Daily Wrap: BCI leadership row, Vande Mataram political clash, and more top stories
Here are the top stories from across India on Saturday, August 22, 2026. From a fresh demand for the Bar Council of India chief's resignation to a political controversy over Vande Mataram, several key developments made headlines.
BCI co-chairperson demands Manan Mishra's resignation – Pressure on Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra escalated after senior member and Co-Chairperson Y.R. Sadasiva Reddy demanded his resignation and an independent probe into allegations concerning the functioning of the statutory body. The demand came hours before a BCI press conference, which was postponed to August 24, citing space and media arrangements.
Kharge questions PM Modi, BJP over Vande Mataram – Responding to the BJP's resolution condemning the Congress Working Committee's decision to restrict singing of 'Vande Mataram' to its first two stanzas at Congress programmes, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders had not sung the full version all these years. He questioned the sudden importance given to the issue.
Sikh protesters burn Rahul Gandhi effigy – Over 200 Sikh community representatives, including families of 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, gathered near Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's residence. They protested remarks allegedly describing former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, a convict in the riots, as a 'party role model'. The protesters demanded a formal apology and Gandhi's resignation, saying the Congress leadership had insulted those who sought justice for decades.
CJI advocates 'Nyaya-nomics' for growth – Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said courts must speak the language of both rule of law and economics, coining the term 'Nyaya-nomics'. Speaking at the 11th BRICS+ Legal Forum, he stressed that trust, predictability, and stability in justice delivery are essential for economic growth.
NIA court rejects bail for Pulwama terror accused – A special NIA court denied bail to Insha Jan, an accused in the 2019 Pulwama suicide attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel. Special Judge Prem Sagar observed that sufficient material existed to presume the accusations were prima facie true, and the statutory bar under UAPA prevented bail at this stage.
Cross-FIRs after attack on CJP team in Jaipur – Amid a row over an alleged attack on members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) during a visit to a government school in Jaipur, the outfit and local villagers have filed cross-FIRs against each other, accusing one another of assault and creating a ruckus.
DMK revamps party organisation – The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam announced a major organisational revamp, setting 70 as the age limit for district secretaries and 45 for local unit heads, aiming to infuse new blood into the party structure.
