Didi Says Women Must Protect Themselves
☕ India’s Morning Briefing: Mon, October 13
Good morning India
While politicians in Bihar were busy with electoral maths, others were giving masterclasses in how not to handle a crisis, and a border dispute got spicy with threats issued from a rival’s capital city. Let’s get into it.
Welcome to the 139th edition of The India Brief
Do not miss the deep dive in the end
1. The Political Arena
🗳️ NDA Cracks Bihar Code, Agrees to Equal Seat Split
NDA finalises Bihar poll formula; BJP & JD(U) to contest 101 seats each
First-time equal split; despite BJP’s stronger 2020 performance
Chirag Paswan’s LJP(RV) gets 29 seats; smaller allies get 6 each
After weeks of political sudoku, the NDA has finally figured out how to divide 243 by five in a way that keeps everyone just happy enough not to flip the table over. For now.
The Bottom Line: BJP is optimising for alliance stability over immediate seat count. Granting parity to a weaker JD(U) is a calculated cost to prevent Nitish Kumar’s defection, neutralising the opposition’s primary strategy of fracturing the NDA coalition before the polls even begin. 🔗
🗣️ Mamata Banerjee’s Comments on Rape Survivor Ignite Firestorm
WB CM comments on Durgapur gang-rape; questions why survivor was out late
“How did she come out at 12.30 at night?”; says women must “protect themselves”
Draws sharp criticism; from BJP, National Commission for Women
Later claims remarks; “deliberately distorted”
The Deeper Take: This isn’t an isolated gaffe; it’s unfortunately a replay of a timeless political script. When faced with a state failure (lapsed security), the common playbook used by politicians is to deflect by scrutinising individual behaviour, shifting the focus from the government’s responsibility to the victim’s “irresponsibility.” When everyone starts accepting their responsibility, only then can we progress. But that recognition needs to be there. 🔗
2. India On The World Stage
🕊️ India Sends Envoy to High-Stakes Gaza Peace Summit
Egypt hosts Gaza peace summit; co-chaired by US President Trump
PM Modi invited; but will not attend
Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh; to represent India as special envoy
India is attending the Gaza peace summit, but sending a relatively junior minister. It’s the diplomatic equivalent of accepting a party invitation but promising to “just stop by for a bit,” ensuring you’re seen without getting dragged into any drama. This helps New Delhi to navigate the complex interests of its Arab, US, and Israeli partners. 🔗
⚔️ Afghan-Pak Border Erupts; Threats Issued from Delhi
Heavy clashes; between Afghan and Pakistani forces on border
Conflicting claims; Afghanistan says 58 Pak soldiers killed, Pakistan claims 23
Afghan Foreign Minister; warns from New Delhi of “other options” if peace fails
Pakistan protests; India-Afghanistan joint statement mentioning Kashmir 🔗
🇨🇦 Canadian Minister Lands in Delhi to Thaw Icy Relations
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand; arrives in India
First ministerial visit; since diplomatic “reset”
Aims to advance strategic cooperation; on trade, energy, security
Part of Canada’s broader Indo-Pacific Strategy 🔗
3. Society & Ledger
🏏 Heartbreak for India as Australia Pulls Off Record-Breaking Heist
Women’s World Cup; Australia beats India by 3 wickets
Highest successful run chase; in women’s ODI history, chasing 331
Australian captain Alyssa Healy; scores a masterful 142
Smriti Mandhana scores 80; becomes fastest woman to 5,000 ODI runs
India put a record-breaking score on the board, only for Australia to break an even bigger record by chasing it down. It’s the cricketing equivalent of building a magnificent sandcastle just as the tide rolls in. 🔗
🚮 Nagapattinam Sanitation Strike Called Off After Deal
Three-day strike ends; by contract sanitation workers in Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu)
Garbage collection had halted; across the town
Settlement reached; ₹50 daily wage hike, ₹7,000 Deepavali advance
Core demand for ₹600 daily wage; remains unfulfilled 🔗
💰Tamil Nadu Plans to Borrow ₹39,000 Crore
Government to borrow; via dated securities auction
For Q3 of fiscal year; 2025-26
Massive welfare scheme allocations
The currency is votes, and the expenditure on extensive welfare schemes is a direct investment to secure them. The borrowing is the necessary mechanism to fund this strategy, prioritising immediate electoral gains over long-term fiscal consolidation 🔗
4. The Bright Side
🇺🇳 New Delhi to Host Conclave of UN Peacekeeping Chiefs
India to host; UN Troop Contributing Countries’ conclave; Oct 14-16
