that survived long after the day’s reporting was done.

Now, as the government designates Ramlila Ground, CBD Ground and Burari Ground as alternative venues, the geography of protest in Delhi may change. Whether these locations offer protesters the accessibility and facilities they need remains to be seen.

For those of us who spent years covering demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, the change is more than an administrative decision. It marks the possible end of a familiar chapter in Delhi’s political and journalistic life.

From Jantar Mantar dharnas to freelance status, and now Ghaziabad — ND has indeed come a long way.

ends 

Redesigning India for the post-2026 Twenty-First century :::: We need "a bold surgery" for the diseased heart of the nation :::: The Nation needs to rise or we will be marginalised in new world order of globalisation -- which have started failing !!

For too long we might have realised that the 20th century had failed us. In contrast, by the 19th century; the culture of Indian subcontinent was in full flower. The Hindu values were primary moral forces behind. 

Hence, we may look at the new century -- especially the post-2026 scenario with some optimism. 

But before that we may try to understand certain facets of the past. The 20th century history and politics gave us new barriers and the perceived the "irre-conciliable" differences. 

India was partitioned and Pakistan was born. Within 25 years - Pakistan was split and Bangladesh was born. Closer home in Bharat (also called India) -- the greatest enemy today is not Pakistan, China or even the so-called 'deep state' and unforeseen foreign hands. But it is the Indian ourselves or let us say 'themselves'.  Why ? 

We have fewer Indians and millions of Bengalis, Punjabis, Maharashtrians, Nagas, Meiteis etc etc. We have other divisions - tribal, non-tribal, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Jains. 

Further more -  we have Dalits, we have Yadavs, we have Thakurs, OBCs and Patels. The list can go on till eternity. But when it comes to nation building and the pillars required for the same -- the foremost 'pillar' is the sense of National Identity. 

Long back Sri Aurobindo had said: "A free and united India will be there and the Mother will gather around her sons and weld them into a single national strength in the life of a great and united people". 

Hope springs eternal in th human breast. So, optimism is relevant too. Nevertheless, we have problems and challenges. We are all individuals and perhaps not the citizens of a cohesive nation. The 'indiscipline' more often seems "ingrained" in Indian character. As a nation, must we realise that -- Non-cooperation is like a distressing feature. 

Many years back, Nani Palkhivala had lamented that India lives in a moral vacuum. He also recommended "a bold surgery" for the diseased heart of the nation. 

Palkhivala 

There was a time when our elders spoke about Partition. They would lament that the post-partition generations had no idea of what sort of people lived a few miles across the border. This is true. But we have moved along pretty far too. 

Now the younger generation in India - Gen Zee - as we might call them do not know what sort of India we have been before 2014. 

The corruption at every place seemed normal. Train reservation was not on mobile. Tickets had to be booked even four months before in around 2005 or so. Bribing at every entry-point was normal. Cockroaches in train compartments were also normal. I can go on ! 

Talking politically  - those who are talking about 'democracy' today legitimised Emergency when fundamental rights were suspended. 

People have forgotten in Kolkata that 17 Ananda Margis were butchered. Of course, in Gujarat - I have experienced youngsters do not know much about Godhra train carnage of 2002 or they deliberately feign ignorance.

The younger lots offer different pictures in more ways than one. 

Hence, there is an added responsibility on the society and the nation. A strong India is not a Narendra Modi agenda. It is the aspiration of Indians. 

Amid all these we have shameless characters - who are glorified by Vitenam travelers. They may seek aspirations from Bangladeshi fundamentalists. Because there is a motive behind all that. 

There are multiple factors for that. But what ought to be underlined is that 'sharing' of knowledge and research in science and other subjects that could have benefited common people has been lacking. There is change in the entire game now. 

Instead of appreciating the developments made in last 12-13 years, a great number of Indians today have given themselves a new mission - demean India's achievements and strong points. 

The Indian democracy was hailed and trusted across the globe. The Election Commission was respected. But now Indians and a foreign sponsored ecosystem have damaged its reputation by raking up wrong issues and in an entirely wrong manner.  There is a tendency to justify anarchy. 

These lobbies wanted episodes such as Paris-burning in Delhi too.  The Delhi police have handled them well. But there is a need to know more. 

Some of it has to be done by the government. Perhaps even Judiciary has to do its part. 

What else should get priority ? 

The 'inclusive governance' is two-way traffic. The Govt must do more than it has been doing. But voters must respond positively. If roads are good in their areas and there are houses for the poor and toilets - people must applaud the political forces who are responsible for these transitions.  

In the last 12-13 years; the Modi Govt has helped 'expand economic opportunities' for poor people by stimulating so-called economic growth and perhaps also by making markets better.  

There has been good encouragement for strengthening the participation of poor and marginalised people in local decision making affecting their lives and removing social barriers.  

