New Delhi, Aug 13: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday hoisted the Tricolour as part of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign at his residence in the national capital and said that this strengthens the sentiment of patriotism and pride in the heart of every Indian.

Amit Shah took to social media platform ‘X’ and said, “Today, at my residence in New Delhi, I hoisted the Tricolour under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. This campaign, launched under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji, is today further strengthening the sentiment of patriotism and pride in the heart of every Indian. Today, crores of countrymen are connecting with the Tricolour and empowering the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.”

The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign was launched under the aegis of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to encourage citizens to bring the national flag into their homes and hoist the Tiranga as part of the celebrations marking India’s Independence.

The campaign was based on the idea that people’s relationship with the national flag had traditionally remained more formal and institutional, rather than becoming a personal expression of national pride.

By encouraging citizens to bring the national flag home, the initiative sought to transform the Tiranga into a symbol of a personal connection with the nation while also representing a collective commitment towards nation-building and national unity.

This year, ‘Har Ghar Tiranga 2026’ is being dedicated to the spirit of 150 Years of Vande Mataram, celebrating patriotism, pride in the Tiranga and the deep love for the motherland reflected in India’s National Song.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appealed to the countrymen to actively participate in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign to mark Independence Day on August 15 and pay tributes to the freedom fighters.

Sharing a reel on Instagram, PM Modi said, “Celebrate August 15 with pride, pay tribute to freedom fighters, take a pledge for Viksit Bharat. Har Ghar Tiranga, Ghar Ghar Tiranga, Har Man Tiranga.”

“Come, let’s make Har Ghar Tiranga a celebration in every home,” the Prime Minister captioned the post on X as the nation prepares to celebrate the 80th Independence Day.

Earlier this week, PM Modi, calling upon the citizens to participate in the campaign, termed the Tricolour as “pride” and “source of motivation”.

Taking to his official X account, PM Modi had said, “Our Tricolour is our pride and a constant source of inspiration to always give our best for the nation.”

“Let us participate enthusiastically in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ movement and renew our collective resolve to contribute towards building a ‘Viksit Bharat’,” he said while underlining this year’s theme as that of the national song ‘Vande Mataram.’

The Prime Minister mentioned: “Glad that this year’s efforts are dedicated to Vande Mataram and that, too, at a time when we are marking its 150th anniversary.”

Ranchi, Aug 13: Jharkhand Police have registered an FIR against 600 protesters who were allegedly part of unrest and violence that erupted during the Assembly gherao in Ranchi on August 10, officials said on Thursday.

Of these, 100 individuals have been named as accused, while 500 unidentified protesters have also been booked.

According to the FIR lodged at the Assembly Police Station, the accused have been charged with breaking police barricades erected as part of security arrangements, manhandling and misbehaving with police personnel, obstructing government work, and pelting stones at security forces during the protest.

Police said a large number of students and other protesters had gathered for the Assembly gherao. While nearly 90 per cent of the participants were peaceful, officials claimed that about 10 per cent turned aggressive and escalated the situation.

The police also alleged that some outsiders arrived at the protest site in vehicles and attempted to intensify the disturbances.

The clashes and stone-pelting reportedly left more than 14 police and security personnel injured. To bring the situation under control, the police fired tear gas shells, used water cannons, and carried out a lathi charge.

Authorities are now working to identify the unnamed accused. Investigators are examining video footage from the protest site, CCTV recordings, and drone camera footage.

Police officials said facial recognition and artificial intelligence-based technologies may also be used, if required, to identify those involved in the violence.

The students have been agitating over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in various recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) for the last 20 days.

Among their key demands is a CBI probe into the alleged examination irregularities. The Assembly gherao on August 10 was organised as part of this ongoing agitation.

Meanwhile, the Ranchi district administration has beefed up security in anticipation of the next phase of the ongoing student protest.

Agitating students are preparing to lay siege to the Chief Minister’s residence on August 20, though no formal announcement has been made.

More than 100 additional armed personnel have been deployed for the CM’s security, including personnel from the Jharkhand Jaguar and the Jharkhand Armed Police.

Bengaluru, Aug 13: The Karnataka bandh called by Kannada and pro-farmer organisations protesting the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu received a mixed response across the state on Thursday, with normal public life largely unaffected in state capital Bengaluru and across the state.

Kannada activists were detained by police as a precautionary measure, while schools, colleges, shops, markets and commercial establishments functioned normally.

The bandh has been called to protest the directions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Police have deployed tight security across Bengaluru and appealed to protesters to maintain peace. They have also warned against forcibly shutting down shops and other establishments.

President of the Federation of Kannada Organisations (also known as Kannada Okkoota) and Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha President Vatal Nagaraj was detained by police after he joined the protest in support of the bandh.

Meanwhile, major Kannada and farmer organisations are scheduled to meet Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at his residence in Sadashivanagar at 10 a.m. on Thursday to submit a memorandum opposing the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

In Bengaluru, schools and colleges have continued to function as usual, with students attending classes from the morning. No holiday has been declared for educational institutions across the state. Parents’ organisations decided not to support the bandh as classes and examinations are being conducted and students should not be inconvenienced.

Public transport services have also largely remained unaffected across Bengaluru and other parts of the state. Shops, markets and other commercial establishments have opened as usual, with most districts extending only moral support to the bandh.

However, as a precautionary measure, bus services from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu have been temporarily suspended, causing some inconvenience to passengers travelling to the neighbouring state.

In Ramanagara, protests intensified at Ijuru Circle, one of the city’s major junctions. Activists of Karunadu Sene and the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Praveen Shetty faction) staged a large demonstration against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Carrying empty pots, the protesters sought to draw the government’s attention to the drinking water shortage faced by several parts of the state.

Despite the statewide bandh call, normal life has continued in most places, with authorities maintaining heightened security and monitoring protests to prevent any untoward incidents.