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, Oct 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the Inmarsat satellite phone services has been restored for over 30 fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were stranded at sea. The British satellite telecommunications company restored satellite phone services after interventions from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Sitharaman informed in a post on social media platform X. The fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district were left stranded at sea amid turbulent weather, she said, stating that the issue was flagged by the Fishermen Cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The men were left stranded after the Inmarsat satellite phone connection, used by fishermen in the deep sea, malfunctioned. "Heartening to note that Inmarsat satellite phone services have been restored for over 30 fishermen currently out in the deep sea, following the intervention of @BSNLCorporate and @DoT_India," the Finance Minister said. "The private operator has temporarily resumed connectivity successfully for many users, enabling communication with those at high sea," she added. The Finance Minister said her office had spoken with Father Thomas of St Mary's Church, Vallavilai, who raised concerns over the loss of Inmarsat satellite phone connectivity with several fishing boats currently at sea. The weather alert is now reaching most of the fishermen, and they are taking necessary precautionary measures to return safely. "BSNL and @DoT_India are working closely with the private operator to ensure that services are restored for the remaining fishermen as per their requirements," Sitharaman said. "My office has conveyed about the phone services being restored to the Father Thomas, Vallavalai village, who expressed his relief and gratitude. "The Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remains deeply committed to the welfare, safety, and security of Tamil Nadu's fishermen and stands firmly with them in their hour of need," Sitharaman said. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the intensified monsoon has led to the formation of a persistent low-pressure trough over southern Kerala and adjoining Comorin Sea regions, while a deep depression over the southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area continues to hover in the same zone. Fishermen are advised not to venture into Southeast and adjoining Eastcentral Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep and Comorin Area and along and off Karnataka, Kerala and adjoining South Tamil Nadu coasts till October 21 and over southwest and adjoining southeast and west central Arabian Sea during October 22 and 23, the meteorological department said in a press release. Fishermen have been advised to return to the shore as strong winds of 35-55 kmph are expected over the south and central Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea near Kerala, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, and Maldives areas until October 23.
Story so far: India celebrated its 75th year of adoption of its Constitution on Tuesday (November 26, 2024) with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint session of parliament. While the Constitution of India hits its diamond jubilee this year, event commemorating is as 'Constitution Day' was started only in 2015. Prior to this, it was called 'National Law Day' -- first initiated by former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Laxmi Mall Singhvi in 1979. "The Indian Constitution is a live, progressive document," said Ms. Murmu adding, "I urge all citizens to imbibe the constitutio ...Read More >
Traffic Diversions for oath-taking: The swearing-in ceremony of the new Maharashtra Chief Minister will be held at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai tomorrow, December 5. Mumbai Traffic Police has issued an advisory in view of the event. The traffic diversions will remain in place from 12 PM tomorrow till the end of the programme. Devendra Fadnavis was on Wednesday unanimously elected as Maharashtra BJP legislature party's leader, paving the way for his swearing-in as the chief minister for a third time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders are set to attend the grand swearing-in cerem ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India] November 18 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party MP K Laxman slammed Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accusing the Congress party of 'misleading' people. He further said that the people of Maharashtra know "how to teach a lesson" to Congress. "Revanth Reddy as a CM of Telangana and as a Congress leader is misleading the public. Maharashtra people are clever enough they know how to teach a lesson to these Congress people and Revanth Reddy you will come to know what has happened in Haryana that is going to be repeated in Maharashtra, and Jharkhand also," K Laxman ...Read More >
