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: The external affairs ministry responded to the Dalai Lama's assertion that only a trust set up by him can recognise his successor by saying on Friday that the Indian government doesn't take any position on matters concerning religious practices. The remarks by external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came two days after the 89-year-old spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism announced the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue after his death, and laid out the process for choosing his successor. The Dalai Lama's announcement had drawn an angry response from Beijing, which said the spiritual leader's reincarnation "must be approved" by the Chinese government. Jaiswal responded to media queries regarding the spiritual leader's statement on the continuation of the institution of the Dalai Lama by saying: "Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion." The government "has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so", he said. Jaiswal's remarks appeared to signal New Delhi's balanced approach to the matter, especially in view of India's ongoing efforts to normalise relations with China, and keeping in mind Beijing's sensitivities. It also left the issue of choosing the Dalai Lama's successor in the hands of Tibetan Buddhists, people familiar with the matter said. On Thursday, Union minister Kiren Rijiju had asserted that the right to pick the Dalai Lama's successor rests with the incumbent and the institution. The remarks by Rijiju, a practising Buddhist, were widely perceived as reflecting the views of the government. Also Read: Ladakh chief secy reviews arrangements for upcoming visit of Dalai Lama Rijiju, who is set to attend celebrations in Dharamshala marking the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday on July 6 along with Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and the chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, also said the institution of the Dalai Lama is the most important and defining institution for Tibetans in Tibet and around the world. "And all those who follow the Dalai Lama feel that the incarnation is to be decided by the established convention and as per the wish of the Dalai Lama himself...Nobody else has the right to decide it except him and the conventions in place," Rijiju said. Also Read: Choosing the next Dalai Lama He said the government's decision to depute two senior ministers to attend the celebrations in Dharamshala is not a political matter. On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama addressed speculation that has swirled about the future of the 600-year-old institution of spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists by saying that the position will continue after his death and the Gaden Phodrang Trust will be the sole authority to recognise his reincarnation. His remarks effectively shut out any role for China in choosing his successor. The Dalai Lama had himself contributed to the speculation since the Nobel peace laureate said in 2011 that he would decide on his 90th birthday whether the position should continue. Also Read: Himachal: Dalai Lama accepted people's wish, say Tibetans in exile An irate China, which describes the Dalai Lama as a "separatist", responded soon after by saying that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be chosen by drawing lots from a "golden urn" and approved by the government in Beijing. The Chinese side claims the golden urn method has been used to choose the successors of Tibetan Buddhist leaders since the 18th century, but this practice has been dismissed outright by the Dalai Lama and his millions of followers. Experts believe China will go ahead with choosing its own Dalai Lama, as it did in the case of the Panchen Lama in 1995.
Lucknow, Jan 8 (UNI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that the belief system of Sanatan Dharma represents the world's oldest culture, standing above comparison with any religion or sect. The CM said, "I inherit a legacy that spans thousands of years, with its cultural and spiritual events equally ancient. The tradition of Sanatan is higher than the sky and beyond comparison." Speaking at the 'Mahakumbh Mahasammelan, he emphasised the profound significance of the Maha Kumbh. He explained that after the Devasura Sangram (the battle between gods and demons), drops of nectar fell ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Large-scale illegal stone mining is taking place in the hills of Karbi Anglong in violation of the Supreme Court order. The SC had banned mining in and around K ...Read More >
Mark Carney declined to answer if he believed Indian PM had a role in murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar Canada's prime minister Mark Carney has defended his decision to invite India's prime minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, despite Canada's federal police's conclusion that the murder of a prominent Sikh activist in British Columbia was orchestrated by the "highest levels" of the Indian government. Carney declined to answer reporters' questions over whether ...Read More >
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 >
Assam Beef Ban: A political row has erupted over the Assam government's decision to ban the public consumption of beef in the state with the Opposition labelling it "against the right to freedom" while the ruling BJP lauding the state Cabinet's call. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced on Wednesday that his government has decided to ban the consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places, drawing sharp reactions from the Opposition. Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (VOICE) The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders of the Apex Court. A Special Bench headed by CJI Sajiv Khanna asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the clutch of petitions challenging the validity of the 1991 Act, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. The Bench, also c ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the caste census will greatly benefit the indigenous Muslim community living in both the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley in the state. The Centre on Wednesday announced that India's 16th Census with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027. The indigenous Muslim communities of Assam have been demanding for a long time, a caste-based census to assert their distinct socio-cultural identities, the chief minister said on the sidelines of the World Environment Day programme here. ''The proposed caste enumerati ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- Three people died and at least a dozen are feared missing after being swept away in a flash flood triggered by torrential rains in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, local authorities said on Thursday. A rescue operation has been launched to trace the missing, said Dinesh Sharma, a local government spokesperson in Kangra. The town is about 18 kilometres (11 miles) from Dharamshala, a popular tourist destination known for its Tibetan culture and as the home of Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama. Sudhir Sharma, a lawmaker from Dharamshala, said in a social media po ...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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >
