7 min readNew DelhiJul 21, 2026 09:31 AM IST
Good morning,
More than 20 workers are feared trapped inside an under-construction tunnel in Sikkim’s Namchi district after a landslide blocked its entrance and triggered a gas leak on Monday. According to the district administration, around 27 workers of which 21 employed by contractor Patel Engineering and six by NHPC are believed to be inside the Samardung tunnel, which is part of the Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Power Project. A multi-agency rescue operation involving the NDRF, SDRF, district police, Fire and Emergency Services and a specialised team from West Bengal is underway, but officials said methane gas, poor visibility and the tunnel’s narrow passage have made rescue efforts extremely challenging, with several rescuers reportedly falling unconscious due to gas exposure.
On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition. 👇
🚨 Big Story
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest entered its 24th day today, a day after its ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in Delhi ended in violent clashes with the police. Undeterred by repeated attempts to disperse the demonstrators and heavy rain through Monday evening, protesters regrouped at Jantar Mantar and continued their sit-in late into the night, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said talks with the government had failed to yield a breakthrough despite his meeting with Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Monday. Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk reiterated that he would continue his hunger strike until student representatives are allowed to meet parliamentarians or he is permitted to do so from the hospital.
The CJP’s march to Parliament was more than a student protest. It brought together parents, teachers, delivery workers, architects and professionals from across the country, united by concerns over the future of education. For many, the movement had grown beyond alleged exam irregularities into a broader demand for accountability and systemic reform. Their stories reveal how a student-led agitation has evolved into a wider citizens’ movement, driven by people from diverse backgrounds with a common cause.
For a group of young Mumbaikars, the journey to Delhi was about far more than joining a protest—it was about ensuring their voices were heard. From students and recent graduates to social workers, they travelled hundreds of kilometres to take part in the CJP’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, driven by concerns that extended well beyond the alleged NEET irregularities. For them, the march became an opportunity to speak out on the future of education, employment and the aspirations of India’s youth.
Shifting Political Equations
The first day of the Monsoon Session was as much about the protests outside Parliament as it was about the shifting equations within the Opposition. While Congress spearheaded a joint demonstration over the CJP agitation and the education crisis, the Trinamool Congress’s split was impossible to ignore, with its rebel MPs keeping away from the protest and occupying separate benches in the Lok Sabha. The contrasting scenes inside and outside Parliament underscored the evolving alliances, new power equations and growing faultlines that are reshaping Opposition politics.
⚡ Only in Express
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Beyond one exam: What began as protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination has turned into a broader debate over the Modi government’s education policies and budget priorities. In this week’s Explained Speaking, The Indian Express examines how the controversy has reignited questions about public spending on education, youth unemployment and the aspirations of millions of students. It also explores why the unrest has evolved beyond a single entrance exam into a wider political challenge for the Centre.
📰 From the Front Page
Life cut short: Akhil Joyan, a 26-year-old merchant navy sailor from Kasaragod in Kerala, was among four Indian nationals killed after the cargo vessel MV Golden Leo came under a Russian attack while departing Ukraine’s Odesa port on July 19, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Akhil, who had worked as a mariner for six years after completing a nautical science course in Chennai, had returned home last month, where his marriage was fixed. He was also planning to leave the ship by the end of July to join another shipping company. The Kerala government has directed the Non-resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) department to coordinate with the MEA and the Russian Consulate, while the MEA said India’s mission in Ukraine is extending all possible assistance to those affected.
Gogoi questions PM: Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi unwilling to replace Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan despite the controversy over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination? In an interview with The Indian Express, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi poses this question while accusing the Centre of failing to address students’ concerns and demanding greater accountability. He also outlines the Opposition’s strategy for the Monsoon Session, why it plans to keep the pressure on the government, and what the row could mean politically for the BJP.
Chenab takes priority: After putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, the Centre has shifted its focus to fast-tracking hydropower projects on the Chenab River. Officials say accelerating under-construction and proposed projects in the Chenab basin will enable India to fully utilise its share of the western rivers, boost power generation, and strengthen water management in Jammu and Kashmir. Several of these projects had previously faced delays due to restrictions under the treaty.
📌 Must Read
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From the 2021 post-poll violence and the school recruitment scam to the 2024 RG Kar rape and murder case, the BJP government in West Bengal has begun reopening several high-profile cases that had dominated the state’s political discourse over the past five years. In this report, The Indian Express examines the cases under review, the reasons cited by the new government for revisiting them, and the political and legal implications of reopening investigations that had long been at the centre of the BJP’s campaign against the previous Trinamool Congress administration.
⏳ And Finally…
Andy Burnham’s journey to becoming the UK’s new Prime Minister has been anything but conventional. Once known as the “King of the North” for fiercely championing the interests of Greater Manchester, Burnham has emerged as one of Britain’s most influential political figures. In this Explained piece, The Indian Express charts his rise from Cabinet minister to Labour leader, explores how he reinvented himself through regional politics, and looks at the challenges and expectations that now await him at 10 Downing Street.
🎧Before you go, tune in to today’s 3 Things podcast. With the government’s unprecedented decision to take down the film Satluj from an OTT platform, we answer three questions: What law was used to do it? What does this mean for other films and online content? And what story is the film trying to tell?
That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Anupama