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition is now gearing up for a national protest after losing Maharashtra state elections. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which suffered a crushing defeat in last week's Maharashtra state elections, is now gearing up for a national protest against the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which it blames for its loss. The MVA, led by the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (led by Sharad Pawar), is planning to challenge the use of EVMs in court and demand a return to ballot paper voting. Fo ...Read More >
Guwahati: A group of intellectuals and prominent citizens met the officials of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala and demanded the immediate release of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in Bangladesh. Various other organisations also organised protest rallies and demonstrations against the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. The intellectuals under the banner of 'Forum for Protection of Minorities in Bangladesh' urged the Bangladesh caretaker government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to make all efforts to protect the minorities in Bangla ...Read More >
Mumbai: Two days ahead of the Maharashtra government formation, top sources have said that Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena is likely to be allotted eight portfolios including the Urban Development Ministry. Sources also said that Ajit Pawar's NCP will retain the Finance Ministry. Sources have further said that there is no dispute between Shiv Sena and the BJP over the Chief Minister's which is yet to be revealed by the Mahayuti alliance. Meanwhile, reports are doing the rounds that Sena wants swearing in of its ministers on December 5 itself, along with oath taking of Chief Minister and Deputy Chie ...Read More >
Chandigarh [India], December 3 (ANI): Punjab Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday, slammed the BJP-led central government for neglecting the interests of farmers in Punjab and Haryana. Bajwa's scathing attack comes amidst growing discontent among farmers in the region, who feel their concerns have been ignored by the ruling party. "Ever since the BJP government has come to power, they have not taken a single decision that is in the interest of the farmers of India, especially the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. It is their fundamental rig ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will commence customary pre-Budget consultations with various stakeholders beginning Friday. As part of the process, she will meet eminent economists on December 6 to seek their inputs regarding upcoming Budget amid seven-quarter low GDP print of 5.4 per cent recorded in the second quarter of the current financial year. It will be followed by a meeting with farmer associations and agriculture economists and stakeholders in MSME sector scheduled for December 7, sources said. Union Budget 2025-26 is likely to be tabled in Parliament o ...Read More >
Delhi is facing worsening pollution and erratic weather patterns, with the air quality regularly reaching dangerous levels. This is partly due to climate change, with temperature rises and unpredictable rainfall patterns caused by global warming. The industrial revolution has played a significant role, contributing to the rise in global temperatures. The effects are already being felt, with 2024 witnessing record-breaking heat in India. Despite this, there is little action from society or leadership, with courts repeatedly stepping in to address issues like pollution and farm fires. The need f ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...Read More >
Chennai ( Tamil Nadu) [India], November 27 (ANI): As a deep depression in the southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone and move towards Tamil Nadu, the Indian Coast Guard has started coordinating with the state agencies to ensure seafarers' safety. The ICG said that its ships, aircraft and radar stations issued advisories for fishing boats to return to the harbour. "Deep Depression in the #BayofBengal likely to intensify into a cyclone and move towards #Tamilnadu, as per #IMD. @IndiaCoastGuard Region HQs (East) is coordinating with state agencies to ensure seafarers' saf ...Read More >
New Delhi, December 4: In a significant move to enhance customer experience and protect citizens, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which allows bank account holders to have up to four nominees in their accounts. The higher number of nominees aims to reduce unclaimed deposits in banks. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that depositors will have the option of successive or simultaneous nomination facility, while locker holders will have only successive nominations. Another sweeping change relates to redefining 'substantial interest' for directors ...Read More >
New Delhi, November 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the government at the Centre has strengthened the spirit of the Constitution over the last 10 years. Addressing the Constitution Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, PM Modi highlighted that in the last 10 years, more than 53 crore bank accounts were opened, more than 4 crore pukka houses were given and more than 10 crore free gas connections were given. "In the last 5-6 years, by providing tap water facilities in more than 12 crore houses, the government made the lives of citizens easy, particularly of women," he sai ...Read More >
