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- English News<\/li>\n
- National<\/li>\n
- Bhaskar Smart Brief Today Bankim Descendant Seeks Sonia Apology Over \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019 Row; Is Ground Quietly Being Prepared For Sheikh Hasina\u2019s Return?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/picture><\/div>\nGood morning! Here\u2019s your quick catch-up on the biggest stories making headlines today.<\/p>\n
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has praised young protesters who, he alleged, stood firm against the government despite facing abuse and violence. Sharing a video of his interaction with students, Rahul lauded girls who, he claimed, faced misbehaviour, verbal abuse and violence.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, BJP MLA and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay\u2019s descendant Sumitro Chatterjee accused Sonia Gandhi of insulting Vande Mataram. He has demanded an unconditional apology and argued that the song belongs to India\u2019s freedom struggle, not any political party.<\/p>\n
Also in today\u2019s Bhaskar Smart Brief, don\u2019t miss our explainer on PM Modi\u2019s claim that 25 crore Indians have moved out of multidimensional poverty, and why escaping a poverty threshold does not automatically mean a better life.<\/p>\n
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Along with these, we\u2019ve rounded up the other top stories you need to start your day.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s Top Headlines<\/strong><\/span>
1. Rahul lauds youth who stood firm against govt despite \u2018abuse and violence\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/16\/comp471786879419289_1786888757.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nSharing a video of interaction with students, Rahul Gandhi raised a quiet ode to India\u2019s youth: those who stand against the state\u2019s heavy hand deserve praise, not scolding.<\/p>\n
He lauded girls who, he alleged, faced misbehaviour, verbal abuse and violence. READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
2. Bankim descendant seeks Sonia apology over \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019 row<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/16\/dbgifmagic661786877468240_1786889588.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nA song that once stirred India\u2019s freedom struggle has sparked a fresh political row. BJP MLA and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay\u2019s descendant Sumitro Chatterjee has accused Sonia Gandhi of trying to stop the singing of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day and demanded an unconditional apology.<\/p>\n
![\"Watch](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/16\/dbgifmagic3717867960560121786877729532_1786889677.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nWatch the video clip from the Congress headquarters\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n
He recalled how Vande Mataram became a rallying cry during the freedom movement, from Rabindranath Tagore\u2019s 1896 rendition to nationalist protests against British rule.<\/p>\n
He said the song belongs not to any party, but to India\u2019s freedom struggle and collective memory. READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
3. Out of poverty, but how much better is life?<\/strong><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/15\/image_1786792962.png\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nPM Modi says 25 crore Indians have moved out of multidimensional poverty. But crossing a poverty threshold is not the same as living a better life.<\/p>\n
A tap matters only if water flows regularly; a toilet matters when sanitation is sustained; a health card matters when treatment is actually available. A child being in school is only half the story, what they learn matters too.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/15\/12x-100_1786792918.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nA bank account can bring financial inclusion, but not necessarily financial security. The real test now is whether India can move beyond counting access to ensuring quality, reliability, affordability and dignity in everyday life. READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
4. TMC MLA Ashish Banerjee dies by suicide<\/strong><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/16\/cover_1786849910454.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nA familiar face of Birbhum politics fell silent on Sunday. Former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker and five-time TMC MLA Ashish Banerjee was found hanging at a party office in Rampurhat, leaving behind a suicide note and a trail of unanswered questions.<\/p>\n
In the note, Banerjee denied corruption allegations, saying he had never taken money for any work. He also denied any role in sand tenders or TRDA matters involving tenders, approvals, NOCs or cheques. He claimed attempts had been made to tarnish his image and expressed regret over entering politics. READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
5. Is the ground quietly being prepared for Sheikh Hasina\u2019s return?<\/strong><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/15\/comp-1gr_1786779912.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nTwo years after Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh, the Awami League is slowly stirring back to life. Leaders are walking out of jail, village networks are being rebuilt, and party offices, once burned and abandoned, are reopening.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/15\/8-awami-league-leaders-out-of-jail_1786779767.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nLocal elections could offer another doorway, allowing Awami League supporters to contest as independents. Behind the scenes, party leaders claim Hasina remains in touch with workers across all 300 constituencies, preparing for her eventual return. Yet the road home is far from clear. She faces hundreds of cases and a death sentence.<\/p>\n
The BNP says she must surrender. So, is Bangladesh quietly reopening a door, or merely leaving it ajar? READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
The Day Ahead<\/strong><\/span>
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- SC to hear Cauvery water dispute case: Tamil Nadu’s plea seeks enforcement of a decision by the CWMA directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days<\/li>\n
- SC will hear pleas for a court-monitored SIT probe into Ram Mandir donation embezzlement; court had previously mandated a four-member SIT, including a forensic auditor<\/li>\n
- Finance Ministry to hold PSB chiefs’ conclave on Aug 17-18; deposit mobilisation, investment financing on agenda<\/li>\n
- Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) calls nationwide demonstrations on August 17 to demand resolution of long-pending workers’ issues<\/li>\n
- BWF World Championships to be played from August 17-23; PV Sindhu seeded ninth, Satwik-Chirag fifth<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
Visual Of The Day<\/strong><\/span>
![\"Struggle](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/16\/letter-1952-1_1786888164.png\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nStruggle For Survival: Hundreds of buildings have been damaged by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. A Palestinian family sits in one such damaged building.<\/span><\/p>\n
Today In History<\/strong><\/span>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/16\/letter-1959_1786889047.png\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nStatement Of The Day<\/strong><\/span>
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<\/picture><\/div>\nNews With a Twist<\/strong><\/span>
Horse arrested in liquor smuggling, taken to police station<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/16\/comp-531786895411_1786897579.gif\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nSome stories sound too strange to be true, yet they come straight from real life. From a horse landing in a police station over alleged liquor smuggling to a dog winning the world\u2019s \u2018ugliest\u2019 title, the day\u2019s oddest headlines prove that reality can be stranger than fiction.<\/p>\n
This edition brings a snakebite survivor who was kept awake with 150 slaps, a \u20b916 clothing sale that sparked chaos in Kanpur, and villagers in Bihar who fed a suspected thief fish and roti before questioning him. Here are five quirky stories that grabbed attention. READ MORE<\/strong><\/a>
News in Headlines<\/strong><\/span>
\u2018People will never forgive you, Sonia ji\u2019: Shah on Vande Mataram row READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
Netanyahu faces election defeat threat: Trails Eisenkot in poll READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
Firing at Varanasi Airport: Shiv Sena leader\u2019s pistol injures 2 READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n
VIDEO | Modi feeds fodder to cows before I-Day speech READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n