India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Tribal communities in Great Nicobar are not opposed to development but lack sufficient information about a proposed mega infrastructure project on the island, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) member Asha Lakra has said. The project, titled Holistic Development of Great Nicobar, involves the construction of a transshipment port, an international airport, a township and a power plant over more than 160 square km of land. This includes around 130 square km of pristine forest inhabited by the Nicobarese, a Scheduled Tribe (ST), and the Shompens, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), whose population is estimated to be between 200 and 300. Also Read | Waqf Act Controversy: RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav Call for 'Throwing Waqf Act in Dustbin' Sparks Political Storm, Parties Trade Barbs. In an interview with PTI, Lakra said she led an NCST team to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from June 5 to 7 to review the issues faced by the tribal communities. She said the commission held a detailed meeting with representatives of all tribal groups, including the Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Nicobarese and Shompens. Also Read | Gold Rate Today, June 30, 2025: As Gold Price Continues To Decline, Check Prices of Yellow Metal in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Other Metro Cities. "We met everyone... We also had talks with both Shompen and Nicobarese people living on Great Nicobar Island. Most of the people have no idea about the project. They are busy with their own lives... They demand more ferries to travel between islands," Lakra said. Asked about her interaction with the residents of Great Nicobar, she said, "They have no other problems. All they need is development... Better transport, education and health facilities. This is what they told us. Everyone, barring the Sentinelese, said the same thing. They are in favour of development." "They want employment and their financial situation to improve," Lakra added. She, however, stressed the need for a stakeholders' meeting with educated people from the island regarding "such a big project" and said all necessary information should be shared with them. However, Barnabas Manju, chairman of the Little and Great Nicobar Tribal Council, told PTI over the phone that the council was not invited to the meeting and came to know about it through the local media. The council had written to the Union environment ministry and the Andaman and Nicobar administration in November 2022, withdrawing the no-objection certificate (NOC) it issued in August that year for the denotification of 84.1 sq. km of tribal reserve and the diversion of 130 sq. km of forest for the project. It alleged that crucial information was withheld while seeking the NOC. The tribal council had expressed shock on learning that parts of their pre-tsunami villages would be "denotified and diverted" under the project. During a public hearing held at Campbell Bay in January 2021, the council's chairman had said that although they support the development plan, "we want to go back to our ancestral villages". Tribal councils in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are statutory bodies established under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Tribal Councils) Regulation, 2009. They have limited advisory and executive powers, unlike autonomous councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which have legislative, executive and limited judicial powers and enjoy greater autonomy. Around 853 sq. km of the island's total 910 sq. km area is designated as a tribal reserve under the Andaman and Nicobar (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956. In tribal reserves, the tribal communities own the land and have full rights to use it for their daily needs. However, transferring, acquiring or selling land in these areas is strictly prohibited. Asked whether the commission looked into complaints of Forest Rights Act (FRA) violations related to the project, Lakra said, "The only kind of FRA violations that has been reported involves non-tribal outsiders, who come for construction work, marry ST women and settle on tribal land." This allows non-tribals to gain de-facto control over land protected under the FRA, she added. In April 2023, the NCST issued a notice to the Andaman and Nicobar administration, seeking "facts and an action-taken report" on allegations that the mega project would violate the constitutional mandate and "adversely impact" the lives of local tribals. Lakra said the commission would check whether a response has been received. At a media interaction earlier this month, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said his ministry is examining objections raised by tribal communities regarding the proposed project. In an interview with PTI in February last year, NCST's former acting vice chairperson Ananta Nayak had said that media reports criticising the "strategically crucial" mega construction project were an "international conspiracy". He had said that national security should be the "primary concern" of any government. The Great Nicobar Island, which is the southernmost part of the Indian territory, is one of the most strategically important areas. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands provide India a commanding geostrategic presence in the Bay of Bengal and access to South and Southeast Asia.
Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan has called for the replacement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with ballot papers, citing concerns over the legitimacy of election results. Ranjan raised doubts about the EVM's accuracy, suggesting that the results may be influenced and advocating for a ballot paper system like many other countries. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also echoed similar sentiments, accusing EVMs of wasting votes from marginalized communities. This comes after the Congress' defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly election. The Supreme Court, however, dismissed a petition seeking th ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): Congress MP Pramod Tiwari lashed out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah who has been in the eye of a storm over his remarks on Baba Saheb Ambedkar. The Congress member said that without Ambedkar, Amit Shah would not have been a member of the Lower House of the Parliament. "... If Ambedkar ji was not there, he (Amit Shah) would not have even sat there. There would have been no Lok Sabha, no Rajya Sabha and no Constitution. So this is not only an insult to Baba Saheb Ambedkar but also to the Constitution, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha ...," the Congress MP told ...Read More >
Lalu Yadav was reacting to Nitish Kumar's plans to launch the Mahila Samwad Yatra, an initiative aimed at directly engaging with women in Bihar. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday stoked controversy after passing a sexist remark at Nitish Kumar's upcoming women's rally, saying that the Bihar Chief Minister was attending it to "ogle at women." Yadav was reacting to Kumar's plans to launch the Mahila Samwad Yatra, an initiative aimed at directly engaging with women in Bihar. "Nain sekne ja ra ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Dec 11 (PTI) The National Law School of India University, which has pioneered and developed an integrated five-year BA LLB (honours) degree that transformed Indian legal education, has now come up with a three-year (honours) BA course with an option of an additional fourth year. The first cohort of the programme will be admitted in July 2025, the NLSIU said. "We are looking to develop something that is responsive to 2025, but is completely different," the NLSIU Vice Chancellor Sudhir Krishnaswamy said at the launch of the programme. He said the university will teach the social sc ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday lashed out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar, saying that he can't "bulldoze" Ambedkar's legacy which remains a voice for the oppressed communities. "Yesterday, Amit Shah who believes in Manuwaad and who is a follower of Savarkar has expressed his anti-mindset of Ambedkar (anti-Ambedkar mindset)...We will try to say to him 'Ambedkar Jai'...because he can't just bulldoze Ambedkar's legacy. Ambedkar legacy means voice for those oppressed communities of OBCs, SCs and STs, and all othe ...Read More >
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday dismissed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's statement about keeping alliance doors open for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Calling it a mere fantasy, Fadnavis said, "The dreams of Lalu Yadav will always remain dreams (Mungeri Lal ke Haseen Sapne hi rahenge). They will never be fulfilled." This reaction came after Lalu Yadav expressed his willingness to welcome Nitish Kumar back into the opposition fold, while Union Minister and JDU leader Lallan Singh reiterated the party's commitment to the National Dem ...Read More >
The Supreme Court halted new temple-mosque legal battles. The court will review the 1991 law impacting religious site status. This law froze the status of religious sites as of August 15, 1947. Several cases, including Gyanvapi and Shahi Idgah, challenge this law. The law's validity is being questioned. The court's decision impacts ongoing and future disputes.In its ruling on the keenly-watched Place of Worship Act case, the Supreme Court said on December 12 that no new Mandir-Masjid suits are to ...Read More >
Chennai,Tamil Nadu - A deep depression forming over the Southeast Bay of Bengal is set to bring heavy rainfall to Tamil Nadu,with Chennai expected to see showers until Thursday night. the system,which intensified from a low-pressure area,is predicted to move west-northwest,crossing Sri Lanka near Rameswaram and Thoothukudi before entering the Gulf of Mannar. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an update stating that the depression is likely to move further into the Arabian Sea, passing thru the Delta and southern Tamil Nadu regions. This will result in continued rainfall acr ...Read More >
New Delhi, December 15: The 'One Nation, One Election' Bill, officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, will not be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Revised Business List of the Lower House for the day does not mention the Bill. The first list had scheduled the Bill for Monday. It mentioned, "... Arjun Ram Meghwal to move for leave to introduce a Bill further to amend the Constitution of India. Also to introduce the Bill." One Nation, One Election: Union Cabinet Approves Bills for Simultaneous Lok Sabha, State Assembly Elections, Say Source ...Read More >
Nagpur, Dec 15 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday slammed the opposition parties, accusing them of not believing in the Constitution. Fadnavis landed in Nagpur to a grand welcome from party workers and people. Talking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Fadnavis said, "It is a joyous moment that after becoming the chief minister, I have come to my janmabhoomi and karmabhoomi (birthplace and workplace). Nagpur is my family, and it is welcome by my family." Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister for the third time on December 5 after the Mahayuti combine swept the Novem ...Read More >
