National News
SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav Calls UP budget ‘Second Last’ Of Yogi Govt, Says No Link With BJP Manifesto
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday dismissed the Uttar Pradesh budget presented by the Yogi Adityanath-led government, calling it the “second last budget” of the BJP in the state.
Criticising the government’s approach, Yadav claimed that none of its budgets, including the latest one, had a clear vision or direction for Uttar Pradesh.
“This is the ninth budget of this government, and it is their second last,” the SP chief said.
After this, the final budget will be presented, and then the people will get a chance to choose a new government, he said, adding that the budget has no connection with the promises made in the BJP’s manifesto.
“The government has presented budgets without any roadmap on how to take the state forward. There is no clarity on how the needs of the common people will be addressed,” he stated.
He also took a dig at the BJP’s repeated claims of presenting the “biggest budget”, saying that every new budget is naturally larger than the previous one.
“Every time they present a budget, they say it’s the biggest one. This statement can be made by any government because every budget is bound to be bigger than the last,” he remarked.
Yadav described the budget as hollow, claiming it was all noise with nothing substantial inside.
“This is not a budget, it’s an empty drum that makes a lot of noise but has nothing inside. The people feel like no real budget has been presented, just sermons, while they keep wondering when the actual budget will come,” he said.
The former UP chief minister further alleged that the budget has left different sections of society disappointed.
“Farmers’ hopes have dried up, women are even more worried about managing household expenses, the unemployed see nothing but darkness ahead, and traders are feeling the deepening impact of economic slowdown. Even BJP ministers and MLAs who were thumping desks in the Assembly are now anxious because they will have to face the anger of people in their constituencies over inflation and unemployment,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the government’s treatment of artisans, the Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj said, “The weavers’ looms have fallen silent. The people are now asking how much budget has been allocated for the ‘Jumla Ministry’.”
He also took potshots at Adityanath’s speech in the Assembly, noting that while the BJP opposed Urdu, the CM himself used several Urdu words in his address.
“Some people even oppose Urdu in Urdu itself,” he quipped.
Listing several words used by the CM, including ‘badnaam,’ ‘bakhsha,’ ‘gunehgar,’ ‘haseen,’ and ‘duniya,’ he asked whether these were not Urdu words and extended his argument by questioning the Hindi equivalents of words like ‘rail,’ ‘engine,’ ‘steering,’ ‘clutch,’ and ‘platform.’
Referring to a book on the Kumbh Mela study by Harvard University, Yadav said he had previously sent an English version of the book to Adityanath for decoration purposes and was now sending a Hindi version so that he could actually read it.
On the BJP’s election promises, the SP chief alleged that the government had failed to deliver on its commitments.
“The BJP manifesto promised free electricity for farmers’ irrigation needs over the next five years. Nine budgets have passed, but has this promise been fulfilled? They also pledged to set up a Rs 25,000 crore agro-infrastructure mission in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, but what happened to that?” Yadav asked.
They announced a Rs 1,000 crore Bhama Shah Price Stabilization Fund for crops like potatoes, tomatoes, and onions, yet nothing has materialised, he said.
Yadav accused the BJP of failing to support farmers despite promising Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantees.
“They promised to provide MSP to farmers, but where is it? We had built mandis to ensure fair prices for farmers, and this government has destroyed them. Not a single new mandi has been built under the BJP rule,” he claimed.
He further pointed out that the BJP had assured sugarcane farmers that their dues would be paid within 14 days, failing which they would receive interest.
“The government only talks about the amount it has paid so far, but never discloses the outstanding dues. It also never tells farmers how much the price of sugarcane has increased,” he said.
Yadav said that the BJP’s budget had left people disillusioned.
“After nine budgets, the government still has no answers for the unemployed, struggling farmers, or common citizens. The countdown for a new government has begun,” he said.
National News
FIR filed against Noida Authority as 4-year-old dies after falling into septic tank

Noida, Aug 2: Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Noida Authority following the death of a four-year-old boy after he fell into an uncovered water tank and died, officials said on Sunday.
The child, identified as Firoz Alam, died after falling into an open pump tank in the Sector-122 green belt area. The incident, reported on Saturday, falls under the jurisdiction of the Sector-113 police station in Noida.
The accident reportedly occurred while the child had gone to drink water from the tank.
According to officials, no Noida Authority employee was stationed at the site when the accident took place, raising safety concerns.
Speaking to reporters a day before, pump operator Anil said: “I came to know about the incident this evening. The family has already taken the dead body to the village. The child died here.”
“As soon as I got to know (about the tragedy), I informed the authorities who then arrived at the spot. I don’t know anything more than this,” he added.
As authorities face questions over the incident, the staff of the Sector-113 Police Station have registered an FIR against the concerned employees of the Noida Authority following the tragic death of the four-year-old.
Moreover, the roles of the Horticulture and Water departments are also under police investigation.
In a similar incident reported in July, a six-year-old boy had lost his life after falling into a 15-foot-deep water-filled pit at Kala Dham Society in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The victim was identified as Avyaan Surya, the son of Siwan Yadav, Vice Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya.
According to police and local residents, the incident occurred in the Knowledge Park area of Greater Noida on Saturday. The pit, nearly 15 feet deep, had reportedly been dug by the Greater Noida Authority for boring work and had filled with rainwater following recent showers.
Residents alleged that the excavation site had neither barricades nor warning signs, making it hazardous for people, especially children. They said Avyaan was playing with other children near the site when he accidentally fell into the open pit.
National News
FairPoint: When the protest became a mirror to society

