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.

JAMMU, July 18: Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra resumed today, a day after it was suspended due to heavy rains across Kashmir, Over 16,800 pilgrims performed darshan at holy cave by this evening. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Officials said that 16,858 pilgrims drawn from across the country paid obeisance at 3880 metre Himalayan cave in South Kashmir's Anantnag district from twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam today. With this a total number of 2,73,091 pilgrims performed darshan at cave shrine in last 16 days since the yatra started on July 3 this month. Among 16,858 pilgrims who paid obeisance in holy cave today included 11,357 males, 4816 females, 220 children, 125 Sadhus, 18 Sadhvis, and 322 security personnel. Officials said the heavy rush of pilgrims is continuing as 9228 pilgrims reported at Domail today after performing darshan at holy cave while 11,287 crossed the access control gate at Domail and left for darshan. Officials said 4327 pilgrims had a night halt at Nunwan base camp while 5003 pilgrims reached Nunwan by this evening. Officials said that during last 16 days, 13 pilgrims lost their lives on way to holy cave due to breathlessness, cardiac arrest and accidents. Officials said the yatra was resumed from both Baltal and Nunwan tracks for the holy cave shrine. The yatra was suspended on Thursday as heavy rains triggered landslides and shooting stones at several places along the treacherous trek. A fresh batch of 7908 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here early this morning amid tight security in a cavalcade of 261 vehicles. Among them 2879 left for Baltal base camp in a cavalcade of 92 vehicles while 5029 left for Nunwan Pahalgam base camp in a cavalcade of 169 vehicles. The 38-day pilgrimage will conclude on Shravan Purnima coinciding on Raksha Bandhan festival falling on August 9 when the holy mace on depicting Lord Shiva and another Goddess Parvati will reach cave shrine from its abode Dashnami Akhara Srinagar for darshan. Meanwhile, five pilgrims were injured when a truck hit a car in the Amarnath convoy in Udhampur district today, officials said. The accident occurred at 6:13 am when a speeding truck broke through a barricade at Battal Ballian area and hit the car ferrying eight pilgrims to the Pahalgam base camp, a security force officer said. He said CISF personnel were deployed at the barricade when the truck, after hitting the car, jumped the divider and crashed into the wall of a house. The car was part of the 16th batch of over 7,900 pilgrims, who left Jammu for the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal early this morning. Out of eight pilgrims, five were injured, he said, adding that the CRPF shifted them to hospital and their condition is stable. The other three sustained superficial injuries. Police have registered a case and further investigation is going on. The vehicle has been seized, police said.
PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) -- Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj on Monday to kickstart the Maha Kumbh festival, which is being touted as the world's largest religious gathering. Over about the next six weeks, Hindu pilgrims will gather at the confluence of three sacred rivers -- the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- where they will take part in elaborate rituals, hoping to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophy's ultimate goal: the release from the cycle of rebirth. Here's what to know abo ...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 >

Katra (J-K) | Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate on Friday the world's tallest bridge over Chenab river ahead of dedicating to the nation the much-awaited Kashmir rail service here. After his arrival at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the prime minister left in a chopper to inaugurate the bridge over Chenab. A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for the prime minister's visit, his first to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces across the border to hit terrorist infrastructure during the intervening night on May 6 and 7 in ...Read More >

Katra (JK), Jun 6 (PTI) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday raked up the issue of restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the flagging off of the maiden train to Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this pilgrim town. "There are four persons on this stage who were present at the inauguration of the Katra railway station (in 2014). You had just won the election, becoming the Prime Minister for the first time. MoS in PMO Jeetendra Singh was present then and our LG Manoj Sinha sahib was discharging duties as MoS Railways and I was here as chief minister. "If you see, by the bl ...Read More >
Kanpur, January 27: Due to the massive influx of devotees for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, Varanasi's District Magistrate in Uttar Pradesh has announced that all schools in the district will be closed from Monday, January 27, 2025, to Wednesday, February 5, 2025. The decision is aimed at ensuring the safety of students and managing traffic congestion caused by the large number of pilgrims arriving in Varanasi for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Despite the school closures, online classes will continue as usual to maintain the academic schedule, News18 reported. This directive applies to all CBSE, ICSE ...Read More >

Uttarakhand (Dehradun) [India], May 19 (ANI): The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand, effective today and tomorrow. In light of this warning, the Uttarakhand Police have issued a safety advisory for pilgrims undertaking the Chardham Yatra. Pilgrims are advised to exercise caution while travelling, consider the weather conditions, and call 112 in case of any emergency." Authorities are working to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions," said the police authorities. In light of the forecast, the Uttarakh ...Read More >

Katra/Jammu, Jun 5 (PTI) Union minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring a speedy completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project after taking office in 2014 and said it marks the beginning of a historic journey in setting up the world's highest railway bridge in Jammu and Kashmir. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab river and the Anji Khad bridge, India's first cable-stayed bridge, before flagging off Vande Bharat trains to mark the completio ...Read More >
New Delhi: Investigators probing the recent cases of espionage have identified a Lahore-based woman with ties to the Pakistani Army and intelligence agency ISI. She used to trap visa seekers and get them to work for ISI, sources claimed. Naushaba Masood, who runs a travel agency in Pakistan, facilitated visas for those who 'cooperated' and supplied them with SIM cards to begin with.The return favours included a range of tasks, beginning with shooting pro-Pakistan videos and uploading them on YouTube to create a favourable narrative. This was a calculated move by ISI to expand its influence thr ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a significant boost for 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad's growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral ...Read More >

Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate on Friday the world's tallest bridge over Chenab river ahead of dedicating to the nation the much-awaited Kashmir rail service here. After he arrived at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the prime minister left in a chopper to inaugurate the bridge over Chenab. A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for the prime minister's visit, his first to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces across the border to hit terrorist infrastructure during the intervening night on May 6 and 7 in retaliat ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) The Pakistan high commission on Wednesday said it issued 84 visas to Indian pilgrims to visit the Shree Katas Raj temples in Punjab province's Chakwal district. The group has been given visas to visit the Katas Raj temples from December 19 to 25. The temples are also known as Qila Katas. It is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. Under the provision of a bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines, Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan every year.Pakistani pilgrims also visit India every year under the protocol. ...Read More >

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jitendra Singh reached Katra in Reasi district on Thursday to review arrangements a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, officials said. On Friday, the prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate the Chenab bridge and the Anji bridge, India's first cable-stayed bridge, the symbol of the country's engineering excellence, before flagging off Vande Bharat trains to mark the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) that will provide ...Read More >

Srinagar: Railway stations across the Kashmir Valley have been beautifully decked out as preparations peak for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to flag off the inaugural Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express -- the first-ever train connecting the valley directly to the rest of India. This landmark train will depart from Delhi and travel through Katra, the gateway to the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, before reaching Srinagar. The event marks the successful culmination of one of India's most ambitious infrastructure projects, featuring two engineering marvels: the world's highest railway bridge o ...Read More >

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused Pakistan of attacking 'insaniyat' and Kashmiriyat by targeting tourists in Pahalgam, saying the intent was to trigger communal clashes in India and rob Kashmiri people dependent on tourism of their livelihoods. The prime minister was speaking after flagging off the first train service to the Kashmir Valley, and inaugurating several development projects, including the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab river and India's first cable-stayed Anji bridge. He said tourism provided employment and acts as a connecting link between ...Read More >
New Delhi, December 5: Uttar Pradesh's Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh expressed confidence that Mahakumbh 2025 will play a pivotal role in showcasing India's rich cultural heritage and Sanatan traditions globally. Speaking on the progress of preparations, he told IANS, "The arrangements for Mahakumbh are progressing in full swing. We are committed to welcoming all devotees, irrespective of their origin -- whether from different states of India or other countries. We aim to host them with unmatched arrangements that combine magnificence, divinity, and cultural vibrancy." "This gran ...Read More >
Kottayam (Kerala), Dec 12 (PTI) The historic struggle for equality that took place in Vaikom a century ago, popularly known as the Vaikom Satyagraha, was not a movement confined to Kerala but marked the starting point for various other struggles for social justice, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday. In his address at Vaikom in this district after inaugurating the renovated Thanthai Periyar Memorial and Periyar Library, Stalin said that while impressive strides have been made in areas of social justice and economy in 100 years, a lot more has to be achieved. Stalin inaugur ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha), Feb 4 (PTI) Thousands of people took a holy dip at Chandrabhaga at Konark in Odisha's Puri district on the occasion of 'Magha Saptami' on Tuesday. Magha Saptami is observed as the birthday of the Sun God and is held on the seventh day of 'Magha' month of the Hindu calendar. People offer prayer to 'Tri Mahadev' after taking a dip at the confluence of Chandrabhaga River and the Bay of Bengal. Devotees also offer puja at 'Naba Graha' on the premises of the Sun temple at Konark. This year, the holy dip started at 4.37 am and the sadhus were given the first opportunity to take a d ...Read More >

Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 5 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Minister Jitendra Singh inspected the Katra railway station and the Vande Bharat train on Thursday ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on June 6. PM Modi will flag off the first Vande Bharat train to Kashmir on Friday. CM Omar Abdullah said, 'If I tell you that I have been waiting for this moment for a long time, it will still not be enough. This rail project began when I was in the 7th or 8th class. Now, even my children have started working after completing school and college ...Read More >
NEW DELHI - India is committed to efforts to develop its restive territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on June 6, accusing neighbour Pakistan of seeking to destroy livelihoods there with April's deadly attack on tourists. He was speaking on his first visit to the Himalayan region since Islamist attackers targeted Hindu tourists in the popular Pahalgam area, killing 26 men, triggering hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours that ended in ceasefire last month. "The atmosphere of development that emerged in Jammu and Kashmir will not be hindered by the attac ...Read More >

Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, inaugurating an alternative all-weather transportation system for Kashmir by connecting the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link with the national railway network. The train will commence commercial operations from Saturday, allowing passengers to travel in the two pairs between Srinagar and Katra except on Wednesdays. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project in the tough Himalayan terrain has been referred to as a marvel. It is expected to be a game changer in the development of the mount ...Read More >

Patna, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) On a day-long visit to Bihar on Friday, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the government "surrendered" during Operation Sindoor under pressure from former US President Donald Trump. Speaking at the Samvidhan Sammelan (Constitutional Dialogue) in Rajgir, Gandhi cited Trump's repeated public claims about mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and questioned the Prime Minister's silence on the matter. "US President Donald Trump has publicly claimed 11 times that he forced PM Modi to a ...Read More >
JAMMU, Nov 17: Maharashtra police along with Military Intelligence and Army have arrested nine persons hailing from the border district of Rajouri for taking up jobs as security guards in different cities in Maharashtra and carrying weapons with fake licenses. Nine 12-bore rifles and 58 bullets have been recovered from their possession. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The arrests were made during a joint operation of Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) police in Maharashtra, Southern Command and Military Intelligence on the basis of tip off that some persons from Rajouri distric ...Read More >
Srinagar, Dec 11: National Conference (NC) President Dr Farooq Abdullah today asked people of Kashmir to come together in prayers to bring an end to the ongoing dry spell that has been plaguing the region. In a statement, he emphasised the importance of offering special prayers at major shrines, mosques, and Khanqahs across Kashmir. The NC President specifically mentioned revered shrines such as Charar-e-Sharief and Maqdoom Sahib, encouraging people to seek relief from the challenging weather co ...Read More >

New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced that it would streamline its technology-driven system for generating Index Cards and various other post-election statistical reports. The new system will ensure faster reporting through automation and data integration. "This upgraded mechanism replaces the traditional manual methods, which were often time-consuming and prone to delays. By leveraging automation and data integration, the new system ensures faster reporting," the press note issued by the Election Commission read. Also Read | Delhi: Hig ...Read More >

KATRA, Jun 6: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said that the dream of a truly united India -- from Kashmir to Kanyakumari -- is no longer a mere slogan, but a lived reality, thanks to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has dedicated the Kashmir rail project to the nation. Addressing a gathering after PM Modi inaugurated Chenab Bridge, Anji Bridge and flagged off train to Kashmir, LG Sinha said, "By flagging off the Vande Bharat trains and dedicating the Kashmir rail project to the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has physically and emotionally united t ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Gundicha Temple, where the deities of Jagannath temple were born, is being prepared for a visual transformation through enhancement work before Rath Yatra on June 27."The beautification work includes stone-cladding of the outer boundary wall, landscaping and illumination arrangements to welcome the deities at their place of birth during Rath Yatra. The aesthetic transformation will give a visual delight to the deities and devotees," chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Kumar Padhee told TOI.The temple's exterior boundary wall, previously co ...Read More >

New Delhi: In a story that reads like the plot of a high-stakes geopolitical thriller, Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered the presence of a mysterious Pakistani woman known as 'Madam N' - a suave and powerful business tycoon from Lahore with alleged orders straight from Pakistan's notorious spy agency - the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Her mission was to infiltrate India through culture, faith and charm and to raise a ghost army of 500 spies scattered quietly across Indian soil. What began as a routine interrogation of arrested social media influencers turned into the stunning ...Read More >
JAMMU, Nov 17: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting of senior civil, police officials and DCs, SSPs of Jammu Division to review the progress of development projects and security situation in the region. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; DGP, Nalin Prabhat; Principal Secretary, Home, Chandraker Bharti; ADGP (Law & Order) Vijay Kumar; ADGP, Jammu, Anand Jain; ADGP, CID, Nitish Kumar; Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor, Shri Mandeep Bhandari; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar; DIGs ...Read More >
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 8 (ANI): In preparation for the grand Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, a mock drill was conducted in the Akhada area to enhance emergency preparedness and ensure the safety of participants and attendees. The drill carried out under the guidance of Police Additional Director General (ADG) Vaibhav Krishna, IPS was aimed to address potential emergency situations that may arise during the event. Also Read | Microsoft Partners With Government's 'India AI Mission' to Skill 5 Lakh People by 2026. The exercise was designed to simulate various emergency scenarios, foc ...Read More >

Katra: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said the political will shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in over a decade led to the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Baramulla-Srinagar Railway link (USBRL) project to connect Kashmir with rest of the country. On Friday, the prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate the world's tallest railway bridge over Chenab and the country's first cable-stayed railway Anji Bridge before flagging off two Vande Bharat trains - one from Katra to Srinagar and another from Kashmir to Katra. Modi will also lay the foundation of and dedicate to the na ...Read More >