Mhow (M.P), Jan 27 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday urged party workers to unite in saving the Constitution, saying the Dalits, backwards, tribals and poor will suffer otherwise. Addressing the "Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan" rally here, he also branded the BJP-RSS people as "traitors" and said the Congress will never tolerate the exploitation of the poor in the name of religion. Taking a swipe at BJP leaders taking holy dip at the Maha Kumbh, Kharge said taking a dip in the holy Ganga will not help remove poverty. He, however, stressed that he does not wish to hurt ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 6 (PTI) Air India Express, the budget-carrier arm of Air India, is embarking on a significant expansion by increasing its fleet size and introducing new routes, as passenger growth remains robust. The airline, however, has deferred plans to launch direct flights between Kolkata and Dhaka, citing the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh. "You would recall we had announced our operational plan for Dhaka, which is a new and significant market for us. But because of the situation there, we have deferred those plans," Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, said. "As ...Read More >
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday (December 5, 2024) expanded his Cabinet with 11 Ministers. Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath in a swearing-in-ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi. Six from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), four from Congress and one from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have been inducted in the Cabinet of Mr. Soren. From JMM quota, six MLAs took oath at the event organised at Ashok Udyaan includes Chaibasa MLA Deepak Birua, Ghatsila MLA Ramdas Soren, Giridih MLA Sudivya Kumar , Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda, Gomia MLA Yogendra Prasad and Madhupur MLA Haf ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the government promptly made an arrest after a replica of the Constitution was damaged in Parbhani, yet violent protests took place which was unacceptable. The accused, who allegedly damaged the replica, was a mentally unstable man, Fadnavis told reporters in Delhi. A bandh was called on Wednesday after the glass-encased replica of the Constitution near Dr B R Ambedkar's statue outside the Parbhani railway station was found damaged the previous evening. But the shut-down took a violent turn when a mob indulged ...Read More >
Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 13 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) leader ST Hasan on Friday said that the 'One Nation, One Election' rule was not possible in the country with the various cultures and laws present. "The One Nation, One Election rule is not possible in our country. Our country has a lot of different cultures and religious laws. There is a huge conspiracy behind it... Indirectly, only the centre will rule. They are trying to change the Constitution. They are talking about a common civil court, saying One Nation One Constitution... tomorrow you'll say One Nation One Cult ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the country will not tolerate Babasaheb Ambedkar's insult and demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah should apologise for his remarks in the Rajya Sabha. Several MPs of the INDIA bloc, including Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest in Parliament premises demanding Shah's apology for his remarks which they claimed were an insult to B R Ambedkar. Sharing pictures from the protest, Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi, "Baba Saheb is the architect of the Constitution, ...Read More >
INDIA bloc MPs, donning black jackets with slogans like "Modi Adani Ek Hai", protested at Parliament demanding a joint probe into the Adani issue. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused PM Modi of evading discussion on the "Adani mega scam" while defending Adani's alleged corruption. Rahul Gandhi asserted that Modi won't investigate Adani as it would be like investigating himself.Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Thursday said the country's people want the "Adani mega scam" to be discussed in Parliame ...Read More >
NDIA bloc leaders, who submitted a notice of no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday, blamed the chair for not allowing them to speak in the Rajya Sabha. The leaders held a joint press conference labelling several charges against the chairman. "His behaviour (RS chairman) has damaged the dignity of the country. He has brought such a situation in the history of parliamentary democracy that we had to bring this notice for the resolution (of no confidence ...Read More >
Ranchi, Dec 12 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday asserted that a strong foundation for development of the state was laid during the previous term of the JMM-led government in the state and time is ripe to speed up the progress. He said the speech delivered by Governor Santosh Gangwar in the assembly on Wednesday was the government's 'white paper' that clearly showed its vision and direction. "We have laid a strong foundation for the state's overall development during the previous term after 2019. Now, it is time to construct a building on the foundation. Very soon opport ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 17 (PTI) CPI(M) MP and former Kerala Minister K Radhakrishnan on Tuesday attributed the non-availability of an ambulance to transport a tribal woman's body to a failure by lower-level officials and assured appropriate action against those responsible. Radhakrishnan said the state has "sufficient facilities and systems in place" to handle such situations, but incidents like this occur when officials fail allegedly to act promptly. "The state government will intervene