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.
Bhubaneswar: The BJD supremo, Naveen Patnaik, on Saturday expressed deep anguish over the incident of setting a 15-year-old girl on fire by miscreants in Puri district and said such cases point to a systemic failure of governance. In a post on X, Patnaik, the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, said, "Such unthinkable incidents against women are now being reported almost daily across #Odisha. These are not stray cases of violence. These incidents occurring with shocking regularity point to a deep systemic failure of governance." "The incident has happened just within a week of the self-immolation of a student of FM College after she was denied justice even after knocking on every door, which took place after the horrific incident of gang-rape in Gopalpur," he added. Patnaik said such incidents show that criminals have become emboldened under the present government and are not worried about being punished. "It also shows how Odisha is becoming highly unsafe for women due to government inaction and political patronage," he said. "Will the Odisha govt wake up from its deep slumber and take speedy action so that the criminals are arrested? And more importantly, will the government respond so that such incidents are not repeated? The girls and women of #Odisha await a response," he added. A 20-year-old college student of FM College in Balasore resorted to self-immolation over sexual harassment on July 12. She died on July 14.
Bhubaneswar: The Winter Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Tuesday witnessed intense discussions on Tuesday over delays in drinking water projects, with senior BJD MLA Badri Narayan Patra making a striking admission. During the Question Hour, Patra attributed the party's setbacks in the 2024 Assembly elections to voter dissatisfaction stemming from unfulfilled promises regarding drinking water infrastructure. "I have personally experienced voters' anger over the non-completion of promised projects before the elections. Candidates who narrowly lost felt the brunt of this frustration ...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 >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 (PTI) Ahead of BJD's 28th foundation day on December 26, its chief Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged members to remain dedicated to serving the people of Odisha, while the party announced a mass demonstration in Bhubaneswar on January 6 to highlight the price rise of essential commodities and other issues. Patnaik asked party supporters to "raise voice against the BJP government's 'anti-people' policies" and also highlight the impact of high inflation, which hits the poor and middle class. "The party leaders and workers need to create awareness among people on the state B ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: BJD President and Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik has congratulated Indian Football Team on winning SAFF U19 Championship 2025 after defeating Bangladesh 4-3 in penalty shootout. "Congratulate Indian Football Team on winning SAFF U19 Championship 2025 after defeating Bangladesh 4-3 in penalty shootout. May the team continue its winning momentum and bring glory for the country. Best wishes", Naveen wrote on his 'X' handle. The Indian men's football team won the SAFF U19 Championship 2025 title after defeating Bangladesh 4-3 on penalties at the Golden Jubile ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 27 -- As the spiritual fervor of Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 engulfs the temple town of Puri, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik joined national leaders in extending his heartfelt greetings to devotees. Taking to social media platform X, Patnaik posted a devotional video message, saying, "On the occasion of the holy Rath Yatra, I extend my best wishes to everyone. Jai Jagannath." Rath Yatra: A Sacred Confluence of Devotion, Culture, and Community Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took to X to mark the auspiciou ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 29 (ANI): Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Sunday said that three people died and at least six people sustained injuries near the Gundicha Temple during the ongoing Lord Jagannath Rath Yathra in Puri.. Speaking to ANI over the phone, Odisha Minister Harichandan said, "It is an unfortunate incident. We are taking note of that. I spoke with the CM this morning. We are taking stringent action. DGP has been sent to the spot. Also Read | Telangana Shocker: Woman Assaulted, Stripped and Tonsured Over Affair With Married Man in Hanumakonda; Case Registered. ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR: Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik slammed the state government over its alleged failure to control the crowd which resulted in the death of three devotees outside the Gundicha Temple early on Sunday. "Today's stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the Rath Yatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government's glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival for devotees," Naveen wrote on X. ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly on Tuesday witnessed a noisy scene as Opposition BJD and Congress members held protests inside the House over alleged non-payment of salaries to around 60,000 women supporting staffers under the 'Mission Shakti' scheme. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik accused the BJP government of "conspiring to stop" salaries of the 'Mission Shakti' staff. As soon as the Question Hour began, the BJD and Congress members trooped to the well of the House and demanded immediate release of salaries of around 60,000 women supporting staff working under the 'Mission Shakti' sch ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Fintech firm BimaPay Finsure on Thursday said it has entered into corporate insurance financing and aims for Rs 20 crore in premiums in 2025-26. Launching the pilot phase with insurance partners, BimaPay said the initiative will allow businesses to pay premiums in easy equated monthly instalments (EMIs) instead of bearing the burden of full upfront costs. Also Read | Who Is Pinaki Misra? From Age to Family Background and Net Worth, Here's All About BJD Leader With Whom Mahua Moitra Reportedly Married. The company aims to finance over Rs 20 crore worth of premiums by t ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR: The chariots of the holy Trinity reaching the Gundicha temple notwithstanding, there was no abatement in the political slugfest on the issue even on Saturday. Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik called for a deep introspection by all in the government over the 'terrible mess' which overshadowed the Rath Yatra this year. The former chief minister, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mumbai, said in a post on X, "We are not here to point fingers or blame the administration for yesterday's inordinate delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot. But it is imp ...Read More >
Puri, Jun 29 (PTI) BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday claimed that the stampede near Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri exposed the state government's glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful Rath Yatra for devotees. At least three persons were killed and around 50 others injured in the stampede near the temple in the early hours of Sunday, a senior official said. "I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, #Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured ...Read More >
Puri: Biju Janata Dal President and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Sunday made a scathing attack on the BJP-led Odisha government for the deadly stampede at Saradhabali in Puri during this year's Rath Yatra. The tragic incident claimed three lives and left several others injured, further intensifying public outrage over the administration's handling of the grand festival. "Today's stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the RathYatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government's glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival fo ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 29 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal chief and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday extended his condolences to the victims of the 'devastating incident' that took place early this morning during the Jagannath Rath Yatra near the Gundicha Temple in Puri. Talking to 'X', Patnaik prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the stampede. 'I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devo ...Read More >
Puri, Jun 29 (PTI) At least three persons, including two women, were killed and around 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri on Sunday morning, officials said. The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain said. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, he said. "Out of the 50 injured, six people are still unconscious and their condition is very serious," an official of the medical ...Read More >
Puri: At least three persons, including two women, were killed and around 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple during Odisha's Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra on Sunday morning, June 29, officials said. The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain said. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, he said. "Out of the 50 injured, six people are still unconscious and their condition is very serious," an off ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
Shimla: Heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, triggering landslides and flash floods and blocking more than 100 roads, even as the weather department issued a red alert.A landslide at Chakki Mod near Parwanoo blocked the Chandigarh-Shimla highway for hours, resulting in a massive traffic jam Sunday morning. The local administration had to divert traffic through the Jangeshu link road until the landslide debris was cleared at Chakki Mod.The traffic was first restored one-way and later two-way, but the traffic jam continued on both sides of the highway throughout the day due to slow veh ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 30 (UNI) The Commissionerate Police today arrested three individuals, including a BJP corporator, for assaulting Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahu inside the corporation office. The incident sparked widespread resentment among BMC employees, who, along with several BJD corporators and leaders, staged a road blockade on the busy Bani Vihar-Master Canteen stretch in the evening. The protest brought vehicular movement to a standstill for several hours, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. Police later removed the protesters, i ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: BJD parliamentary party convened at Naveen Niwas on Tuesday, with Party supremo and leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik chairing a crucial pre-budget session meeting. The meeting, attended by all seven BJD Rajya Sabha members, started on a celebratory note as members congratulated Patnaik for steering Odisha to the top position in fiscal management nationwide, as per a recent survey. According to the NITI Aayog Fiscal Health Index Report-2025, Odisha achieved the highest overall fiscal health score of 67.8% in 2022-23, marking a remarkable turnaround from the state's financial b ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 28 (ANI): Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik raised concerns over the 'inordinate delay' in pulling the Nandighosha chariot on Saturday. Some people experienced suffocation and reportedly fell unconscious due to high humidity during the Rath Yatra in Odisha's Puri on Friday. Taking to 'X', the Biju Janata Dal chief stated that he doesn't want to 'point fingers or blame' the administration for the delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot, but it is 'impossible' to 'voice' deep concern and anguish on how the things unfolded during the most sacred eve ...Read More >
