American democrats need a Hungarian-style landslide to overwhelm Trump’s attempts to rig Nov 2026 midterm elections

The Democrats have one last chance to halt the erosion of US democracy – and it’s less than 100 days away !!

says Timothy Garton Ash in 'The Guardian'.  

In these days of extreme weather events, it seems odd to say that the US needs a big landslide. 

"But a landslide defeat for President Donald Trump in November’s midterm elections is exactly what is required if the country is to start reversing his deliberate and rapid erosion of its democracy," he writes. 

Timothy also says:  

"An important chapter in any would-be autocrat’s playbook is fixing the next election. 

It seems Trump is hard at work on this one too. Beside outrageous levels of partisan gerrymandering (responded to in kind by the Democrats in some places) there are multiple attempts to deny the vote to groups more likely to vote Democrat, whether by restricting mail-in ballots, demanding on-the-spot documentary proof of US citizenship or other legal and procedural devices. 

If the 3 November election result were to be close in a number of congressional districts that might swing control of the House of Representatives, Trump and the Republicans would pull out every stop to disqualify or exclude Democrat victors.  

Hence the imperative of a landslide. 

As Hungary showed this spring, if the popular revulsion towards an incumbent is sufficiently widespread, and channelled into turning out to vote, it sweeps away all the obstacles that the would-be autocrat puts in place – and those obstacles were, taking all in all, larger in the Hungarian case than they are here. 

"The election may not be fair; it may not even be entirely free; but the result is still irrefutably plain for all to see," says the article.  

He also states:

"Popular opposition to the (Iran) war is approaching 60% in opinion polls, as is the president’s disapproval rating. 

The blatant corruption of his regime adds to his unpopularity. According to one estimate, he has so far enriched himself and his family to the tune of roughly $2bn. 

The latest revelation is the plan of the Fifa president and Trump crony, Gianni Infantino, to sell stakes in running the World Cup to an investment fund led by Joshua Kushner, the brother-in-law of Trump’s daughter Ivanka. 

Satire wilts at the pairing of Fifa and Trump.  

'The Guardian' link

"All this adds up to the electoral equivalent of an open goal for the Democrats. 

But where’s the Lionel Messi or Harry Kane to put the ball in the net? Nowhere to be seen. As a European in the US, one keeps looking around and asking: “Where’s the leader of the opposition?” 

Where, to recall the Hungarian example, is an opposition figure like Péter Magyar, leading a disciplined, effective nationwide campaign," says the article.  

"Young people today might assume that India has always been the way it is now," says NSA Ajit Doval ::::: "they should not mistake freedom for liberty to do whatever one desires"

"Young people today might assume that India has always been the way it is now, or they might mistake freedom for the mere liberty to do whatever one desires. 

But that is not what freedom truly means," said National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah presents the 'Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026' to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in the presence of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, in Pune

Referring to the recent nationwide protests led largely by students and young people, Doval said democratic freedoms should be accompanied by a sense of national duty.

He urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s life and his role in shaping India’s national consciousness.

At the Lokmanya Tilak award ceremony, Doval urged young Indians to remember freedom fighters' sacrifices and recognise that freedom brings responsibilities toward society and the nation.  

NSA Doval on Saturday cautioned India’s youngsters against treating freedom as the unrestricted right to do whatever one wishes.

His remarks are significant on their own as they came amid an intense national debate over recent student protests linked to the NEET paper leak controversy. During the agitation, there were allegations of excessive police action, incidents of violence during demonstrations, use of abusive language by young protesters, and attacks in which more than 200 security personnel were reportedly injured.  

Doval made the comments in Pune after he was conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award for his contribution to national security and public service by Home Minister Amit Shah.  

"Every Indian, especially our youth, needs to reflect on his words, consider the vision he held for India and the spirit of nation-building he embodied," Doval said.

The NSA said it was difficult for the present generation to fully imagine the atmosphere of fear, repression and hardship in which Tilak lived and worked under British rule.  

Balgangadhar Tilak 

The award, instituted in 1983 by the Tilak Smarak Trust, is conferred annually on individuals who have made notable contributions to the nation’s progress and development.

Praising Doval’s long public career, Home Minister Shah said the NSA had played a major role in strengthening India’s foreign policy and national security architecture. 

