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, Dec 18 (PTI) The Ministry of Railways on Wednesday dismissed as "baseless" claims that passengers would be allowed to travel free of cost during the Maha Kumbh Mela, and said no such provision exists. "It has come to the attention of Indian Railways that certain media outlets are circulating reports claiming that passengers will be allowed to travel free of cost during the Maha Kumbh Mela," it said in a statement. "Indian Railways categorically denies these reports, as they are entirely baseless and misleading," the statement said. "Travelling without a valid ticket is strictly prohibited under the rules and regulations of Indian Railways and constitutes a punishable offense. There are no provisions for free travel during Maha Kumbh Mela or any other occasion," the ministry added. It added that the Indian Railways was committed to ensuring seamless travel for passengers during the Maha Kumbh. "Adequate arrangements are being made, including the establishment of special holding areas, additional ticket counters, and other necessary facilities to manage the anticipated influx of passengers," the Railways said. PTI JP JP IJT IJT
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 >
Bengaluru, Jul 19 (PTI) Hockey India on Saturday announced a 40-member core probable group for the upcoming senior women's national coaching camp, which will be held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre here from July 21 to August 29. The camp holds significant importance as the Indian women's hockey team gears up for the women's Asia Cup, set to begin on September 5 in Hangzhou, China. The tournament will serve as a direct qualification pathway for the 2026 FIH Women's World Cup, with only the champion earning a guaranteed spot. All players from the previous camp have been retaine ...Read More >
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged five individuals, including goldy Brar, in relation to the 2024 Gurugram club bombing plot, as revealed in a recently filed chargesheet. This case involves a conspiracy to bomb two clubs, aiming to disrupt communal harmony in Haryana, with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) implicated. The NIA's investigation highlights the severity of the plot. Those charged include satinderjit Singh (Goldy Brar), Sachin Talian, Ankit, Bhavish, and Randeep Singh. News Directory 3 provides crucial updates on sensitive cases such ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha), Jul 1 (PTI) A day after three people were killed and 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha temple in Puri, thousands of devotees on Tuesday made a beeline to have a darshan of the sibling deities -- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. In view of Monday's incident, barricades have been erected in front of the Shree Gundicha temple and different queues made for the smooth darshan of the deities at 'Adapa Mandap' (the podium on which the deities are seated) situated inside the temple, a senior police officer said. Also Read | Stocks To Buy or Sell Tod ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu will present the 'Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024-25' on July 17, marking the 9th edition of the annual urban cleanliness survey, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said the event will honour the cleanest cities across India and recognise the relentless efforts of urban local bodies (ULBs) in advancing the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U). A total of 78 awards will be presented this year across four categories -- Super Swachh League Cities; Top three clean cities in ...Read More >
MUMBAI: The Indian equity indices opened lower on Friday as heavyweights like Axis Bank and Bharti Airtel were among the top losers in the BSE benchmark. At 9.25 am, Sensex was down 171 points or 0.21 per cent at 82, 087 and Nifty was down 35 points or 0.14 per cent at 25, 075. In the Sensex pack, M&M, Tata Steel, Power Grid, L&T, UltraTech Cement, Infosys, Tata Motors, BEL, NTPC, TCS, Trent and Maruti Suzuki were top gainers. Axis Bank, Bharti Airtel, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Tech Mahindra , HDFC Bank, Eternal (Zomato), HUL, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Finance, ICICI Bank, Titan and Bajaj Finserv ...Read More >
Mhow (M.P), Jan 27 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday urged party workers to unite in saving the Constitution, saying the Dalits, backwards, tribals and poor will suffer otherwise. Addressing the "Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan" rally here, he also branded the BJP-RSS people as "traitors" and said the Congress will never tolerate the exploitation of the poor in the name of religion. Taking a swipe at BJP leaders taking holy dip at the Maha Kumbh, Kharge said taking a dip in the holy Ganga will not help remove poverty. He, however, stressed that he does not wish to hurt ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) The first 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Circuit Train Tour' has received overwhelming response as all the seats have been booked ahead of the scheduled departure on June 9, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited said on Friday. In a release, IRCTC, a 'Navratna' PSU under the railway ministry, said all 710 seats have been booked in 11 coaches. These comprise 480 in the Economy (Sleeper) category, 190 in Comfort (3AC) and 40 in Superior (2AC), indicating strong interest across travel classes, it added. IRCTC in collaboration with Maharashtra government ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) Aviation regulator DGCA said on Tuesday it will put in place a mechanism to curb whopping surge in air ticket prices, recently witnessed during the Maha Kumbh and post-Pahalgam terror attack, as the issue coupled with concerns over air safety after the Ahmedabad plane crash dominated proceedings at a parliamentary panel meeting. Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson told the committee his airline will complete retrofitting of its fleet in two years to address frequent complaints about its seats and other facilities, and underscored its commitment to flight safety, source ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 9 (PTI) Rejecting criticism over financial prudence for presenting supplementary demands of Rs 57,509 crore just three months after presenting the budget, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said the state's economic position is robust and fiscal parameters are fine. He said the additional funds would primarily be spent on the Centrally-sponsored development schemes, infrastructure projects, and statutory grants, which will contribute to enhancing the state's productive assets. The Maharashtra government tabled supplementary demands of Rs 57,509.71 crore in the state le ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu will present the 'Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024-25' on July 17, marking the 9th edition of the annual urban cleanliness survey, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said the event will honour the cleanest cities across India and recognise the relentless efforts of urban local bodies (ULBs) in advancing the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U). Also Read | India Raises Pahalgam Terror Attack at SCO Meeting: EAM S Jaishankar Calls for 'Uncompromising Position' on Combattin ...Read More >
New Delhi, The loco pilots union has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to refer their dispute with the rail administration over rest hours to the lower house's Petition Committee, and warned of a nationwide strike if the issue is not resolved. The All India Loco Running Staff Association and the rail administration have locked horns over clubbing weekly rest hours with daily rest hours. However, the Railway Ministry said that, of late, it has created several amenities for loco p ...Read More >
Katra, Jun 6 (PTI) As the valley delves into jubilation over freshly launched rail connectivity, traders in adjacent Jammu were a bit subdued, apprehending a loss of business because of the travellers bypassing them wholesale straight to Kashmir. As a result, traders' outfits in the district have urged the government to think about the economic impact and address it. "We congratulate the prime minister on this historic step. It will provide Kashmir with all-weather connectivity. But it will inevitably affect business in Jammu. The government must look into this aspect," Jammu Traders' Associ ...Read More >
Bhopal, Jun 26 (PTI) The much-awaited direct weekly train service between Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka's capital Bengaluru started on Thursday. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia showed the green flag to the train at the Gwalior station, while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took part in the flagging off ceremony through video link from Jabalpur and Delhi, respectively. Yadav said the Gwalior-SMVT Bengaluru Weekly Express will be a gift for the youth in the region who are pursuing career in IT as they will be able to reach Ben ...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 >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], February 10 (ANI): Northern Railways is making extensive preparations for the upcoming Snan on February 12, ensuring smooth travel for MahaKumbh devotees. CPRO Northern Railway Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said over 300 trains operated on February 9, with continuous monitoring through CCTV cameras and a control centre at Prayagraj stations. He urged passengers to ignore rumours about train cancellations. Also Read | Ranveer Allahbadia Parental Sex Question: Case Filed Against YouTuber-Podcaster BeerBiceps, Samay Raina, Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh and Apoorva Makhija for ...Read More >
Gurgaon: A chemist and a lab operator have been arrested for allegedly selling medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits illegally. Two separate FIRs were lodged against the accused at Sector 10 and Sector 9A police stations, police said on Friday.The pharmacy was sealed and medical officials have initiated proceedings to cancel its licence. District drugs control officer Suresh Verma said the department received information about illegal sales of MTP kits - also called abortion kits - from Juneja Chemist, located near Civil Hospital. A pregnant woman, who was deployed as a decoy customer, v ...Read More >