Digha: A day after Rath Yatra, the festive fervour continues in Digha as the seaside town is now gearing up to host Ulta Rath or the return journey of the deities from the 'Masir Bari' or the old Jagannath temple. On July 5 -- the Ulta Rath day -- hotels are hoping for fresh tourist influx. Though the deities are currently in Masir Bari, a large queue of devotees visited the newly-constructed Jagannath temple on Saturday. They offered prayers to the stone idol permanently installed there. It is the wooden idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra that have taken the chairot rides. Bipradash Cha ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jun 30 (PTI) Concerned over the death of three persons and injury of about 50 people in a stampede during the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Monday asked the district administration and the police to take appropriate measures to prevent occurrence of similar incidents in the future. While taking up a petition pertaining to the tragic incident that sparked a statewide outrage, the rights panel served notices on the Puri District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) to inform the OHRC about what actually led to the stampede despite ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jun 30 (PTI) Senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo was allegedly dragged from his office and assaulted by a group of miscreants on Monday, police said. Sahoo has lodged an FIR at Kharvelnagar police station. "An FIR has been registered at the Kharvel Nagar police station by the officer. We have arrested three persons so far," Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena told PTI. The police have so far arrested Jeevan Rout, Rashmi Mahapatra and Debashis Pradhan. Further investigation is on. Invo ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 30 (ANI): Tensions rose in Bhubaneswar on Monday after the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. BMC Mayor Sulochana Das said the officer was dragged out of his office by 5-6 men, assaulted, and an attempt was made to abduct him. She demanded that an attempted murder case be filed and that all the accused be arrested. Speaking to the reporters, Das said, 'Nobody is safe here. A government officer was dragged out of his office by 5-6 men. He was assaulted, and there was an attempt to abduct him. We had t ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 (PTI) A delegation of the Opposition BJD on Tuesday met Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil and apprised him of the potential submergence of large areas in Odisha's Malkangiri district, due to construction of a multi-purpose project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The delegation, led by senior leader Debi Prasad Mishra, also submitted a memorandum with the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The regional party in its memorandum mentioned that the Polavaram project is likely to impact the lives and livelihoods of thousands of tribal people, especially those from vulnerable and prim ...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 >
Bhubaneswar, June 28: Expressing deep anguish over the "terrible mess" in the conduct of Lord Jagannth's Rath Yatra in Puri this year, Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Saturday prayed to the almighty to forgive those responsible for the development. Patnaik, who is also a former five-time chief minister of Odisha and president of BJD, said that it is impossible not to voice concern and anguish over how things unfolded during the most sacred event in the state. Patnaik, who is recuperating at a hospital in Mumbai after surgery, in a post on X said: "We aren't here to p ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Leader of opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday termed the stampede in Puri as a glaring incompetence by the govt in crowd management, while Congress attributed it to undue favour shown to BJP workers to gather around chariots."Today's stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the Rath Yatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the govt's glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival for devotees," Naveen wrote on X.Quoting eyewitness reports, he added that the initial response to the tragedy came from the devotees' r ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Ravada A Chandrasekhar took charge as the new State Police Chief on Tuesday. He succeeds Shaik Darvesh Saheb, who retired on June 30. His tenure will run until July 1, 2027. A 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as Special Director with the Intelligence Bureau, Chandrasekhar is on central deputation. He was selected over Nitin Agarwal, who topped the official list of probables. The appointment order, issued by Kerala Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak on behalf of the Governor, was released soon after a cabinet meeting held on Monday. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh's Godav ...Read More >