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.
Kollam: A 13-year-old student of Class 8 died of electrocution at Thevalakkara Boys' School while playing on the school grounds on Thursday morning in the Kollam district of Kerala. The deceased, Midhun, came in contact with a live electrical wire in the cycle shed of the school. According to initial reports, another student threw Midhun's slipper onto the shed's roof. While attempting to retrieve his slipper by climbing over a wall to reach the shed, he reportedly touched the live wire of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). Mithin was immediately brought down and rushed to the taluk hospital, but he could not be saved. Locals stated that the electrical wire was hanging low over the shed. Education Minister V Sivankutty has ordered an urgent investigation into the matter. The Director of Public Education has been instructed to submit an immediate report, and senior education officers in the district have been directed to arrange necessary investigation measures, his office said. The investigation will clarify whether there were grave lapses in ensuring student safety on the part of both school authorities and KSEB. Acknowledging the gravity of the incident, Sivankutty truncated his official engagements and rushed to Kollam in the company of the Director of Public Education, as per the Chief Minister's directive. The minister expressed deep sorrow over the incident and vowed strict action against those responsible. "Every experience is a lesson. If a headmaster or teachers cannot oversee these things, then what are they doing in school?" the minister questioned sternly. He emphasised that schools had previously been instructed to ensure safety, and an investigation would be conducted to determine who issued the fitness certificate for the school building. Midhun was the son of Manu from Valiyapadam of Kollam, and his body has been kept at the Sasthamkotta Taluk Hospital. MLA Kovoor Kunjumon informed the media that he was aware of the KSEB line hanging low over the school building. The tragedy has sparked strong allegations of grave safety lapses, particularly concerning the dangerously low-hanging KSEB lines near the school building. Investigators will also scrutinise whether school authorities took adequate safety precautions in such a perilous situation. Locals and parents allege that these lines have been hanging dangerously over the school building for years, and despite repeated alerts to authorities, no action was taken. Lali Babu, a member from Kovar Ward 12 in Mainappally Panchayat, said, "Thevalakkara School is dear to everyone. Perhaps the authorities thought children wouldn't climb on the roof. But this is a place where an electric line passes, and it's naturally dangerous. This area includes the school's playground." It has been pointed out that the Education Department's checklist explicitly mandates the removal of dangerous electrical lines. Many locals expressed their dismay to the media, stating that it is extremely tragic that such a disaster occurred despite three different departments being responsible for inspections. "The electric line is hanging low like a swing. How can we believe that no official saw it? Only those with vision problems wouldn't see this," fumed Ratheesh, who runs a shop near the school. The fact that electrical lines remained dangerously low even after the reopening of the school is being highlighted as a major oversight by authorities. "If a child picks up a rod from a desk lying there and decides to touch it, the potential for disaster is unimaginable. This has been the situation for so long, and even after the accident, the line remains in the same dangerous state," he added. Another resident said, "The Ilanthara area, where this student hails from, is also a community of very ordinary people." Children from financially struggling families attend this school, and the deceased student, Midhun, also came from such a background. Repeated Warnings Ignored Locals complained that despite bringing the issue to the attention of school authorities multiple times, no action was taken. "The issue was brought to the school's notice many times, but no careful action was taken on the matter at any of those junctures," they said. Following the incident, representatives of various student organisations arrived at the scene to protest over the issue. "Hearing the news that a classmate died in the morning is a huge trauma and shock for the children," a school teacher stated.
IMPHAL, Nov 17: The NPP on Sunday withdrew support from the BJP-led Government in Manipur, even as violence continued to rock the state as offices of the Congress and the saffron party were ransacked in the hill district of Jiribam where an unidentified body was found earlier in the day, officials said. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A BJP MLA's ancestral house was vandalised in Imphal Valley while a building owned by Ashab Uddin, the Independent legislator of Jiribam, was ransacked, officials said. The incidents occurred a day after irate mobs set fire to the residences of ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Top leaders of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) were on Friday placed under house arrest in Hyderabad ahead of their planned protest against the arrests of MLAs and other leaders. Member of Legislative Council K. Kavitha and former minister T. Harish Rao were among the leaders placed under house arrest. The opposition party had given a call for the protest at the 125-feet statue of Dr B. R. Ambedkar near the State Secretariat to condemn what it calls illegal arrests of its leaders. Also Read: BRS MLA arrested for threatening police officer, gets bail In view of the protest call, the ...Read More >
BJP member Manas Dutta blamed the previous BJD government and held it responsible for not extending their service agreement which ended in April, 2024. As hundreds of women working as support staff under the Mission Shakti department staged a demonstration outside the Assembly over different issues, the opposition BJD on Monday demanded immediate release of their salaries. While the agitating women were shouting slogans at the Mahatma Gandhi Road leading to the Assembly, the issue was raised in ...Read More >
