Roundup: Recent Notable Current Affairs From Across India

NSA Misuse Allegation in Assam

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged the Assam BJP government misused the National Security Act (NSA) to detain land rights activist Pranab Doley. Doley was granted bail by a district court on July 29. The government invoked the NSA against him the very next day. Doley was arrested for supporting villagers protesting a proposed five-star resort near Kaziranga National Park. Local residents of Golaghat have opposed the project since 2022, claiming their land was forcibly acquired for the development. The NSA detention order relied on vague, unsubstantiated claims, including allegations that Doley engaged in “suspicious foreign transactions from doubtful sources”. The Sessions Court that granted Doley bail had previously observed that criminal law cannot be used to suppress legitimate local concerns when ecological preservation intersects with indigenous survival. Ramesh claimed this was part of a broader pattern of BJP state governments using extraordinary preventive detention laws to stifle dissent. He cited the invocation of such laws against labor activists in Uttar Pradesh as another example. Courts including the Supreme Court and multiple High Courts have repeatedly warned that preventive detention laws must not be used to circumvent judicial bail orders and prolong incarceration.

Nationwide Drug-Free Youth Campaign Launched

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan, a nationwide campaign to combat drug abuse among young people. The initiative is backed by more than 125 spiritual organizations, educational institutions, industrial associations, and public groups. The campaign was held at over 28,000 locations across India. Over one crore youth participated, alongside several chief ministers and governors. All participants took a pledge to make India drug-free before the Prime Minister’s address. Modi stated that physically and mentally fit youth are critical to India’s goal of becoming a developed country by 2047. He warned that hostile external actors often target young people with drug trafficking to weaken the country, making the campaign a matter of national security. He urged people not to hide cases of addiction, and to seek professional help for young people struggling with substance abuse. The government has set up dedicated rehabilitation centers to support recovery, Modi noted, adding that people who overcome addiction deserve respect and a second chance. The campaign will run weekly activities over the next 100 weeks. These activities will focus on art, culture, sports, meditation, spirituality, and community service to spread its message across the country.

Bihar Municipal Official Murder, MLA Named in Allegations

Vimal Kumar, executive officer of the Dalmianagar Municipal Council in Bihar, was beaten to death on Saturday night. Police have arrested Kumar’s driver in connection with the murder so far. The investigation is ongoing. Kumar’s wife, Babita Kumari, has alleged Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MLA Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Sonu Singh, was involved in the killing. Kumari stated the MLA had been demanding ₹25 lakh to ₹50 lakh from her husband every day for months. She said Kumar refused to pay the sum, as he had not done anything wrong and had no way to access that amount of money. The murder took place in the Barun police station limits of Aurangabad district. Dalmianagar falls under Rohtas district, so Rohtas District Magistrate Deepak Kumar Mishra is coordinating the investigation with Aurangabad police. Kumar is survived by his wife and two children, aged 7 and 5.

Cauvery Water Situation Shows Slight Improvement

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister stated the Cauvery water situation has improved slightly in recent days. Water Resources Department officials at Mettur Dam confirmed 25,000 cusecs of water was being released from the Kabini Dam as of Saturday night. Discharge from Kabini Dam started at 500 cusecs Saturday morning, and was gradually increased over the day. Officials noted that if Mettur Dam receives 25,000 cusecs of inflow for a full day, water levels in the reservoir will rise by around four feet. Once reservoir levels cross 90 feet, the state government will decide on releasing water from Mettur Dam for delta irrigation. Officials added Tamil Nadu will receive a substantial supply of Cauvery water only after the upstream Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam fills to full capacity. The KRS Dam has not yet reached its storage limit as of this update.

Indian Diaspora in China Raises Concerns at Embassy Open House

The Indian Embassy in Beijing held its first open house event for the Indian diaspora in years on Friday. The event brought together a large number of Indian professionals working across sectors in China to discuss issues affecting the community. Indian Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami, accompanied by senior embassy officials, interacted with diaspora members to address their concerns. Key issues raised included rising abusive anti-India content targeting Indian food, culture, and people on Chinese social media platforms. Other concerns included a decline in the number of work visas issued to Indian professionals by China, restrictions on employment for spouses of Indian workers, and gaps in consular support access. Doraiswami said the embassy is using social media to counter misinformation targeting the Indian community. The embassy plans to hold open house interactions periodically going forward to address diaspora concerns. It is also working to set up a network of legal professionals to assist Indians facing work-related issues in China.

Prashant Kishor Alleges Police Interference in Bihar Byelection

Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor, who is contesting the Bankipur byelection, accused Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikey Kumar Sharma of influencing the poll. Kishor alleged the SSP arrested JSP workers in the lead-up to the byelection, with vote counting scheduled for the day after his press conference. Kishor was joined by local residents whose homes were raided by police the night before polling day. He noted over 50 people were arrested in the run-up to the election, most of them local Patna residents, not outsiders as claimed by the SSP. The SSP had justified the arrests by claiming outsiders were causing disturbances and violating Section 144 orders to maintain poll peace. Kishor challenged this claim, asking how a person sleeping at their home at night could be violating Section 144. He also noted the SSP had previously claimed the rape and murder of a NEET aspirant in Patna was a case of suicide, and alleged BJP workers had behaved rudely toward JSP leaders during the campaign.

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