“In every decision of PM Modi for national security, Doval has had a role and advice in the background.”  

"India today possesses a foreign policy with a backbone, and no one can deny this....," Shah said.  

"When Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, the very first appointment he made, even before that of the Principal Secretary, was the selection of Ajit Doval as the National Security Advisor (NSA). 

"Whenever the history of PM Modi’s tenure is written, and whenever an analysis of internal and external security is undertaken, a 'golden page' will undoubtedly have to be reserved for Ajit Doval...,," Shah added.   

Calling the present period a "rare window of opportunity" in India’s history, Doval appealed to young citizens to dedicate themselves fully to nation-building.

"Today’s youth should dedicate themselves completely to the nation," he said, adding that personal interests should not be allowed to override the national interest.

The 81-year-old National Security Advisor is India’s longest-serving NSA and has handled key assignments in Mizoram, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Islamabad and London. 

He has also serving as India’s special representative for boundary talks with China.

ends 

Violence and anti-protesters crackdown continue in Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK)

Pakistan police on Friday (July 31) detained a number of protesters during a rally outside the Lahore Press Club, where demonstrators gathered to condemn violence and express solidarity with activists in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The “Kashmir Solidarity Demonstration” in support of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an alliance of civil society groups in Pakistani Kashmir, was organized by progressive groups, student unions and labour organisations.

Protesters carried placards, flags of Pakistani-administered Kashmir and chanted slogans.

As soon as they started rally, police moved in to disperse the gathering and taking several demonstrators into custody. 

Officers escorted detainees to police prison van as the protest was brought to an end.

The protest followed deadly unrest linked to regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Leaders of a banned Kashmiri group said more than 30 people were killed in clashes with security forces ahead of the second round of voting.   

A number of people are alleged to have been killed in Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in the last week as part of what has been claimed is a brutal state crackdown that has engulfed the disputed region for weeks.

According to Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the Pakistani security services fired on tens of thousands of peaceful protesters, killing 25 people on Monday and five more on Tuesday.

A wave of protests and violence in Pakistani Kashmir started in June. The state has imposed a severe communication shutdown in response, including an internet blackout that cut the region off from the rest of Pakistan, and began carrying out mass arrests.

Amnesty International called for Pakistani authorities to lift the communications blackout.

JAAC and their supporters had taken to the streets to call for electoral reform in the heavily militarised region. Monday marked the first phase of an election disputed by local groups who say a system of reserved seats for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir now living across Pakistan gives outsiders too much control over the region.

Bomb-making document found at Ayodhya medical college ::: Sarfaraz, a first year student and resident of Balrampur, taken into custody

Initial findings suggest that the document was likely prepared by Sarfaraz, a first-year student who was on duty in the X-ray room on Friday night. 

Sarfaraz, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur, has been taken into custody for questioning.  

Bomb-making document found at Ayodhya medical college, student detained

The bomb-making document was recovered from the X-ray room of the medical college on Saturday. While one first-year medical student has been detained, two others are being questioned.  

A first-year medical student has been detained after a document allegedly containing instructions for making a bomb was found at Ayodhya's Rajarshi Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College. 

Officials said the document was recovered from the X-ray room of the medical college on Saturday by the department in charge.

The police were alerted immediately, following which an investigation was launched. 

The incident revived memories of the November 2025 Red Fort blast case, in which three key accused were employed with Faridabad's Al Falah University.  

Two other individuals, who were on duty alongside Sarfaraz, are also being questioned.

The handwritten document details the ingredients required for making an explosive. It lists items such as gauge wire, ammonium carbonate, red phosphorus, red sulphide, nitric acid, etc.

Dr Arvind Singh, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of the institution, said the police were informed immediately after the document was found.

"The investigation is underway, and further action will be taken based on its findings," Singh said.

As of now, police have not confirmed the document was linked to any criminal intent. All possible angles are being investigated, police said.

Vande Mataram at CWG, Sctotland :::: Ahmedabad to receive Commonwealth Games flag, host Baton at Glasgow closing ceremony ::: First held in 1930; Ahmedabad will host the Games in the 2030 as the event will complete 100 years

Ahmedabad to receive CWG flag, Host Baton at Glasgow closing ceremony  

At the closing ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in Scotland, on Sunday, Ahmedabad will receive the Commonwealth Games flag and the Host Baton in a ceremonial handover as host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games.  

Representational image of the new Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, which is expected to be one of the major venues for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.  

Indian boxer Jaismine Lamboria clinched the gold medal in the Women's 57kg category at the Commonwealth Games, 2026 

The Executive Board of Commonwealth Sport October 15, 2025 recommended Ahmedabad as the proposed host city for the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games.

The handover segment at the Glasgow closing ceremony will be presented in three acts.

The opening act will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.

The handover will mark the formal transition to Ahmedabad for hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games as the sporting event completes 100 years, according to a Gujarat government press statement issued on Saturday. 

The Commonwealth Games were first held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930.

The release said Gujarat deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi is attending the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Alongside the cultural performances at the closing ceremony, Ahmedabad will be officially welcomed as the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

According to Commonwealth Sport, the King’s Baton Relay is a long-standing tradition that celebrates unity and strengthens the bond among the diverse communities of Commonwealth nations. The relay for the 2030 Games will travel across all 74 Commonwealth nations and territories.  

For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games, each nation and territory will receive its own baton, allowing it to be customised and decorated to reflect its unique culture, heritage and creativity. 

Each baton carries a portion of the message from His Majesty King Charles III, who places the first message in the relay. 

The baton is then carried by inspirational people whose contributions are creating a positive impact in society.

The King’s Baton Relay was first introduced at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. The baton stands about 470 mm tall, with each side measuring around 70 mm in width. The handover segment at the Glasgow closing ceremony will be presented in three acts.  

The second act will feature a classical Indian by sitar maestro Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma and Scottish piper Ross Ainslie. 

The final act of the handover ceremony will present a visual journey across India, with a special focus on Gujarat. Glasgow 2026 chief marketing and ceremonies officer Louisa Mahon said that the handover is far more than a ceremonial tradition. 

She said that the event will bring together the spirit of two nations on a single stage through a unique fusion of Indian sitar and Scottish pipes, alongside a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. 

The audiences in Glasgow will also get their first glimpse of what awaits them at the Ahmedabad 2030 Commonwealth Games, she said. 

ends 

Indian Army is also about 'excellence' in Sports ::: Nb Sub Gulveer Singh became first Indian ever to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the men's 10,000 m :::: Why Tripura girl Asmita Dey stood on podium with tears in her eyes ??

 * India Army forms 78.57% of India's boxing contingent 

(11 of 14 boxers).

* 8 of 11 Army boxers (72.7%) have reached the semi-finals, assuring medals.

* Women lead the charge. 

A remarkable performance by the Army women boxers with 4 of 4 women boxers (100%) have entered the semi-finals, assuring medals.

Hav Sakshi (51 kg)

Nb Sub Preeti (54 kg)

Nb Sub Jasmine (57 kg)

Hav Arundhati (70 kg) ---  

Arundhati serves as a Havildar (Hav) in the Army under the Mission Olympics programme.

She has earlier won a gold medal at the 7th Elite Women National Boxing Championship and secured gold at the Asian Boxing Championship in Mongolia.

Other Highlights

The three Army athletes achieved the following notable records and historic milestones :

* Nb Sub Gulveer Singh (Athletics – 10,000 m)

Became the first Indian ever to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the men's 10,000 m, claiming a historic silver medal.

* Nb Sub Sarvesh Kushare (High Jump) 

Became the first Indian to win a silver medal in the men's high jump at the Commonwealth Games.

* Hav Valluri Ajaya Babu (Weightlifting – 79 kg) Set a Commonwealth Games record in the Snatch with a lift of 149 kg.

Two Army para athletes compete on 1 Aug, while two Army athletes remain in contention in the 400 m hurdles.

Neeraj Chopra won silver :: 

Lt Colonel Neeraj Chopra, PVSM, VSM

and Yashvir Singh bagged bronze as India clinched two medals in the men's javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. 

Neeraj produced a season best throw of 85.83m to initially take the lead, but was beaten by Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage, who delivered a sensational throw of 89.75m to win gold. 