There is more to be done.  There is need to further reduce common people's vulnerability to sickness and economic shocks, joblessness and crop failures or natural and man-made disasters. 

Finally, a nation needs to rise and there are chances we will be seriously marginalised in the new world order of globalisation (which have started failing) and a completely new era of IT revolution and Artificial Intelligence. 

ends  

"Yunki, yeh kaun bola?" :::: Hema Malini - was one the few screen heroines who became a star in her very first film ::: Her impeccable comic timing and physical agility turned her into the narrative's "hero"

"Duniya mein har cheez bik sakti hai ... lekin gareeb ka samman nahi" - Hema Malini in Kasauti

Hema Malini made her acting debut in 1963 with the Tamil film 'Idhu Sathiyam' as a supporting dancer; she made big with her Bollywood lead debut in 1968 with the Hindi film 'Sapno Ka Saudagar'.

Raj Kapoor was opposite her. Hema plays a gypsy girl Mahi.

Raj Kapoor plays Rajoo, a charming young man, who brings hope in the lives of the people of Anandpur -- otherwise terrorised by Thakur Raibahadur Harnaam Singh. 

In her career she was able to subvert the mainstream and became known as 'The Female Hero'. Initial years, her stardom was ascribed partly to her youth and looks and largely to her cultivated resemblance to Vijyantimala. But as the latter or, as was often said, the "original" faded off the screen, the "copy" gained in box-office appeal. 

Hema Malini's critical legacy rests on her ability to maintain supreme artistic dignity and autonomy. She was never merely a catalyst for the hero's journey; she was the anchor of her own cinema.

In the 1970s, Hindi cinema was largely formulaic, relegating women to passive romantic interests. 

Hema Malini systematically shattered this paradigm by anchoring films where male leads took a backseat. 

In 'Seeta Aur Geeta' (1972); she is the lead star while two popular male colleagues play second fiddle - Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar. And to her credit, Hema Malini gave a hit. 

Playing twins with contrasting personas (the submissive Seeta and the feisty Geeta), Hema subverted the classic trope of 'Ram Aur Shyam' of Dilip Kumar. 

Her impeccable comic timing and physical agility turned her into the narrative's "hero," earning her a Filmfare Best Actress Award. 

Sholay (1975): 

As one and only Basanti, the fast-talking 'tangewali' (horse-cart driver), Hema created one of Indian cinema’s most enduring characters. Basanti was a bold defiance of gender norms—a woman performing manual labor traditionally reserved for men, fiercely independent, and capable of driving her own fate. 

Following three one-liners from Sholay as uttered by Basanti (Hema) people are going to remember for long ---

• "Chal Dhanno, aaj teri Basanti ki izzat ka sawaal hai!"

• "Dekho, mujhe befuzool baat karne ki aadat toh hai nahi."

• "Yunki, yeh kaun bola?"  

In 'Seeta aur Geeta', she had one lovely dialogue: 

"Bhagwan jab apni mutthi mein chand ko chupata hai ... toh suraj nikalta hai".  

Similarly opposite Amitabh Bachchan in 'Naseeb'; she says: 

"Aap ek achche aadmi hai ... aur ek achche aadmi ke haath mein sharaab ki botal achchi nahi lagti"  (You are a nice man; and it does not look nice for a nice man to hold bottles of alcohol)"

Sholay : When Hema learns pistol shooting skill from Veeru (Dharmendra) 

As Basanti, Hema exuded a kind of energy that had people coming back to the cinema halls to watch her again and again. She talked endlessly and paraded around as a symbol of woman empowerment who has no reservations about driving a tonga. 

Her unparalleled box-office success led to her being dubbed a "one-woman industry".  She had the backing of people as powerful as Raj Kapoor. She had a conventionally pretty face, an opulent figure, a sexiness rendered decent (or otherwise) by phoney modesty. 

But as Hema grew on the public mind, her love affairs - fictitious, fake or otherwise - attracted more attention than her ability as an actress. 

But in 1976 -- she was the most highly paid female star on the Hindi screen.

Hema had an interesting role 

Hema excelled with "Social Realism" theme too in 'Ek Chadar Maili Si' (1986) and Rihaee (1988). 
It is said she consciously chose complex, unglamorous narratives that explored women’s autonomy and societal double standards surrounding female desire.  

But her best seemed to come out under the direction of Gulzar.

She shed her glamorous trappings for deeply internalized, understated performances. 

In Khushboo (1975), she played Kusum, a resilient and mature woman. The film is based on Bengali classic novel 'Pandit Moshae' by Bengali writer Saratchandra Chattopadhyay.

She performed unique in Kinara (1977) -- and delicately handled a character grappling with trauma.

In Meera (1979), she brought a majestic, spiritual dignity to the historical poetess.

