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.
Mumbai: Mumbai suburban guardian minister (joint) Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Sunday inaugurated a pigeon feeding spot at Teen Murti, Podanpur on the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The spot is located inside the SGNP, Lodha claimed, but forest officials said it was located outside the boundary of the national park. A row over pigeon-feeding spots or kabutarkhanas erupted after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sealed all kabutarkhanas in the city over health concerns and the Bombay High Court refused to stay their closure. Jain priests claimed the move would deprive pigeons of food and water and held protests at different parts of the city, including Dadar. Several BJP leaders had then promised to set up a kabutarkhana - either in the Aarey forest or the SGNP, while environmentalists had opposed the move, saying feeding pigeons inside the national park would damage wildlife. The dairy development department owns the land in Aarey while non-forestry activities are barred inside the SGNP. On Sunday, while speaking at the inauguration of the new kabutarkhana constructed by the Adinath Digambar Jain Temple at Teen Murti, Lodha said a middle path must be chosen to ensure pigeons receive food and water while citizens are not exposed to health risks. Pigeon feeding spots should be set up in forested areas, away from human settlements, he said. Lodha claimed that pigeon-feeding was widely practised in London and New York and called for setting up a new kabutarkhana in every ward of Mumbai. Kabutarkhanas could be set up in BKC, along the Coastal Road and inside the Aarey Colony, he said.
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 >
Mumbai, Jan 27 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Monday suggested Abhishek Lodha and his brother Abhinandan Lodha to try and amicably resolve the issue over the use of 'Lodha' trademark. The Abhishek Lodha-promoted Macrotech Developers Ltd earlier this month filed a suit in the HC against Abhinandan Lodha's real estate firm, House of Abhinandan Lodha, claiming the name 'Lodha' was their trademark and no one else could use it. The suit sought Rs 5,000 crore as damages from Abhinandan Lodha's company. In an interim application, Macrotech Developers sought a perpetual injunction against the defen ...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 >
Mumbai: The birth of three penguin chicks at Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo has sparked an unexpected row not over their care, but their names. BJP functionary Nitin Bankar from the Byculla Assembly constituency has objected to the chicks being given English names, insisting they be named in Marathi instead. The BMC is expected to respond by June 10, after which Bankar will decide his next move. Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Bankar said, "When penguins were brought from abroad, we accepted that their names would be in English. But these chicks were born on the soil of M ...Read More >
Accepting the honour, Acharya Prashant delivered a powerful address, "The climate crisis is not just outside, it's inside. The glaciers are melting because our minds are burning with greed. Oceans are rising because our desires know no bounds. Before we can act responsibly, we must first think clearly. And that is where true environmentalism begins, not in policy, but in consciousness." "When we talk about the environment, we usually refer to forests, rivers, air, and wildlife. But do we ever as ...Read More >
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that concerted efforts would be made to increase green cover in the state from current 30.05 per cent to 50 per cent by 2047 when India would celebrate its centenary year of Independence. Addressing the Vana Mahotsavam event on the World Environment Day at Ananthavaram village in Thullur mandal near here, the Chief Minister said: "Currently, Andhra Pradesh has 37,421 sq km of forest area, accounting for 23 per cent of the total area in the State. When we add greenery outside forests, the state's green cover stands at 30.05 per ce ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on Friday appeared before the Anti-Corruption Branch for questioning in connection with an alleged graft case in the construction of classrooms in government schools. Jain was summoned by the Delhi government's ACB for questioning. Before leaving for the ACB office, Jain had asserted that the previous AAP government in the national capital worked towards improving the city's education, while the current BJP government was only doing politics. Speaking to PTI Videos ahead of his questioning, Jain said the BJP was trying to divert at ...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 >
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: 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 >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain was questioned by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) for over five hours on Friday in connection with a graft case related to the construction of classrooms in city government schools under the previous AAP dispensation. Sources said Jain was evasive in his replies and might be called for questioning again. Jain, who was the Public Works Department (PWD) minister in the AAP government, termed the case "politically motivated". According to the sources, Jain was given a written questionnaire with 29 questions. "He tried to put the bla ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday offered a candid reflection on his political evolution, claiming that he studied at "Modi's school," graduated under Chandrababu Naidu in the TDP, and is now working with Rahul Gandhi in the Congress. His remarks, made at the launch of Bandaru Dattatreya's autobiography 'The Story of the People is My Autobiography' at Shilpakala Vedika, drew attention for both their political significance and personal candor.Praising the veteran BJP leader, Revanth described Dattatreya as a rare politician who has "no enemies, only friends," and highlighted h ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 26 (PTI) Several benches of the Bombay High Court have recused from hearing HDFC Bank CEO and MD Sashidhar Jagdishan's plea to quash an FIR of cheating and fraud registered against him on a complaint filed by the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust. While some judges cited having worked with either the Trust or the lawyers appearing for it, one judge on Thursday voluntarily disclosed that he held few shares of the HDFC Bank. Senior counsel Amit Desai appearing for Jagdishan said they do not have an objection with the same but counsel Niteen Pradhan appearing for the Trust took ...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 >
