June 26 has become a day of contrasting headlines for India—while the nation celebrates a historic milestone in space exploration. India made history as Subhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS). Aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule, Subhanshu, along with three other astronauts, successfully docked with the ISS. This comes 41 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s historic space journey in 1984. The ongoing “hatching” process—referring to the opening of the ISS hatch—is expected to be completed by 7 PM. Subhanshu’s father expressed heartfelt gratitude in an emotional message, stating, “My children’s words gave me strength, and today, our identity is being recognized.” Over the next 14 days, the crew will carry out vital scientific research that will help shape India’s indigenous human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan, scheduled for launch in two years. In sharp contrast, political tensions flared in Bihar. During the RJD Youth Student Parliament organized by Tejashwi Yadav at Bapu Sabhagar, a massive crowd of youth and RJD workers gathered to hear the young leader speak. After Tejashwi’s one-hour address, chaos erupted as an overwhelming crowd surged toward the exit gate to meet him or take selfies. The situation escalated, and the exit gate shattered under pressure, with visuals showing broken glass scattered on the floor. One party worker sustained facial injuries, while Tejashwi, along with Sanjay Yadav and Misa Bharti, was safely escorted out. Overcrowding beyond the hall’s capacity is believed to have triggered the incident. While India reached new heights in space, events on the ground served as a reminder of the challenges in political event management.