Senior military leaders; from 32 nations to attend
Forum to discuss; operational challenges, future of peacekeeping
The Chessboard This is India leveraging its historical role as a top troop contributor to pivot into a thought leader on global security. By hosting this conclave, New Delhi is reinforcing its claim as a responsible global stakeholder, subtly bolstering its long-standing bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat. 🔗
🤖 Student Robotics Teams Win Big, Head to Geneva
National robotics challenge; concludes at India Mobile Congress
Students aged 10-18; built AI solutions for food security
Team Heyansh (Bengaluru); & The Ambitious Avengers (Varanasi) win
Will represent India; at Global Grand Finale in Geneva 2026 🔗
🇮🇳 India Boosts Housing Support for Tamils in Sri Lanka
India launches; next stage of housing project in Sri Lanka
Supports 14,000 houses; for Indian-Origin Tamil community
Part of a larger project; to build 65,000 houses across the island 🔗
🌋 Andaman to Launch Cruise to India’s Only Active Volcano
Andaman administration; to launch round-voyage cruise service
Destination: Barren Island; India’s only active volcano
Fortnightly service; from Port Blair starting October 24
Aims to boost; unique tourism experiences in the region 🔗
🎓 Jamia Millia Islamia Jumps in World University Rankings
JMI improves position; in Times Higher Education (THE) rankings for 2026
Moves into 401-500 bracket; up from 501-600 last year
Shows strong score; in “Research Quality” metric
Ranked 3rd among Indian institutions; in the same rankings 🔗
5. Around The World
🇲🇬 Madagascar President Declares Coup Attempt by Military
President Rajoelina says; coup is underway in Madagascar
Elite army unit; joins anti-government protesters
Mutinying soldiers; claim control of the military, appoint new chief
Protests sparked; by power and water shortages
The very same army unit that helped Madagascar’s president seize power in 2009 is now trying to oust him. It seems the political warranty has expired. 🔗
🇩🇪 Germany Commits €1 Billion to Global Fund to Fight Disease
Germany pledges €1 billion; to the Global Fund
Funds to fight; HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria
Announced at; World Health Summit in Berlin
Aims to strengthen; health systems in vulnerable nations 🔗
6. The Deep Dive
The Question That Betrayed a Nation’s Women
When a Chief Minister responds to a brutal gang rape by asking why the victim was out at 12:30 am, it’s more than just a gaffe; it’s the activation of a depressingly familiar political script. Mamata Banerjee’s comment is a textbook case of deflecting state failure by scrutinising individual behaviour. It’s a tactic as old as politics itself: when the system fails to provide security, question the choices of those it failed to protect.
This isn’t an isolated incident. It’s part of a long, ignominious tradition in Indian politics where leaders, male and female alike, blame everything from “western clothes” and “boys being boys” to being “adventurous” for sexual violence. This mindset conveniently ignores a crucial historical irony: the very notion of “modest” Indian attire is largely a foreign import. Pre-colonial and pre-Mughal India, suited to its climate, had far more liberal norms of dress, with unstitched drapes and bare midriffs being common. Historical accounts from the Vedic period suggest women enjoyed far greater freedom and a higher status in society, participating in intellectual and spiritual life without such suffocating constraints. The prudishness we now champion as “tradition” is a hangover from Victorian and Islamic rule, adopted to protect women from invaders and colonisers.
Despite progress on paper—the Nirbhaya Fund, Fast Track Courts, the POSH Act—the reality on the ground is a story of tragic failure. The Nirbhaya fund remains notoriously underutilised, with states often failing to spend even a fraction of the allocated money. Fast Track Courts are anything but fast, bogged down by the same systemic delays they were meant to bypass. The core issue remains one of mindset. Until leaders stop asking “Why was she out?” and start asking “Why wasn’t she safe?” and “Why did he rape?”, no amount of funding or legislation will bridge the chasm between a woman’s right to freedom and her reality.
Question of the Day
A Chief Minister suggested women should stay home at night for their own safety. Is the primary responsibility for public safety on the state to provide it, or on the individual to avoid risk?
Stay sharp,
Aditya S.
Editor, The India Brief
P.S. Please watch this