Mumbai, Jan 31 (VOICE) The Maharashtra government on Friday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the conspiracy allegedly hatched to frame Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (who was then the leader of opposition in the state assembly) and his current deputy Eknath Shinde in a false case during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was in power. Fadnavis was then Leader of Opposition in the assembly while Shinde was a member of the Uddhav Thackeray Cabinet holding the urban development ministry. Shinde, however, rebelled against Thackeray, and after the collapse of the MVA governm ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on Friday appeared before the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) for questioning in connection with an alleged corruption case concerning the construction of classrooms in government schools. Jain had been summoned by the ACB to appear for questioning. Before heading to the ACB office, he maintained that the previous AAP government had prioritised education in the city, unlike the present BJP-led administration. "The previous AAP government in the national capital worked towards improving the city's education, while the current BJP government is only ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 11 (ANI): Rohini District Court on Wednesday issued a notice to BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj in a civil defamation suit filed by AAP leader Satyendra Jain. Jain has stated that Bansuri Swaraj made defamatory remarks in an interview with a television channel in October 2023. Senior Civil Judge Naina Gupta issued notice to Bansuri Swaraj and others and sought a response to the suit. The next date of hearing is 22 February 2025. Jain has prayed for direction to the TV channel to take down the content in question and restrain her from making further statements. Jain has cla ...Read More >
Gandhinagar, Feb 4 (PTI) The BJP government in Gujarat on Tuesday formed a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to assess the need for the Uniform Civil Code in the state, and also draft a bill for the same. While the Opposition said the decision was aimed at diverting attention from pressing issues ahead of the upcoming local body polls, the government claimed rights of the tribal communities will be protected if the UCC is implemented. The five-member committee, to be headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, will submit its report within 45 days, following which a decision abou ...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 >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed courts across the country to refrain from admitting or passing any new orders on pleas seeking surveys of mosques to determine if temples lie beneath them. This decision extends to existing suits, halting any further orders on the matter. The directive was issued as the apex court continued hearing petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. This Act prohibits filing lawsuits to reclaim places of worship or alter their character from what existed on August 15, 1947. Judicial Revie ...Read More >
New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The BJP on Monday assailed the AAP government over water "crisis" in south west Delhi's Bijwasan, highlighting the water pipes being supplied to the homes of the locals through electric poles and influence of water mafia in the area. BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra during his visit to Bijwasan said there was severe water crisis in the area and the tangled web of pipes of water on the electricity poles expose the 10 year "misrule" of the AAP. "I have travelled across India and many cities around the world but this sight of water flowing through pipes hanging from ...Read More >
New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) As the Delhi Assembly polls draw closer, AAP leader Satyendar Jain has said the people must decide whether they want to follow the governance model of developed nations like Sweden and France or end up like "failed states" such as Pakistan and Uganda. In an interview with PTI ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Jain defended the AAP's welfare-driven policies, arguing that free healthcare, education and basic utilities are essential for national progress. "If we are wrong in providing free welfare schemes, then developed countries like Sweden, France and Denmark are ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on Friday asserted that the previous AAP government in the national capital worked towards improving the city's education sector while the current BJP government was only doing politics. Speaking to PTI Videos ahead of his questioning by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in the classroom construction case, Jain said the BJP was trying to divert attention from key issues. "First, tell me, where did the word scam come from? They (BJP) do not want to work and are aiding private schools in increasing fees," Jain said before leaving for t ...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 >
NEW DELHI: Nominations for the posts of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) were filed on Friday at the office of the municipal secretary, with the elections for the posts slated for June 12. From the BJP, Satya Sharma filed her nomination for chairperson, and Sunder Singh filed for deputy chairperson. AAP's Praveen Kumar filed his nomination for chairperson and Mohini Jeenwal for deputy chairperson. "In the absence of the Standing Committee, major development plans could not be formulated in the corporation, but now all me ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday dismissed Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's criticism regarding the Delhi Zoo's proposed agreement with the Reliance Group's Gujarat-based wildlife facility, saying such collaborations are routine and aimed at improving animal care and management practices. "Some people have made it a habit to create doubts in the mind of the public at every instance," Yadav said on X in response to Ramesh's remarks. He clarified that the National Zoological Park (NZP), also known as the Delhi Zoo, had signed a memorandum of understa ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >