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, July 01: India and Pakistan today exchanged lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen held in each other's custody, in accordance with the provisions of the 2008 bilateral Agreement on Consular Access. The exchange took place simultaneously through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad. According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), "India has shared lists of 382 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or are believed-to-be-Pakistani." Conversely, "Pakistan has shared lists of 53 civilian prisoners and 193 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or are believed-to-be-Indian." The Government of India reiterated its call for the "early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan's custody." It has specifically requested Pakistan to expedite the release of 159 Indian prisoners and fishermen who have already completed their sentences. India has also called on Pakistan to "provide immediate consular access to the 26 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan's custody, who are believed-to-be-Indian and have not been provided consular access so far," and urged Islamabad to "ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen, pending their release and repatriation to India." India reaffirmed its commitment to addressing humanitarian issues on priority, stating, "India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country." In this context, India has pressed Pakistan to expedite nationality verification for 80 believed-to-be-Pakistani prisoners and fishermen in Indian custody, whose repatriation is pending due to a lack of nationality confirmation from Pakistan. Highlighting past efforts, the MEA said, "As a result of sustained efforts by the Government, 2,661 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civilian prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014. This includes 500 Indian fishermen and 13 Indian civilian prisoners who have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2023 till date." The biannual exchange of prisoner lists, held on January 1 and July 1 each year, is a confidence-building measure under the Indo-Pakistan agreement to ensure transparency and humanitarian cooperation.
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): Congress on Friday demanded government reveal data on the number of Indian citizens stranded in Russia amid conflict with Ukraine in the region. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring claimed that 126 Indian citizens, including young men from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, and Maharashtra, were 'trafficked into the Russian Army to fight the war'. He said, among them, 'at least 14 remain missing.' 'These men were tempted by agents who promised them employment in Singapore, Malaysia ...Read More >
Srinagar- In a significant move, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Sunday vowed long-overdue justice, recognition, and support for victims of terrorism whose stories, he said, had been buried by decades of silence and systemic neglect. LG Sinha who met with over 80 families of Kashmiri civilians killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists over the last three decades pledged justice, recognition, and long-overdue support for the victims who, he said, had been forgotten by the system for years. Calling it a "historic step," the LG said the Government of India is committed to amplifying the voices of te ...Read More >
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced several pre-election promises targeting auto drivers. These include a ₹10 lakh insurance policy, ₹1 lakh for daughters' marriages, a biannual ₹2,500 uniform allowance, free coaching for their children, and the relaunch of the 'PoochO' ride-booking app. Kejriwal and the AAP are campaigning to secure a third term in the upcoming February elections.Ahead of crucial Delhi assembly polls, Arvind Kejriwal promised several measures for auto dri ...Read More >
Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], May 22 (ANI): Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the current TDP-led government in the State, accusing Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of failing to deliver on pre-election promises and engaging in financial mismanagement. The former chief minister also took aim at what he called the "yellow media" for biased reporting in favour of the ruling party. "I am not only fighting against Chandrababu Naidu but also against the 'yellow media'," Reddy said in a press conference. ...Read More >
Jaipur, Jun 8 (PTI) Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), known globally for its 'Jaipur Foot' and rehabilitation for persons with disabilities has been invited to the United Nations headquarters in New York to present its initiatives for disability welfare, a statement issued here said. According to the statement, BMVSS Founder and Chief Patron D R Mehta and Chairman Satish Mehta will make presentations in two sessions on Tuesday, which will be attended by permanent representatives of various countries and other dignitaries. The statement said that the organisation holds a s ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): A special evacuation flight from Armenia carrying 173 Indian nationals living in Iran landed in the national capital late on Thursday evening, Ministry of External Affairs said. The special evacuation flight from Yerevan, Armenia, landed at 10:30 PM (IST) on Thursday with 173 Indian nationals from Iran. '#OperationSindhu A special evacuation flight from Yerevan, Armenia, landed in New Delhi at 22:30 hrs on 26th June, bringing home 173 Indian nationals from Iran. As part of #OperationSindhu, a total of 4415 Indian nationals (3597 from Iran and 818 from Israel ...Read More >