effectively in the matter. Appropriate action will be taken against those who failed to perform their d ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 17 (PTI) CPI(M) MP and former Kerala Minister K Radhakrishnan on Tuesday said that his party was against the 'one nation, one election' policy being mooted by the central government and the legislation in favour of it would be strongly opposed. Radhakrishnan said that besides the CPI(M), even the Congress would oppose the legislation trying to bring simultaneous elections in the country. He further said that even the regional parties would oppose the policy of simultaneous polls as this concept was not beneficial for them. Two bills that lay down the mechanism to hol ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 18 (ANI): Kolkata Police on Wednesday detained Congress workers as they held a protest against Union Minister Amit Shah's statement on Bharat Ratna BR Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress party is conducting protests across all states, targeting the government on these issues and demanding action and accountability. Also Read | Umar Khalid Gets 7 Days Interim Bail in Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case To Attend Cousin's Wedding. Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party over Amit Shah's remark ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jan 10 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said it was the responsibility of the Congress to keep the INDIA bloc intact as it was the largest party in the opposition alliance. Raut's statement came in the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks expressing dismay over the lack of clarity on INDIA bloc leadership and agenda, and saying the alliance should be wound up if it was meant only for the 2024 parliamentary elections. "If the alliance partners feel the INDIA bloc was only for the Lok Sabha polls and doesn't exist now, the Congress is t ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party, accusing it of stalling Delhi's development while treating the city as its "political ATM" to fund its ambitions in other states and using the "looted" money for its own publicity. Addressing a public rally in Dwarka here, he urged people to vote for the BJP in the Assembly polls and allow him to serve them. Modi stressed that Delhi does not need a confrontational government but one that works in coordination with the Centre. The prime minister urged voters to elect a "double-engine go ...Read More >
Tensions mounted in the Bihar assembly as opposition MLA Bhai Virendra threatened to sit in the chief minister's seat, leading to an adjournment. Senior RJD leaders protested seat arrangements, demanding action against defected MLAs who joined the ruling side. The Speaker assured swift attention to the grievances. Tensions rose sharply in the Bihar assembly on Thursday due to an incident involving opposition MLA Bhai Virendra, who threatened to occupy the chief minister's reserved seat, provoking anger from the Speaker. The commotion began after the chief minister exited post-Question Hour, ...Read More >
The agitators demanded strict punishment for those who insulted the statue. Violent protests took place for the second day in central Maharashtra's Parbhani city on Wednesday over alleged vandalising of a replica of the Indian Constitution, police said. Amid the bandh called by some organisations, a mob indulged in arson and police fired teargas shells in response, a senior official told PTI. How did the protest begin? An unidentified person on Tuesday damaged a replica of the Constitution he ...Read More >
RJD's hold over Yadav votes in Bihar is not as strong as the Samajwadi Party has in Uttar Pradesh. The disputes between Bihar's main opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its ally Congress have come out in the open after their alliance Mahagathbandhan (MGB) lost all four assembly seats in the November bypoll. While RJD's support for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to lead the opposition's INDI Alliance and Congress' refusal to it became a bone of contention at the national ...Read More >
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday defended Amit Shah's remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar and said that Shah exposed Congress' dark history of insulting Ambedkar after which they are clearly stung and stunned by the facts he presented. In a series of posts on X, PM Modi said that Congress sat in power for years but did nothing to empower the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. "In Parliament, Amit Shah Ji exposed the Congress' dark history of insulting Dr Ambedkar and ignoring the SC/ST Communities. They are clearly stung and stunned by the facts he presented, whic ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) India's maritime sector is poised to play a transformative role in the country's vision of becoming world's third-largest economy, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said Wednesday. Today, India stands as an emerging maritime powerhouse, strategically leveraging its geographical location and advanced infrastructure to spearhead global maritime initiatives, the Vice President said. "With the global blue economy projected to reach USD 6 trillion by 2030, India's maritime sector stands poised to play a transformative role in our emergence as the world's third-largest econom ...Read More >
The total CISF manpower sanctioned for providing a counter-terrorist cover to the two upcoming airports is 2,870. The Union government has sanctioned a combined strength of more than 2,800 CISF personnel to guard two soon-to-be operational international airports in Noida and in Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai, official sources said Thursday. Sources told PTI that the ministry of home affairs (MHA), under whose command the CISF works, had sanctioned 1,840 posts for the Navi Mumbai airport and 1,030 th ...Read More >