Kochi: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) made significant gains in the bypolls to 31 local body wards in Kerala, held on November 20, according to results released by the State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday. The bypolls were held in one district panchayat ward, four block panchayat wards, three municipality wards, and 23 grama panchayat wards. In the previous elections held in 2020, the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) controlled 15 wards, the UDF controlled 13, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) controlled 3. Also Read: Bypolls in 15 seats across Uttar Pradesh, P ...Read More >
In this edition of Frontline Conversations, former Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare discusses how the Ladki Bahin scheme, which provided direct cash transfers to 2.35 crore women, transformed both the economic landscape and political dynamics of the State. The programme, which distributed Rs.7,500 across five instalments to women earning less than Rs. 2.5 lakh annually, not only empowered women with financial independence but also proved to be a decisive factor in Mahayuti's electoral victory, marking a shift in Maharashtra's traditionally male-dominated political ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], December 5 (ANI): BRS leader Dasoju Sravan Kumar on Thursday criticized Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, calling him a "colossal failure" in his role as CM. Speaking to ANI, Dasoju accused CM Reddy for "destroying the people of Telangana." "Police repression is the final refugee of a failing ruler. Unfortunately in Telangana, Revanth Reddy has turned out to be a colossal failure in Telangana as a CM...there is no people's governance in Telangana...what is happening here? I want to ask Rahul Gandhi, how did you make such a man the CM of Telangana...he is destroying t ...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 >
Mumbai: The death toll in Monday's BEST bus crash rose to seven and the number of injured to 42 even as the driver, Sanjay More, booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, claimed he had noticed a spark and mistakenly accelerated the bus instead of applying brakes. Seeking More's custody, police said they want to investigate if he intentionally used the vehicle as a weapon. The bus on Route 332 had accelerated on a congested 200m stretch near Kurla station hitting vehicles and pedestr ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Assembly speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Wednesday said he will consider the request for introducing the 'Best MLA' Award on the lines of 'Best Parliamentarian'. Meanwhile, legislative affairs minister D Sridhar Babu criticised BRS MLCs and MLAs for boycotting the first orientation programme for first-time legislators in the last 10 years in Telangana. Sridhar Babu said it was a two-day programme and that BRS members should attend it at least on the second day, Thursday, at MCRHRD Ins ...Read More >
TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai described the passing of Elangovan as "a huge loss". Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister E V K S Elangovan died due to age-related ailments at a private hospital here on Saturday, the hospital said. He was 75. The legislator from Erode East constituency has not been keeping well for over a month. He was admitted to a hospital here on November 11. "He passed away today despite the best efforts of the medical staff," the hospital said. TNCC preside ...Read More >
Bhopal, Dec 11 (VOICE) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will launch 'Jan Kalyan Parv' on Wednesday on the completion of one year of his government. The BJP government in the state will organise a fortnight-long programme called 'Jan Kalyan Parv' to highlight the development works undertaken in the past year. Chief Minister Yadav has directed district administration to organise camps in blocks and gram panchayats to highlight the government's achievements. "The officers will meet people and make them aware of the state government's welfare schemes and ensure that those eligible get ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 17 (VOICE) Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, on Tuesday distributed appointment letters to 45 newly-selected candidates at his official residence. These appointments include 11 Lab Assistants under the Home Department and 34 Regional Youth Welfare Officers under the Provincial Defence Corps Department. Extending his best wishes to the newly-appointed candidates, the Chief Minister remarked that this marks the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. He encouraged the appointees to carry out their responsibilities with dedication and honesty, emphasising, "The c ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: The BRS leaders and activists performed "palaabhishekam" to Telangana Talli statues across the state on Tuesday as part of their protests against the state government changing the statue design. Describing the Telangana Talli statue as a legacy of the statehood movement, BRS MLC and Telangana Jagruthi president K Kavitha condemned the state government's unilateral decision to replace the historic symbol. Kavitha performed "palaabhishekam" and "panchamrutam abhishekam" to the Telangana Talli statue at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad. Alleging that the symbol of Mother Telangana was ...Read More >
Vijayawada, Nov 26 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed the officials to formulate proposals for constructing an iconic Deep technology building in the capital city of Amaravati. Bengaluru, Nov 26 (UNI) Congress MLA HR Gaviyappa's call to reconsider some election guarantees has sparked a political storm in Karnataka, drawing sharp criticism from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and exposing potential fissures within the ruling party. Gaviyappa, representing Vijayanagara, suggested that certain guarantees were straining state finances and hindering th ...Read More >
Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Thursday said no MLA from the party will accept any responsibility in the new Maharashtra government if Eknath Shinde does not take oath as deputy chief minister. Talking to reporters hours ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Samant also said no MLA from the Shiv Sena has the intention to become deputy CM and the post should be occupied only by Shinde. Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde, who served as chief minister in the outgoing government, has indicated that he is reluctant to join the new government as deputy CM. BJP Legislature Party Leader Devendra Fa ...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 >