Kolkata: A two-member National Commission for Women team on Sunday visited the south Kolkata law college where a student was allegedly gang-raped last week.The team, accompanied by a videographer, was initially denied entry and asked to produce a formal order. After an hour-long discussion at the college entrance, the team, led by Archana Majumdar, was allowed in under two conditions -- no access to the crime scene and no videography permitted.The visit lasted 10 minutes. "We were denied access to the crime scene and other floors. I will include this in my report," said Majumdar, who was the f ...Read More >
ISKCON Kolkata has reported ongoing attacks on their monks in Bangladesh to the Indian government, urging intervention. The recent arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das highlights increasing threats against Hindu religious orders, urging the intervention of both Indian authorities and the United Nations for minority protection. ISKCON Kolkata has reported ongoing attacks on their monks and members in Bangladesh to the Indian government, seeking immediate intervention. The recent arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das underscores the persistent threats faced by Hindu religious orders, includin ...Read More >
New Delhi: India has intensified its calls for the immediate discharge and repatriation of all remaining Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army, following the tragic death of one Indian national in Russia. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has once again stressed the urgency of bringing back Indian nationals involved in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Indian National from Kerala Dies, Another Injured in Russia In a statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that an Indian national from Kerala, who had been recruited to serve in the Russian Army, tragically died, while ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): Criticising the BJP-led NDA government, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that India's foreign policy has collapsed. In a post on X, Gandhi raised three questions to the central government. "Will JJ explain, Why India has been hyphenated with Pakistan? Why didn't a single country back us in condemning Pakistan? Who asked Trump to "mediate" between India & Pakistan?" the LoP said. Reposting a video of S Jaishankar's interview with a media outlet, he said, "India's foreign policy has collapsed," he added. Earlier, Gandhi q ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, instead of introspecting on the defeat in the 2024 state assembly polls, has been repudiating the mandate given by the people because they rejected him. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha is preparing his excuses for future defeats in the upcoming assembly elections, including Bihar, Fadnavis said in his articles published in the Indian Express and Marathi daily Loksatta. On Saturday, Gandhi, in an article published in several newspapers and in posts on X, claimed the 2024 Maharas ...Read More >
The United States recently updated its travel advisory for India. The Ministry of External Affairs acknowledged the update. The US advises its citizens to exercise caution due to crime and terrorism. Certain areas are marked as high-risk. The advisory level for India remains unchanged. It has been at level 2 for several years.Travel advisories are periodically issued by countries based on their "assessment of various factors", and "we have noted" that the US has updated the travel advisory for In ...Read More >
ISKCON Kolkata has raised concerns with India over ongoing persecution of its monks and Hindu communities in Bangladesh, following the arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. ISKCON Kolkata has seriously raised concerns with the Indian government over the ongoing persecution of its monks and Hindu religious communities in Bangladesh. This is after the recent arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a development that is very worrying in light of a series of attacks on members of the Hindu Vaishnavite order and other minority communities. ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharaman Das shared with PTI that ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...Read More >
Kochi, Feb 3 (PTI) The opposition Congress-led UDF on Monday intensified its criticism of Union Ministers George Kurian and Suresh Gopi over their recent controversial statements, calling their remarks "immature" and accusing BJP leaders like them of having contempt for Kerala. Addressing reporters here, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, strongly criticised the "backward" remark made by Kurian, the Minister of State for Minorities and Fisheries, on Union Budget day, and stated that Kerala has only sought the funds it rightfully deserves from the centre. Taking a ...Read More >
New Delhi: Just as the Bharatiya Janata Party completes 100 days in power in Delhi, reports have surfaced that chief minister Rekha Gupta will soon shift from her private residence in Shalimar Bagh to government-allotted bungalow at the Raj Niwas Marg in Civil Lines, where her other Cabinet colleagues have been allotted residences. The renovation work of her official residence is underway in full swing. It is pertinent to mention here that this residence allotted to CM Gupta is not the same controversial 'Sheesh Mahal' where former CM Arvind Kejriwal lived when Aam Aadmi Party was in power. M ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jun 7 (PTI) Authorities on Saturday barred Eid prayers from taking place at the Eidgah ground and the Jama Masjid in the old city here, while Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claimed that he was put under house arrest. "Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar deeply regrets to inform that the authorities have once again disallowed Eid-ul-Adha prayers at the Eidgah as well as at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar by closing the gates of the mosque and deploying police personnel outside," the management of the historic mosque said in a statement. ...Read More >
