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.
Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi, Oct 15 (PTI) Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Wednesday softened his stance on a dispute over a class eight student's right to wear hijab at a Church-run public school in Kochi, saying the matter was best settled through consensus at the school level. "If there is already a consensus on the issue, let it end there," the minister said, even as the school management defended its authority to ensure equality among students in terms of uniforms. The management of St Rita's public school in Palluruthy here had declared a two-day holiday from Monday following an escalation of a dispute with the parents of the student over her wearing the 'hijab'. The school reopened this morning, but the student whose parents insisted on her wearing the religious headscarf was absent due to health reasons, school sources said. Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram in the morning, Sivankutty reaffirmed the student's right to wear a hijab, saying, "The student can attend classes wearing a hijab until she and her parents decide otherwise." He emphasised that students' rights are guaranteed by the Constitution as well as by educational laws in the country and the state. Citing a departmental inquiry report on the matter, he criticised the school management, saying its actions amounted to "violation" of the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. However, after the school management strongly defended its stand, the Education Minister addressed the media again, moderating his position. He pointed to media reports that the school management and the parents have already reached a consensus on the matter. "If there is a consensus at the school level, let it end there. But no one has the right to deny a student's right to education," Sivankutty said. Citing the department's report, the school's alleged action of making the student stand outside the classroom for wearing a hijab was a violation of the rules. "Certain groups are creating communal divisions in society over the matter. The government's stand is to proceed in accordance with constitutional norms and court orders in this regard," the minister said. Sivankutty further said it had been learnt that the parents of the student had withdrawn their earlier demand for her to wear the hijab during school hours, and therefore the issue no longer existed. "But no one has the right to deny a student her education -- that is the government's stand," he added. Earlier in the day, school principal Sister Heleena Alby maintained that all decisions regarding school uniforms fall under the management's discretion, and cited court rulings supporting her position. "Ours is a secular country. Everyone is equal here. Under a standard rule, it cannot be mandated that students belonging to a particular religion must wear a particular attire," she told reporters. Noting that the school would continue to follow its rules, the principal further said that the girl remained enrolled in the school and has not been expelled. The legal adviser to the school management also termed the remarks earlier made by the Education Minister about the school were "absolutely incorrect." She said the Education Department had prepared its report without properly studying the matter, adding that the issue had been amicably settled and the girl's parents had already told the media that they wished their daughter to continue at the school. "So, the school has decided to follow the rule of the land -- the law of the court," the lawyer added. The matter came to light after a letter issued by Sister Heleena Alby on the issue surfaced on social media. In the letter, the principal stated that, due to pressure from a student who came without the prescribed uniform, her parents, certain individuals not associated with the school, and a few students and staff members had requested leave, citing mental stress. On Tuesday, Minister Sivankutty intervened, directing the school to allow the Muslim girl to continue her education while wearing her religious headscarf. He also sought a report from the school authorities for allegedly denying her religious rights earlier, which, he said, had caused her mental distress. PTI LGK ROH
New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Spiritual guru and founder of the Isha Foundation, Sadhguru, on Tuesday came out strongly and expressed grave concern over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent ISKCON leader in Bangladesh. Taking to social media platform X, Sadhguru highlighted the shift from a democratic to a theocratic and autocratic system in Bangladesh, stressing the importance of understanding the value of an open democracy. He pointed out that persecution based on religion or demographic weaknesses is not in line with democratic ideals. Also Read | UK Horror: Transgender ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday hit out at the government, saying voting at the introduction stage of two bills on simultaneous elections in the Lok Sabha showed the BJP did not have the two-third majority required to pass a constitutional amendment. Two bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections were introduced in the Lok Sabha after a fiery debate on Tuesday. Opposition parties dubbed the draft laws -- a Constitution amendment bill and an ordinary bill -- as an attack on the federal structure, a charge rejected by the government. "We (th ...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 >
Kolkata, Jun 5 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday confirmed her marriage to former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) parliamentarian Pinaki Mishra, thanking well-wishers for their love and blessings. There was speculation about their wedding which, according to media reports, took place in a private ceremony in Germany. "Thank you everyone for the love and good wishes!! So grateful," Moitra said in a post on X, sharing a photograph of the couple cutting a cake. TMC MP and actor-politician Saayoni Ghosh congratulated the couple. "Congratulations Mm & Pm... @MahuaMoitra @OfPinaki wishi ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said. The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities. According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locat ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) - A controversial legislation submitted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi´s government to change India's voting system failed to pass Tuesday in the country's lower house of