BJP’s Ethanol Gambit: 150 Lok Sabha Seats at Stake

By BPN News Desk September 6, 2026

Op-Eds Opinion

India’s debate over E20complain about mileage, owners of older vehicles question compatibility, automobile enthusiasts ask why consumers should bear the consequences of a fuel their cars were never optimised to use, while the government points towards lower crude-oil imports, reduced

Op-Eds Opinion

Question an MLA, Face Police at Midnight? The Santosh Pandit Arrest Raises Disturbing Questions

By BPN News Desk September 3, 2026

There are moments when the legality of an individual allegation becomes almost secondary to a much larger question: how is the coercive power of the state being exercised, and against whom? The arrest of Pune-based activist and social-media influencer Santosh Pandit is rapidly becoming one such case. Pandit has built his public profile around confronting […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Nepal’s Gen Z Government Risks Turning Crisis Into Isolation

By BPN News Desk September 2, 2026

Nepal is living through a catastrophe of almost unimaginable proportions. More than 1,100 people have been confirmed dead following the Himalayan disaster of August 26, thousands remain missing, communities have been devastated, hydropower installations and bridges have been destroyed, and families across Nepal and several other countries are still desperately waiting for

Op-Eds Opinion

Gyirong’s Missing: What If No Bodies Are Found?

By BPN News Desk September 2, 2026

Before discussing anything else, we extend our deepest condolences to every family that has lost someone in the catastrophe at Gyirong Port, and our support to those still living through the agony of not knowing what happened to a loved one. We would also respectfully advise families whose relatives remain missing to consider not reading […]

Op-Eds Opinion

MMDR Amendment Bill: India’s Mineral Future Cannot Be Left to State Politics

By BPN News Desk August 31, 2026

The political argument surrounding the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 is being presented as another familiar Centre-versus-states confrontation. Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik has warned that the legislation undermines Odisha’s fiscal autonomy. Opposition has also emerged from other states and political parties concerned

Op-Eds Opinion

Pune’s DJ Debate Must Rise Above Religion and Politics

By BPN News Desk August 31, 2026

Pune is once again approaching Ganeshotsav with an argument that has become almost as predictable as the festival calendar itself. On one side are Ganesh mandals and organisers who want the freedom to celebrate with elaborate sound systems. On the other are residents who say that what is described as celebration increasingly means hours of […]

Op-Eds Opinion

178 Indians Missing in Nepal: Why Is the Rescue Response Still So Fragmented?

By BPN News Desk August 29, 2026

For hundreds of families across India and elsewhere, the catastrophe unfolding along the Nepal–Tibet border is not a satellite image, a casualty figure or another breaking-news notification. It is a silent telephone. It is a WhatsApp message that remains unread. It is the photograph of a husband, wife, parent, sibling or friend whose whereabouts have […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Brands Must Learn That Religious Traditions Are Not Disposable Creative Props

By BPN News Desk August 25, 2026

The controversy surrounding Kriti Sanon’s Raksha Bandhan advertisement has now moved far beyond the question of whether one outfit was appropriate for one festival. What began as criticism of a jewellery campaign has developed into a wider argument about how brands use religion, culture and tradition as commercial assets — and what responsibility comes with […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Eggs Allegedly Thrown at Ganpati Procession: Fadnavis Must Send a Clear Message

By BPN News Desk August 24, 2026

What happened in Mumbai’s Mazgaon on Sunday night cannot simply be filed away as another brief episode of tension during festival season. A Ganpati arrival procession was passing through the locality when organisers alleged that eggs were thrown towards the procession. The allegation immediately triggered anger, confrontation between groups and a massive police deployment

Op-Eds Opinion

The True Economics of Ethanol: How Many Times Is India Subsidising E20?

By BPN News Desk August 24, 2026

India’s ethanol programme has been sold to the public through an exceptionally attractive proposition. Blend domestically produced ethanol into petrol, reduce dependence on imported crude oil, save foreign exchange, create an additional market for Indian agriculture and put more money into the rural economy. At a time when geopolitical conflicts can send crude prices