Imphal, June 29 (UNI) A series of successful operations carried out by Manipur Police and security forces during the last 24 hours led to the arrest of several individuals involved in vehicle theft, insurgent activity, and the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition. Police arrested a vehicle lifter identified as Syed Riyaj from his residence at Lilong Chaobok in Thoubal District. The arrest was made under Lilong Police Station. Authorities seized a blue two wheeler without registration number, along with a key and an Aadhaar card believed to be linked to the suspect. In a s ...Read More >
Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, alleging that it had not done any meaningful work for the welfare of people. Saini further claimed that the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab "no longer enjoys public support" and that in the June 19 Ludhiana West assembly bypoll, "people will decide in the right direction". He accused the Mann government of not implementing central policies, such as the Ayushman Card scheme which co ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 30: India and Bhutan held the latest round of Development Cooperation Talks in New Delhi on June 30, 2025, reaffirming their enduring partnership based on trust, mutual understanding, and deep people-to-people ties. The Indian delegation was led by Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Tanmaya Lal, while Foreign Secretary Aum Pema Choden headed the Bhutanese side. The meeting served as a key bilateral mechanism to review the full spectrum of India's development assistance to Bhutan, aligned with the priorities of Bhutan's 13th Five Year Plan (2024-2029). The Gov ...Read More >
New Delhi, January 31: The unveiling of the Economic Survey on Friday sets the stage for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present the Union Budget for 2025-26 in Parliament on Saturday (February 1), which is expected to continue the government's policy of giving a big push to economic growth with equity. The government has prioritised improving the quality of life in rural areas to ensure equitable and inclusive development, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25. The survey highlights financial inclusion as a key focus, with rural households and small businesses getting easier access ...Read More >
Agartala (Tripura) [India], June 27 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said that the present state government is working to fill up the vacant posts. He also said, the government is opening special coaching centres for students. CM Saha said this while addressing an event- distribution of offers of appointment under Education (School) and Health and Family Welfare departments at Muktadhara Auditorium today. Also Read | Europe: Scorching Heat Grips the Continent. "222 appointment letters were given. We have appointed them through transparency and in the coming days also we wi ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) India has so far evacuated more than 4,400 Indian nationals from Iran and Israel in 19 special flights under Operation Sindhu launched on June 18 to bring home its citizens amid an ongoing conflict between the two countries, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The evacuated Indian nationals included "more than 1,500 women and 500 children", the MEA said in a statement on Friday. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi To Begin 5-Nation Tour on July 2 To Strengthen Global Partnerships. "The government of India is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of ...Read More >
Gurgaon: MCG additional commissioner Yash Jaluka directed bulk waste generators (BWG) across the city to ensure proper disposal of waste by private agencies who are assisting them. Giving these instructions in a meeting held on Friday, he said it is often observed that BWGs hand over their waste to private agencies, which only sort valuable items and dump the remaining waste on roads, drains, vacant land or public places. This, he said, not only affects cleanliness of the city but also poses a threat to public health."Under the Solid Waste Management Rules-2016, it is the legal and moral respo ...Read More >
Haridwar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sakshi Maharaj on Sunday demanded that hotel, dhaba and eatery owners on the Kanwar Yatra routes should display their names and identities on boards outside their business establishments. The owners, who hide their identities under fake names, on the Kanwar Yatra routes should not be spared, he told reporters here. "Tampering with faith of the Hindu devotees during the Kanwar Yatra will not be tolerated," said the Unnao MP. The food shops on the Kanwar Yatra routes should have a board outside with the names of their owners clearly written on them, h ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) With funds under the flagship MGNREGS stalled for West Bengal for more than two years now, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the Centre is not discriminating against the state, which he blamed for not complying with the Union government's directives. The funds for West Bengal under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have been stopped since March 2022 due to non-compliance of directives of the Central government, according to the Ministry of Rural Development. Asked what is the way forward, Chouhan sa ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], February 5 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday addressed a distribution program of over 2,800 appointment letters in the Tripura government, saying that joining the communist party cadre was no longer a requirement for jobs in Tripura. He said that Tripura has been transformed from a "land-locked" state to "land-linked" one. "There was a communist rule here in the past. To get jobs in the government, one had to be a part of the communist cadre. I would like to thank the Chief Minister of Tripura for giving a chance to 2,806 youth, without any discrimination an ...Read More >