Parliament. Law minister, Arjun Ram Meghwal, presented the legislation which proposed allowing elections for state assemblies and the national parliament to be held simultaneously. However, it was not approved as the vote fell short of the required two-thirds majority; only 269 lawmakers voted in favor of the proposal while 198 were against it. The government says simultaneous polls will result in higher eco ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday demanded an immediate apology from the Opposition Congress over the remarks of party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on President Droupadi Murmu and said those were insults for the people of Odisha and the Santal community also. Majhi expressed his opinion on the ongoing debate over the alleged disrespect to the country's first tribal woman President through a long post on X. "Sonia Gandhi's comment, 'Poor lady President Murmu got tired at the end,' and Rahul Gandhi's 'boring' remarks are not just insults to I ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the caste census will greatly benefit the indigenous Muslim community living in both the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley in the state. The Centre on Wednesday announced that India's 16th Census with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027. The indigenous Muslim communities of Assam have been demanding for a long time, a caste-based census to assert their distinct socio-cultural identities, the chief minister said on the sidelines of the World Environment Day programme here. ''The proposed caste enumerati ...Read More >
Muzaffarnagar (UP), Dec 6 (PTI) A teacher who asked other students to slap a Muslim boy in a school here surrendered at a POCSO court and was released on bail, an official said on Friday. Tripta Tyagi was caught last year in a video asking children to slap a boy in a school where she taught. Additional District Judge (POCSO) Alka Bharti on Thursday granted her bail and ordered her to furnish two sureties of Rs 25,000 each. She posted the matter for further hearing on Friday. Kapil Ahlawat, Tyagi's lawyer, told PTI that Tyagi had surrendered in the Special POCSO court on Thursday and sought ...Read More >
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 12 (PTI) Tensions flared in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday as BJP MLAs barged into Speaker U T Khader's chamber, expressing strong objections to his handling of the proceedings. The confrontation came amidst heated debates over the recent police lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters, with the ruling Congress and opposition BJP trading accusations. The issue arose when Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, himself a leader of the Panchamasali Lingayat community, criticized the decision of previous BJP government to scrap the 4 per cent Muslim reservati ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) Veteran journalist and writer Humra Quraishi, who died due to heart failure and diabetic complications, was known as an advocate for truth, justice and as a champion for the marginalised. Quraishi breathed her last at a hospital in Gurugram on Thursday, her daughter Sarah Quraishi told PTI. She was 70. Also Read | Indian Army's 'Sambhav' Smart Phone Used During China Border Talks for Secure Communication. Born in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh on April 25, 1956, Quraishi worked as a Delhi-based writer and columnist. Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: 'Bring a S ...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 >
The Delhi government issued an advisory against illegal animal sacrifices on Eid-ul-Azha, emphasizing cultural heritage and enforcement of animal welfare laws. Sacrifices are restricted to designated areas, banning roadside rituals. Existing laws cited include the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act, prohibiting unauthorized animal sacrifices. The Delhi government has issued a crucial advisory ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, prohibiting the illegal sacri ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 6 (PTI) The Kerala Government's decision to change Bakrid holiday triggered a political row in the state on Friday with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) accusing it of attempting to implement "communal agenda and fascism" in the state. Originally Friday (June 6) was marked as holiday for Bakrid. However, following the reports that the festival would be celebrated on Saturday across the state, on Thursday, the Kerala government announced that Saturday, June 7, will be a public holiday for Bakrid. As per the change, government also declared that June 6 (Friday) wou ...Read More >
Hours after Atul Subash's wife Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha and brother Anurag were arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide, the Bengaluru techie's father, Pawan Kumar Modi has questioned where Atul's four-year-old son is and said the family was worried about him. Modi thanked the police for arresting the woman and her family members. However, he said, "We don't know where she has kept our grandson. Has he been killed or is he alive? We don't know anything about him. I want my grandson ...Read More >
Ludhiana, Jun 5 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Thursday asserted that there should be no "politicisation" of the armed forces, even as he accused the BJP of milking Operation Sindoor for political gains. "Such politics should not be done. I salute the armed forces. But there should be no politicisation of the army," he said. "Have you ever seen any former prime minister donning a military uniform....? But now the uniform is being used for political gains. It should not happen," he said. Armed forces fight for the country, and they have no connection with politics, he asserted. T ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved bills to implement 'One Nation, One Election', and the draft legislations are likely to be introduced in Parliament in the ongoing Winter session, sources said. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government is keen on holding wider consultations on bills which are likely to be referred to a parliamentary committee. Sources said the government was also keen to consult the Speakers of various state legislative assemblies through the committee. Moving ahead with it ...Read More >
Kolkata: BJP on Saturday criticised urban development minister Firhad Hakim over a video where the Kolkata mayor is purportedly heard making a comment on minorities. Hakim had made the comment while addressing an educational conference recently. Hakim said BJP was using his quote out of context and he was only referring to the gulf between the educated and the uneducated. "As education spreads, the gulf will be bridged and there will be one identity," said Hakim. Saying that he would never play ...Read More >
Shimla, Jan 14 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against two men from Haryana for allegedly raping a married woman in a hotel in Kasauli, officials said on Tuesday. The accused, Mohanlal Badoli and Jai Bhagwan alias Rocky, also made videos of the act and threatened to kill the victim if she disclosed the incident to anyone, they said. The FIR was registered in Kasauli in Solan district on December 13, 2024. A copy of the FIR was doing the rounds on social media on Tuesday. According to the FIR, the woman was staying in a hotel in Kasauli with her boss and friend when she and he ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 5 (PTI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers attacked an auto-rickshaw driver here and forced him to apologise for allegedly using objectionable language against a Marathi-speaking passenger as well as party chief Raj Thackeray. The incident involving the passenger took place in Dadar area of central Mumbai on Wednesday. The passenger shot a video of the driver using objectionable language against him and Thackeray. He later posted the video, which shows the number plate of the auto-rickshaw, on social media, a police official said. On the basis of the video, MNS workers tra ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, Jun 6 (PTI) Gujarat Congress general secretary Rajesh Soni was arrested on Friday and charged under a tough section of the BNS for allegedly uploading "misleading" as well as "morale breaking" content on a social media platform related to 'Operation Sindoor', police said. After registration of an FIR on Thursday, the Cyber Crime Cell of the state CID arrested Soni in the wee hours over his controversial posts on the operation launched by Indian armed forces to destroy terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK, said Superintendent of Police (CID-Cyber Crime) Bharatsinh Tank. During the May 7 ...Read More >
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 2 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) President Farooq Abdullah claimed that Muslims are feeling unsafe and stated that there is no discrimination based on religion, as guaranteed by the Constitution. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir also said that the government should treat Muslims without any discrimination. "...There is no doubt that Muslims are feeling unsafe. I will ask the govt of India to stop that. 24 crore Muslims cannot be thrown into the ocean. They (the govt) should treat Muslims equally, there is no di ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid on Tuesday described as "reprehensible" the alleged mistreatment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and asked that country's interim government to take immediate steps to prevent such acts. India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, since Sheikh Hasina's resignation as prime minister in August following months-long students-led protests. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi To Visit Sambhal: DM Requests Neighbouring Districts To Restrict Congress Leader's Proposed Visit to Violence-Hit Town. ...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 >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 6 (ANI): Law student Sharmistha Panoli, arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a social media post, has been granted interim bail by the Calcutta High Court on Thursday. The court directed her to cooperate with the investigation, not leave the country, and furnished bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000. The court also ordered appropriate police protection for her. Also Read | Goa: Man Held for Trying to Trade Sensitive Data Online Using Cryptocurrency Transactions. Her father, Prithviraj Panoli, expressed relief, citing her health iss ...Read More >
Ayodhya, Dec 5 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday accused the Opposition parties of trying to divide society, saying what Mughal ruler Babur's army did in Ayodhya and Sambhal is what is happening in Bangladesh. The chief minister, who was in the temple town for the inauguration of the 43rd Ramayan Mela, said Lord Ram united the whole society. "Had we given importance to unity and not let the strategy of nation's enemies succeed in creating social animosity, this country would have never become a slave. Our pilgrimages would not have become impure. A handful of inv ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) The National Turmeric Board will help develop new markets internationally to promote exports and double production to about 20 lakh tonnes in the next five years, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. Inaugurating the Board, he also said that it would promote research and development into new products and develop on the country's traditional knowledge for value-added turmeric products. "Turmeric is also called as golden spice. India accounts for 70 per cent of global turmeric production... We are looking to double the production to 20 lakh tonne ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a 42-year-old Ashoka University associate professor and head of political science department, was recently arrested for social media commentary on 'Operation Sindoor,' thrusting the academic, writer, and former spokesperson of Samajwadi Party into the national spotlight. The Supreme Court on Monday has agreed to hear a plea challenging his arrest, with senior advocate Kapil Sibal calling his statements "entirely patriotic." Academics, opposition leaders and rights activists have widely condemned the arrest. Mahmudabad's social media remarks on the defence oper ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Zepto Co-Founder and CEO Aadit Palicha has accused the chief financial officer of a competing company of orchestrating a smear campaign against his quick commerce platform. In a LinkedIn post on late Sunday, Palicha, not taking names, alleged that the CFO of one of Zepto's competitor firms has been reaching out to Zepto's investors with unsubstantiated claims, distributing false financial data to journalists, and employing bots to spread negative narratives about Zepto on social media. "Over the past few days, the CFO of one of our competitors has been trying to build ...Read More >