Yashvir Singh saved his best for the last attempt and came up with a personal best throw of 85.41m to seal bronze. 

It was also a day to forget for Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, as he was eliminated after the first three rounds.

Tripura girl: Belonia born 

Her late father fixed cycles for a living. 

Judoko Asmita Dey won a historic Gold

Asmita Dey stood on the podium with tears in her eyes as she celebrated a historic Commonwealth Games gold, but the moment was tinged with heartbreak. Her father, Arjun Dey, expired in December 2025 after suffering a brain stroke, just days before she qualified for the Games.  

Born on March 22, 2003, in Belonia, the district headquarters of South Tripura, Asmita's rise has been a remarkable story of perseverance.  

The one person Asmita wanted to share her historic triumph with was the person she no longer could. Her father, a cycle mechanic who earned barely Rs 300 a day and raised his family in a modest mud house in a small village.  

On Friday, Asmita scripted history by becoming the first Indian judoka to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, defeating Canada's Heidi Quach 2-1 by yuko in the women's 48kg final at Glasgow 2026. 

The victory marked a watershed moment for Indian judo, ending the country's long wait for a Commonwealth Games champion.

ends 

A 'test case' of Charm of Moditva :: Cultural Marxism and 'hate thy culture and elders' propagated by anti-India forces defeated in one stroke

'Cultural Marxism' actually had emerged in the United States during the 1990s, drawing conceptual parallels to older historical propaganda terms like "Cultural Bolshevism".  

Core Claim: It alleges a deliberate plot by 20th-century intellectuals—specifically the Frankfurt School—to subvert societal and traditional values. And in Indian context; it was/is used by anti-India forces including 'pro conversion lobbies' and extreme Left-liberals to discredit India's civilisational past and Hindu ethics. 

This was largely in operation during the CJP protest and hence an effort was made to 'normalise' gaali-culture or "abuse". This game Sickular ecosystem and pro-Maoists lobby double satisfaction. 

It gave them a pleasure temporarily as the person being attacked was Hinduism and PM Narendra Modi; it was also seen as a first step to misguide the youths against the basic Indian nationhood. 

But Modi has defeated them. They stand exposed. 

The 15-year-old, accused of raising abusive slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the CJP's Jantar Mantar protest, has appeared in an apology video. The clip surfaced after PM Modi said he would forgive youngsters and that the students should be guided.

All these happening amid police pursuing some cases and protest  organisers questioning the criminal action.  

The video, which shows her with folded hands, has now gone viral on social media. But the authenticity of the video needs to be verified. 

"I came under the influence of those people," she says. "I am only 15 years old. Whatever I did was not worthy of forgiveness. I have said a lot of bad things."

Calling it her "first and last mistake", she adds, "I apologise to the entire country. I am so ashamed. I can't even look at myself. Please forgive me."  

The video surfaced hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a video message on Instagram on Friday, saying he had forgiven the students accused of abusing him during the protest and urging society to guide them rather than seek punishment.

"The abusive slogans used against me and my late mother were deeply disturbing," Modi said. "But young people should be given an opportunity to learn from their mistakes."  

Earlier, a Zero FIR was registered against the protester at Noida's Expressway Police Station on July 29 in connection with the alleged derogatory slogans raised during the July 23 protest.

According to the complaint, Ruchika Singh used abusive language against the Prime Minister, allegedly undermining the dignity of the constitutional office. The complaint further alleged that the remarks were made with the deliberate intent to incite ill-will and disturb public peace.

Police registered the case under Sections 352, 353(1), and 356(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Zero FIR has since been transferred to Parliament Street Police Station in Delhi.

Modi with 'soccer lovers'/youngsters in Sikkim 

On PM Modi's video message, NCP Working President Praful Patel says, 

"The children of our country are our future; often, in the exuberance and zeal of youth—and sometimes influenced by others—they may let certain words slip out. 

PM Modi has simply said that in forgiving children there is no sense of pettiness in this—on the contrary, I view it as a sign of his magnanimity. 

"Our country can only function democratically. We will move forward by taking everyone along; that is the only way the nation will prosper. The younger generation is truly the country's future, and providing them with proper guidance and direction—something the Prime Minister is doing—is a very good thing."

ends