Any critical assessment of Hema Malini is incomplete without recognizing her foundational background in classical dance (primarily Bharatanatyam, alongside Kathak and Kuchipudi). 

Unlike actors who used dance as an ornamental break, Malini integrated her classical training into her dramatic craft. Her command over 'abhinaya' -- the art of expression -- lent her an extraordinary screen presence and expressive eye-work.

She was able to communicate deep emotional gravity without overly dramatic dialogue delivery.  

Most leading ladies of her generation faded from the screen post-motherhood, but Malini sustained her relevance.

Her performance in Baghban (2003) opposite Amitabh Bachchan re-established her as a powerhouse of mature romance and maternal dignity. 

In the 1970s, she even starred in a film called “Dream Girl” opposite Dharmendra. This strengthened her image as the only Dream Girl of Bollywood.

After Sapno ka Saudagar, her film 'Abhinetri', in which she played the role of a classical dancer opposite the charming and energetic Shashi Kapoor, helped her emerge as a beautiful heroine with great dancing skills. 

Her dance was always a part of her personality and gave her an added dimension of fine grace.  

Hema made a successful screen pair with Dev Anand.

'Johny Mera Naam' opposite Dev Anand gave her the kind of fame after which she never looked back. She worked with Dev Anand in Amir Garib, Shareef Badmash, Jaaneman, Chhupa Rustam and Joshila.  

Kishore Kumar's melancholic number -- Kiska Rasta dekhe ... was a strong point of the film 'Joshila'. 

ends 

Another knock on the nose of Sickular gang ::: "I am not going to opine on their domestic political matters,” says US Secy of State Rubio on Delhi protest against Election Commission

"I am not going to opine on their (India's) domestic political matters,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.

In a major setback to Sickular ecosystem and Narendra Modi's political and social media detractors;  Rubio questioned the credibility of UN experts who criticised India’s handling of anti-CEC protests.

He dismissing the term “UN experts” as an “oxymoron”.

Rubio's remarks came a day after more than 20 UN human rights experts called for an independent investigation into the handling of recent protests in India.

They alleged arbitrary detentions and restrictions on public assemblies.  

“Well, the UN experts, yeah. My favourite. The UN experts, or is that an oxymoron?” he remarked when asked about the UN’s criticism.  

Rubio said he would not offer an opinion on India’s domestic political matters, adding that political disagreements and people expressing their views were part of democratic discourse.

“This is a democracy. They have elections here. So I am not going to opine on their domestic political matters,” he said.

Drawing a distinction between peaceful demonstrations and violent unrest, Rubio said public expressions of dissent were a feature of democratic societies, clarifying that he was not referring specifically to India.  

“I mean, obviously, I'm not talking about the riots like what you're seeing in Europe where they're vandalising and breaking into things and burning down buildings. I'm not talking about that,” he said.

“But in many ways, the fact that people are out there expressing themselves, I'm not talking about India, in any country in the world is the sign that this is a country where there's political discourse and so forth and differences of opinion,” he added.

Rubio also pointed to Cuba as a contrast, saying opposition voices there faced restrictions and risked imprisonment, oppression or exile.

Tavleen Singh -- "Neha Bora, the heroine of last week’s protests, confirmed that it was from Bangladesh that she was inspired" ::: "Rahul Gandhi, who, as he often does, ended up helping the Govt"

"Rahul Gandhi, who, as he often does, ended up helping the government" -- says columnist Tavleen Singh 

CJP calling it -- "Directionless cockroaches"

Paranoid hysteria, on the part of governments, is usually seen when they feel insecure and confused, she wrote in a piece.

"Is this what is happening? Whatever the reason, it is important for the Prime Minister to pay attention to the thousands of people who come out to join any protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party."

Tavleen also opined:

"In the end, it was not the arrests and police repression that damaged the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest last week; it was the call for regime change. 

"First, it came in murmurings from sundry activists who said that the real goal of the protests was to topple the Modi government. Then it came from Rahul Gandhi, who, as he often does, ended up helping the government instead of harming it. 

Exultant at the huge crowds that marched with him to the Supreme Court, he admitted loftily from his high perch on an open truck that after Gyanesh Kumar was forced out of office, it would be the turn for Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. He did not exactly say regime change, but what else is it?"

She pointed out:

"Soon after, Neha Bora, the heroine of last week’s protests, confirmed that it was from Bangladesh that she was inspired to use mobocracy to bring about regime change. 

Her political ideology is Marxist, which is not an ideology that fits well with electoral democracy, but she seems not to have noticed yet that India is not Bangladesh." 

"Our democracy has its flaws, but elections have happened regularly, except during the Emergency. Governments can only be changed after general elections are won or lost. 

If people like Ms Bora were paid to sabotage the Cockroach Janta Party, they could not have done a better job. 

It is time for the cockroach leaders to take back control of the movement’s levers, or it will go steadily off the rails."