The Indian government has announced a 375km rail network expansion, aimed at enhancing economic growth and connectivity in North Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. With a total cost of approximately Rs79.27bn ($1.05bn), these projects are aimed to be completed within four years. Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, detailed the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs' approval of three railway infrastructure projects. The projects include the Jalgaon-Manmad fourth line (160 km), Bhusawal-Khandwa third and fourth lines (131km), and the Prayagraj (Iradatganj)-Manikpur thir ...Read More >
Shinde accepts BJP's decision, likely to receive key ministries Shinde has agreed to BJP's decision to make a Chief Minister from its ranks. He is expected to be given important portfolios like Urban Development, Public Works Department, and Water Resources. Sources also say that two Deputy Chief Ministers will be appointed, one each from Shiv Sena and NCP. Pawar has told his party leaders that the swearing-in ceremony could take place this weekend. Despite initial resistance, Shinde announced his party's support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's decision on the ...Read More >
European nations are investigating a Chinese cargo ship for underwater sabotage in the Baltic Sea, according to a report. Earlier this month, two undersea fibre-optic data cables were cut in the Baltic Sea. The first cable was damaged between Sweden and Lithuania and the second cable was damaged between Germany and Finland. Shortly after the damage was discovered, Sweden took the lead in investigations and European nations -- all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) -- began pursuing a Chinese cargo ship in the region. The Chinese ship, Yi Peng 3, is currently anchored in ...Read More >
Cybercrime is quickly increasing in India, with reports surfacing daily about victims losing large sums of money to scammers. These scammers often use tactics like threatening a "digital arrest" to instill fear and pressure individuals into transferring money. They typically operate from foreign countries to evade capture by law enforcement. The Indian government, including Prime Minister Modi, is actively raising awareness about these scams. Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a warning to the public regarding international fraud calls. They advised people to be caut ...Read More >
Bill Gates' comments on India's potential as a 'laboratory to try things' during a podcast have sparked backlash among Indian social media users, who felt the remark was disrespectful. While some saw it as reducing India to a testing ground, others defended Gates, claiming his statement was misinterpreted. Bill Gates' latest comments on a podcast with Reid Hoffman have set off a firestorm of controversy among Indian commentators. In a discussion, he referred to India as a "kind of laboratory to try things," which has caused great outrage and accusations of disrespect. The tech mogul has faced ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 3 (PTI) Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday visited a private hospital in Thane for a "check-up," two days before a new CM is sworn in at an open ground ceremony in south Mumbai. Even as it is not known yet who would take oath as chief minister at Azad Maidan on the evening of December 5, preparations are in full swing for the ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about 2,000 VVIPs and some 40,000 supporters. Shinde, who had been staying at his private residence in Thane for the last few days, visited the hospital in the morning. "I ...Read More >
Dhanbad/Gumla, Dec 4 (PTI) Thousands of people from various Hindu organisations on Wednesday took out rallies in Jharkhand's Dhanbad and Gumla cities in protest against the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das. Demanding the immediate release of Das, the protesters urged the Indian government to intervene and stop the atrocities being perpetrated on minority Hindus in the neighbouring country. In Dhanbad, Hindu Rashtriya Samanvya Samiti (HRSS) organised the protest, which was attended by members of Dhanbad ISKCON, Bajrang Dal, BJP and other o ...Read More >
Mumbai: Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in a media briefing at Mahayuti meet on Wednesday avoided questions about whether he would accept the Deputy Chief Minister position in the new government. Shinde made a witty remark at Ajit Pawar and laughed aloud while cracking the joke. When asked if he and NCP chief Ajit Pawar will also take oath as Deputy CMs tomorrow, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde said, "Wait till evening..." In response, NCP chief Ajit Pawar remarked, "Sham tak unka samaj aayega, I will take it (oath), I will not wait." Responding to NCP chief Pawar, Shinde sa ...Read More >
Chennai (Tamil Nadu): In the latest update relating to cyclone Fengal, colleges and schools in Tamil Nadu shall remain closed, said reports on Wednesday. The education institutions shall be closed in as many as six districts, said reports. According to further reports, nine districts of the state have been put on high alert as the IMD (India Meteorological Department) has predicted heavy rainfall due to possible cyclonic storm in the Bay Of Bengal due to cyclone Fengal. Reports said that schools in Tamil Nadu are closed in the following districts namely: Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpet, Ari ...Read More >