Mysuru/Bengaluru, Jun 8 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended the decision to go ahead with the RCB victory celebration in front of Vidhana Soudha, saying no untoward incident happened there. The CM's reaction came to the DCP (Vidhana Soudha security) letter written before the event warning against holding felicitations at Vidhana Soudha "hastily", surfaced now. The CM, however, clarified that the event at Vidhana Soudha was organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and that he attended the programme as he was invited. On June 4, along with a feli ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) Amid the row over RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale's remarks on the Constitution's Preamble, CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar on Sunday wrote to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, questioning if the organisation "truly accept the Indian Constitution". Hosabale, the general secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideologue mentor of the ruling BJP, on Thursday called for a review of the words "secular" and "socialist" inserted into the Preamble by way of the 42nd Amendment. Also Read | Hindi Row: Maharashtra Govt Forms Committee To Submit Report on Trilingual Policy Formula ...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, Jun 29 (PTI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently reviewed the progress of ongoing reforms in the passengers reservation system and emphasized the need for smart, transparent, accessible and efficient ticketing system with a focus on passenger convenience, the ministry on Sunday said. Under Vaishnaw's guidance, officials are working to prepare the reservation chart eight hours before the train's departure instead of the current system of four hours. "It will benefit passengers travelling from remote locations or suburbs of major cities for catching long distance trains. It w ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, Jul 17 : Ahmedabad was named the cleanest big city on Thursday, followed by Bhopal and Lucknow in the government's annual cleanliness survey, even as Indore, Surat, Navi Mumbai and Vijayawada among 23 cities were elevated to a newly formed 'Super Swachh League Cities' category for demonstrating exceptional performance in sanitation. The results of the Swachh Survekshan were announced on Thursday. According to the government, 14 crore people participated in the survey through face-to-face interactions, the Swachhata App, MyGov and social media platforms in over 4,500 cities. Sevent ...Read More >
Jammu, Jul 18 (PTI) Senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir government reviewed the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the 13-day-long Budha Amarnath pilgrimage in Poonch district that will begin on July 28. Deputy Inspector General of Police Tejinder Singh reviewed security in Poonch and stressed ensuring the safety of the devotees. "The first batch will depart from the Bhagwati Nagar basecamp in Jammu on July 28, moving towards the Mandi tehsil in Poonch in a regulated convoy amid full security arrangements," a spokesperson said. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspec ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jan 28 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh's tableau at the Republic Day parade has won the first place in the People's Choice Award with 40 per cent votes (25,007), the state government said on Tuesday. The tableau showcased the grandeur of the Maha Kumbh and highlighted the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati in Prayagraj as the world's largest gathering of humanity, the UP government said in a statement. Also Read | January 29 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 29. Centered on spirituality, heritage, development, and dig ...Read More >
Ghazipur (UP), Jan 31 (PTI) Eight people died and 11 others were injured when a truck collided with a van in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district on Friday, officials said. The accident occurred in Revasa village of Nandganj area when the victims, residents of Haldichok village in Gorakhpur, were returning from the Maha Kumbh fair in Prayagraj, District Magistrate Aryaka Akhoury said. A truck hit the van from the side, causing its passengers to be thrown onto the road, following which the truck ran over them, Akhoury said. She said that Amar Singh (45), Surendra Gupta (54), Pushpa Yadav (40), ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the National Board of Examination (NBE) to conduct on August 3, the NEET-PG 2025 exam in one shift in line with the top court's directions. A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Augustine George Masih, which initially questioned the over two-month window sought by the NBE for holding the examination, said the board's plea appeared to be "bonafide". The top court, however, clarified no further time would be granted to NBE for holding NEET-PG 2025 examination. The NBE referred to the May 30 order of the top court and said for ...Read More >
Jodhpur/Jaipur: The political battle between former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat intensified Friday as both leaders traded accusations over the controversial Sanjivani credit cooperative society scam.In a pointed statement, Gehlot challenged Shekhawat to meet with victims of the scam rather than pursuing legal action through defamation suit against him. "I urge Shekhawat ji -- you are a cabinet minister, it's a big responsibility. Come forward, hold a di ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) Torrent Pharmaceuticals on Sunday announced the acquisition of majority stake in J B Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in a Rs 19,500 crore deal to become India's second most-valued pharma company. Torrent will acquire 46.39 per cent stake from the promoters for about Rs 11,917 crore. It would additionally buy another 2.80 per cent from certain employees of JB Chemicals at the same acquisition price of Rs 1,600 per share (about Rs 719 crore). Also Read | Indian Railways to Now Prepare Reservation Charts 8 Hours Before Train Departure Instead of Current Practice of 4 Hours ...Read More >