Amritsar (Punjab) [India], June 6 (ANI): Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised by several people at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star on Thursday. People raised slogans of 'Khalistan zindabad' as SAD (Mann faction) leader Simranjit Singh Mann reached the Golden Temple on the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star and also the death anniversary of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during the operation. Also Read | Goa: Man Held for Trying to Trade Sensitive Data Online Using Cryptocurrency Transactions. Operation Blue Star was a 10-day militar ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The Union government announced on June 4 that it will conduct the long-pending nationwide census, starting on March 1, 2027, as the reference point. It is one of the most ambitious exercises undertaken by any democracy, as the nation's population according to the 2011 census was 121 crore (1.21 billion). Though it was supposed to be done in 2021, COVID caused a delay that extended to 6 years. The 2027 census would also take into account caste, an issue that has been politically contentious. Census is not just about counting people. It's about understanding who we are as a nation -- ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jun 06: Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have extended greetings to the people on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. They expressed hope that the revered occasion brings peace and prosperity to the region. Dr Farooq Abdullah National Conference (NC) president, Dr Farooq Abdullah conveyed his heartfelt greetings to the people on Eid-ul-Adha, wishing them peace, prosperity and unity. In his message, Dr Abdullah reflected on the profound significance of the day, saying, "As the Muslim Ummah comes together in celebration of Eid-ul-Azha, I extend my warmest greetings to ever ...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 >
Tirupathur (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 27 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Centre and the BJP-AIADMK alliance, accusing them of attempting to divide the people of the state along the lines of religious and caste. Speaking to mediapersons in Tirupathur district, CM Stalin alleged that BJP, which has aligned with AIADMK, was engaging in 'fake spirituality and political drama' to create division in the state. 'Those in the Centre are trying to divide the people of Tamil Nadu in the name of religion, caste, etc., and they are doing this continuous ...Read More >
DEHRADUN, India - Tibetans in exile celebrate the 90th birthday of spiritual leader the Dalai Lama next week, an occasion overshadowed by uncertainty about the future of the role and what it means for their movement. The charismatic Nobel Peace Prize-winning Buddhist -- who Tibetans say is the 14th reincarnation of the 600-year-old post -- will reveal if there will be another Dalai Lama after him. The inevitable change ahead brings wider concerns for Tibetans over the struggle to keep their identity alive after generations in exile, following a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. The ...Read More >
ISKCON Bangladesh has strongly condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader, and spokesperson for the "Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot" and also issued a list of demands to the Muhammad Yunus-led government for subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh. The organisation has also issued a statement and called upon the government authorities to promote peaceful coexistence. ISKCON Bangladesh made note of the above points and more matters in a statement issued, regarding the current situation in Bangladesh and the arres ...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 >
Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 11 (ANI): A parliamentary delegation from New Zealand and Fiji on Wednesday highlighted their solidarity with the Tibetan people's ongoing struggle for freedom. The event, which was held on Tuesday, followed the Central Tibetan Administration's official commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Also Read | Joe Biden Slams US President-Elect Donald Trump's Tariff Approach, Calls 'Action a Major Mistake'. The delegation, which included New Zealand Members of Parliament (MPs) Joseph Mooney, Ingrid L ...Read More >
Kokrajhar (Assam), Jan 28 (VOICE) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that there are several reports that some sections of Bangladeshi establishment are trying to revive militancy in Assam with the help of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was in Bodoland (Kokrajhar) to commemorate five years of the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord. On this occasion, he said that for the last three-and-a-half years, there was not even a political agitation in Bodoland. After the accord peace is prevailing there, he added. CM Sarma said, "The situation in Bangladesh is not good. We ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], February 3 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report on the examination of certain leaked audio tapes which allegedly implicate Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh for instigating ethnic violence in the state. A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said the CFSL report should be submitted in six weeks in a sealed cover. Also Read | Bengaluru Water Crisis: Residents Brace for Harsh Summer As Groundwater Levels Drop Dangerously Low. The bench then posted the hearing in the week commenci ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to inaugurate multiple rail projects, including the world's highest Chenab Rail Bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, and the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link. These railway projects directly connect Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of the country. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is an all-weather railway corridor designed to provide seamless connectivity to the region through the rail network. During his visit, PM Modi reviewed the Chenab bridge, world's highest ra ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 27: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that his government will soon issue a blanket order to the Central Government to facilitate the exploration of Assam's mining potential. The announcement was made during the second edition of the North East Mining Ministers' Conclave, held in Guwahati. "This morning, we discussed granting a blanket exploration order for geological investigations. I want to commit that within a very short time, we will allow the Government of India to explore mining potential across," the Chief Minister said. He further informed that t ...Read More >