Chief Minister Hemant Soren proposed Rabindra Nath Mahato's name for the post and the proposal was seconded by JMM MLA Mathura Prasad Mahato JMM legislator Rabindra Nath Mahato was on Tuesday elected unopposed as the Speaker of the sixth Jharkhand assembly. Chief Minister Hemant Soren proposed Mahato's name for the post and the proposal was seconded by JMM MLA Mathura Prasad Mahato during the second of the four-day session of the assembly. Soren congratulated Rabindra Nath Mahato on behalf of ...Read More >
Also Read - Bengaluru likely to see heavy rainfall and thunderstorms from December 8, predicts IMD A group of 46 students and six teachers from Morarji Desai Residential School, Mulabagilu in Kolar district visited Murudeshwar on Tuesday as part of their school trip. According to the police, around 5.30 pm, the teachers, along with the students went to the beach. Despite warnings from lifeguards, seven students ventured into the sea. The sea was rough, and three girls were swept away by the cu ...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 >
Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) met the injured ASHA workers at a hospital in Hyderabad on Tuesday. December 10. ASHA workers were injured after they were manhandled by police officials during a protest at the Telangana Directorate of Medical Education (DME) demanding a salary hike of Rs 18,000 on Monday. The two injured women were identified as Raheembi and Santhoshini. After enquiring about the women's well-being, the BRS MLA condemned the police action against the ASHA workers. He extended solidarity with their fight offered all possible support ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Ex-Karnataka Chief Minister and former External Affairs Minister SM Krishna died here early on Tuesday, leaving behind a rich legacy of statesmanship and public service that saw the 92-year-old leader scale all heights of political achievements. Suave, sophisticated and a man with enviable academic credentials, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna started off his political innings as an independent MLA from Maddur in 1962, stunning a then Congress veteran in the elections, and went on to become the state's CM and later the country's External Affairs Minister. Tributes poured in for the fo ...Read More >
NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule is consulting experts on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) following Maharashtra's assembly poll results. The opposition questions EVM credibility after the Mahayuti coalition's significant win. Sule advocates for ballot papers, citing other countries' adoption, and will announce a final decision soon.NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Saturday said the opinion of experts is being sought over the "EVM issue" in the wake of the Maharashtra assembly polls' mandate as she b ...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 >
Hyderabad: Terming the handcuffing of Lagacharla farmer Hirya Nayak, currently lodged in Sangareddy jail, while taking him to hospital for treatment "inhuman", BRS working president KT Rama Rao has urged the Chief Justice of Telangana high court to take the case suo motu and urged governor Jishnu Dev Varma to order a probe into the incident. Addressing a press meet on Thursday, the BRS leader said the farmer, who is suspected to have suffered a heart attack while in jail, was treated inhumanly. ...Read More >
Campaigning for the November 20 assembly bypolls to four seats in Punjab ended on Monday evening with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party making last-ditch efforts to mobilise support for their respective candidates. Hours before the campaign ended at 6 pm, major political outfits intensified their efforts to woo the voters. Bypolls to four assembly segments -- Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC) and Barnala -- will be held on November 20 from 7 am to 6 pm, and the results will be out on November 23. The bypolls were necessitated afte ...Read More >
A crucial meeting of Manipur's National Democratic Alliance, chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, saw significant absences, with only 27 out of 45 MLAs attending. The meeting, convened amidst rising ethnic violence, resulted in a seven-point resolution demanding immediate action on issues like the reimposition of AFSPA and mass operations against Kuki militants. Tensions within the ruling coalition were evident, as several lawmakers, including a cabinet minister, skipped the meeting without explanation. The resolution included a threat of political consequences if decisions were not implem ...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 >
Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], December 15 (ANI): Ahead of the cabinet expansion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday held a road show in Nagpur. He was accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis and state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. "Nagpur city is my family and my family is welcoming me," Fadnavis said during the roadshow. Maharashtra Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar also arrived in Nagpur ahead of the first cabinet meeting and expansion of the BJP-led State government Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MLA Bharatshet Gogawa ...Read More >
Imphal, Dec 17 (VOICE) With one more militant taken into custody, the number of arrests in connection with Saturday's killing of two migrant workers from Bihar has risen to eight, officials said on Tuesday.A police official said that a hardcore cadre of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group) (KCP-PWG) outfit, identified as Irengbam Rameshwar Singh, 48, was arrested from Kakching Lamkhai area under Kakching district on Monday night. The official said that a police team, acting on secret information, had earlier on Monday arrested seven militants of the KCP-PWG group from a ...Read More >
Ranjan Dasgupta & Tushar Pawar Nashik: Disgruntled NCP MLA Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday said Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis, and two top NCP functionaries, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, "tried their best" to convince party president Ajit Pawar to give him a ministerial berth. "All three (Fadnavis, Patel and Tatkare) wanted me as a minister in the new govt. They made all efforts to convince Ajit dada. On the day of the swearing-in ceremony too, Fadnavis tried to convince him t ...Read More >