New Delhi, Aug 2: In Hindu philosophy, there is a belief that everything happens for a reason. If that thought holds, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has served a purpose far greater than drawing attention to examination paper leaks. It has exposed deep cracks in institutions, the erosion of civility, the weakening of family values and the ease with which sections of the youth could be drawn into outrage, abuse and manipulation.
Long after the slogans have faded, these are the questions that should concern the country the most.
It exposed an examination system that has been rotting for decades, corroded from within by those entrusted with protecting it. It exposed the erosion of the stature once enjoyed by teachers in Indian society. It exposed coaching institutes that increasingly view education as a business rather than a responsibility. It exposed sections of the political ecosystem that are quick to exploit emotions of young people. And perhaps most importantly, it exposed the gradual decline of family values and parenting, leaving many teenagers vulnerable to manipulation and the lure of instant fame.
The CJP protest, therefore, should be seen as a wake-up call — not just for governments, but for politicians, parents and the youth themselves.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to respond in a manner that went beyond politics. Through a series of social media videos, he attempted to engage directly with young people, projecting himself as the head of a large national family concerned about the direction in which a section of the younger generation is heading.
His first Instagram video on July 23, when the CJP-led protests were still underway, announced fast-track courts to hear paper leak cases and promised legislation prescribing stricter punishment for those involved. A day later, he thanked young people for sending thoughtful suggestions in response to the video, saying his relationship with them would only grow stronger.
On July 26, the Prime Minister announced that a task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani would study India’s examination system and recommend comprehensive reforms. He later followed it up with another video explaining the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.
However, it was his July 31 message that stood apart.
Beginning with the words, “Hi friends, today I feel like talking only to you”, the Prime Minister adopted a deeply personal tone. Referring to the abusive language directed at him and his late mother during the protests, he said the words did not belong in a civilised society and that seeing “daughters” use such language came as a cultural shock.
Instead of demanding harsh punishment, he urged society to view the episode differently. Young people make mistakes, he said, and youth is also the stage when those mistakes can be corrected. Rather than dragging them through endless court proceedings or socially isolating them, society should embrace them and help them find the right path, he said.
To drive home the point, he used a simple analogy of tongue and teeth, saying that the teeth may bite the tongue and it might bleed. “But we do not break the teeth. Both the teeth and the tongue are ours. These youngsters are ours too, and guiding them is our responsibility, ” he said.
It was a message that combined firmness with compassion. The July 31 address demonstrated how a leader can respond to a sensitive issue involving young people without reducing it to a purely political contest.
The real test, however, does not lie with the government alone. It lies equally with the opposition and with society.
Throughout the paper leak controversy and the CJP agitation, the opposition failed to convert a genuine public concern into a meaningful national debate.
Instead of engaging seriously with examination reforms, institutional accountability and the future of India’s students, much of the discourse descended into political theatrics. Parliament, too, failed to rise to the occasion. Even Rahul Gandhi, who has consistently tried to position himself as a voice of students and the youth, could not offer a substantive agenda. A serious issue eventually got reduced to exchanges over who called whom an “idiot”.
But the biggest lesson from the CJP protest is for society itself.
Young people will question authority. They should. Curiosity, idealism, adventurous rebellion are natural characteristics of youth; there is nothing wrong with that. But the real concern arises when that energy is easily hijacked by vested interests pursuing political or personal agendas.
The protests also revealed an uncomfortable reality. Some participants appeared more interested in creating viral content than contributing to a meaningful movement. The abusive language directed at the Prime Minister and his late mother reflected a disturbing coarsening of public discourse. Equally troubling were reports that, in pursuit of better camera angles and social media engagement, some participants were even directing Sonam Wangchuk during his fast to change his position for better visuals.
Such incidents point to a deeper societal problem. Has the pursuit of online popularity begun to overshadow dignity, respect and purpose? Have likes, reels and followers become more important than values?
These are questions that deserve far greater attention than the political slugfest surrounding the protest.
The protest has ended. The protesters have gone home. But the fallout is immense, an eye-opener for society, politicians and the youth themselves.
Crime
Delhi govt notifies compensation of up to Rs 7.5 lakh each for unnatural death of jail inmates

New Delhi, Aug 2: The Delhi government has notified a compensation scheme – with relief amounts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh – for the next of kin or legal heirs of prisoners who suffer an unnatural death during custody in city prisons, said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the scheme, notified in accordance with the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), will ensure timely relief to affected families in specified cases while further strengthening administrative accountability.
According to the notification issued by the Home (General) Department of the Delhi Government, the scheme will be implemented as the Scheme for Payment of Compensation on Account of Death of Prisoners in Delhi Prison, 2025, said a statement.
It will apply only to cases involving the unnatural death of a prisoner in any Delhi prison on or after the date of notification of the scheme. As per the notification, compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh will be paid to the family of a deceased prisoner in cases where death occurs due to clashes between inmates or alleged torture or assault by prison personnel, it said.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been prescribed in cases involving negligence by prison authorities or staff, negligence by medical or paramedical personnel, or suicide by a prisoner, it said.
The notification makes it clear that no compensation will be payable in cases of natural death or death caused by illness. It further states that deaths occurring while escaping from prison or from lawful custody, as well as deaths caused by disasters or calamities, will not be covered under the scheme, said the statement.
Under the scheme, the Jail Superintendent concerned will be required to submit the magisterial inquiry report, post-mortem report, final cause of death, the prisoner’s medical history, and details of the treatment provided before death to the Director General (Prisons), Delhi, in every case, it said.
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