Minimum night-time temperatures in the region have risen to between 20°C and 22°C, marking a significant change from the cooler weather previously experienced. (READ MORE BELOW) Hyderabad is experiencing a unique weather spell this winter, as the city and its surrounding districts find themselves in the midst of an extended monsoon season. Despite the seasonal shift to winter, the city has been facing conditions more typical of the monsoon months. With temperatures hovering well above the usual winter lows, residents of Hyderabad and neighboring areas can expect a week of continued rain, clou ...Read More >
The Palakkad bypoll has turned into a fierce triangular contest with key defections adding to the excitement. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan campaigned for former Congress leader P Sarin, now contesting as an Independent for the LDF, while BJP’s C Krishnakumar faces a tough challenge. Sarin, a former Congress digital strategist, switched parties after being snubbed for the Congress ticket. Meanwhile, BJP leader Sandeep Varier defected to Congress, further intensifying the race. With the election crucial for UDF, NDA, and LDF's momentum heading into the 2026 Kerala assembly elections, all eyes are ...Read More >
CUDDALORE: Cyclone Fengal has led to heavy rainfall and disrupted normal life in Cuddalore, with rough seas and waves rising over 10 feet on the coast, significantly higher than the usual 2 feet. Coastal areas, including Thazhanguda, Devanampattinam, Singarathoppu, and Sothikuppam, are affected. The district recorded an average rainfall of 5.23 cm from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, and the downpour continued on Wednesday. Educational institutions remained closed following an order by Collector Sibi Aditya Senthil Kumar. Following the warning issued by the Fisheries Department not to ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 29 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party MPs on Friay staged a protest in the premises of the Parliament, alleging deteriorating law and order situation in the national capital. The protest was held by AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and other party leaders. On Thursday, an explosion was reported in Delhi's Prashant Vihar on Thursday. Fire tenders were at rushed to the site and teams of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos Delhi Police Crime Branch, Special Cell and Bomb Disposal Squad also reached. A high alert was sounded in the national capital afte ...Read More >
Bhopal: More than 30 people sustained burn injuries during a 'mashaal' (flaming torch) procession in the Malwa-Nimar region in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district. The incident occurred at Ghantaghar Chowk late Thursday night where more than 250 people, including women and children, assembled to participate in the procession. As soon as the procession concluded, the participants gathered at Ghantaghar Chowk holding 'mashaals' in their hands. The fire broke out after some of the 'mashaals' fell on the ground where liquid material used for ignition was kept. The fire turned into an inferno, tri ...Read More >
Odisha experienced light showers on Friday as a deep depression formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal. Bhubaneswar, preparing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, saw drizzles and extensive cloud cover due to the developing weather system. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted light rain in districts like Balasore, Bhadrak, and Cuttack until Saturday morning. While the depression is moving north-northwest and is expected to cross the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts with winds of 55-65 kmph, the IMD confirmed it poses no direct threat to Odisha, though rain could occur due to ...Read More >
Maharashtra CM 2024 Live Updates: Shinde is likely to hold meetings today with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar Maharashtra New CM 2024 Live Updates: After more than a week of suspense and speculations, the Mahayuti government may finally announce its choice for Chief Minister today following a massive victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections by the BJP-led alliance parties. Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who returned to Thane on Sunday evening after being "unwell," has reopened the door for the much-delayed power-sharing talks among the Mahayut ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday expressed her sorrow over the havoc wreaked by Cyclone Fengal in south India including Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Offering her condolences to those who lost their loved ones, Vadra appealed to the Congress workers to work with the administration in relief work amid the crisis. "Deeply saddened by the devastation caused by Cyclone Fengal in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. My prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and those facing immense loss and hardship. I appeal to all Congress workers to join hands with ...Read More >