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.
Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Dec 17 (PTI) Concerns raised by district authorities over public disorder if Karthigai Deepam (lamp) was lit on a stone pillar near a dargah atop the Thirupparankundram hill, was "non-existent" aimed at stopping the Tamil culture, senior advocate S Sriram submitted before the Madras High Court on Wednesday. When the state was "unwilling" to enforce their rights, then the public could seek its enforcement, Sriram said, advancing his arguments on behalf of the devotees opposing appeals against the single judge order permitting the lighting of the lamp on Deepathoon on Karthigai Deepam festival. The division bench comprising Justice G Jayachandran and Justice K K Ramakrishnan, which heard the arguments in a batch of appeals challenging the December 1 order of Justice G R Swaminathan, for the fourth day today, sought to know if the devotees were willing for a negotiation. But the advocate declined. The state, dargah, Waqf board, and Madurai district and temple officials who are the appellants in the case had on December 16 concluded their arguments which had continued for three consecutive days. Sriram contended that the nature of right to worship of the devotees has become a contention and interplay of Waqf Board and ASI act. "The plea of public order comes from district administration which has not voiced its grievances before the single judge (Justice Swaminathan). Plea of public order is not a bogey or an alibi or a gate pass to avoid scrutiny," Sriram argued. When he remarked that the officials were saying the right to religion ought to be subordinated by public order, Justice Jayachandran said, "how are they interfering by saying don't light the lamp? The argument of public order is also exaggerated, your argument also." Sriram insisted that the lighting of the lamp was a Hindu religious practice, but the officials sought to contest this by saying the right to worship at a particular location is not right under Article 25. "In my case, the mind of the authorities is closed and tilted to the other side. I don't want to name that community," Sriram said and argued that "lighting lamps and worshiping is Tamil culture. This is sought to be stopped only on the grounds of concerns of non-existent public disorder." The arguments by the appellants that the stone pillar could belong to Jains, dargah or could be a survey stone were not bonafide arguments, he claimed. Referring to the Arulmighu Subrahmanya Swamy temple authorities earlier arguing that "even if Lord Murugan has two wives, only one lamp can be lit on the hillock," the advocate said "this showed the scorn for Hindu devotees." PTI JSP JSP SA
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 >
A temple locked since 1978 communal riots in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, has been reopened by authorities during an anti-encroachment drive. The Bhasma Shankar temple, containing idols of Lord Hanuman and a Shivling, was rediscovered during an electricity theft inspection. This follows recent violence and heightened tensions in the area, including a mosque survey dispute and loudspeaker fine.The Sambhal administration here on Saturday uncovered and reopened a temple, which is said to have been closed ...Read More >
Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 2 (ANI): The court commissioner submitted his survey report in Chandausi Court in the Sambhal Jama Masjid-Harihar case on Thursday. Tensions in Sambhal have been high since November 19, when a local court ordered a survey of the mosque. Clashes between protestors and police over the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid resulted in four deaths. Also Read | Karnataka Contractor Suicide Row: BJP Sends Sachin Panchal's Death Note to Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi; Congress Leader Priyank Kharge Says 'Party Set for Humiliation'. On December 30, a delegatio ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jan 8 (UNI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that the belief system of Sanatan Dharma represents the world's oldest culture, standing above comparison with any religion or sect. The CM said, "I inherit a legacy that spans thousands of years, with its cultural and spiritual events equally ancient. The tradition of Sanatan is higher than the sky and beyond comparison." Speaking at the 'Mahakumbh Mahasammelan, he emphasised the profound significance of the Maha Kumbh. He explained that after the Devasura Sangram (the battle between gods and demons), drops of nectar fell ...Read More >
Assam Beef Ban: A political row has erupted over the Assam government's decision to ban the public consumption of beef in the state with the Opposition labelling it "against the right to freedom" while the ruling BJP lauding the state Cabinet's call. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced on Wednesday that his government has decided to ban the consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places, drawing sharp reactions from the Opposition. Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) A day after the members of Raj Kapoor's family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan thanked him for inviting them to "commemorate the extraordinary life and legacy" of their grandfather ahead of the cinema icon's birth centenary. The Kapoor family, including actors Ranbir Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, and Neetu Kapoor, met the prime minister on Tuesday and invited him to the Raj Kapoor Film Festival to be held to celebrate the occasion. December 14, 2024 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor, an actor, editor, a director, and ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 11 (PTI) Two men drowned in a temple pond in Uloor while taking a bath on Wednesday, police said. The deceased persons, identified as auto drivers hailing from nearby places, were found drowning in the pond by local people. Though they sprung into a rescue mission, the two men were brought out dead. Due to the depth of the pond, there was a compound wall and gate to prevent people from entering the temple pond, but the auto drivers ignored the warning, local people added. PTI LGK KH ...Read More >
Khargone (MP), Dec 11 (PTI) Spiritual leader Sant Siyaram Baba passed away on Wednesday at 94 following a brief illness at his ashram on the banks of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh, an official said. Siyaram Baba breathed his last around 6.10 am in his ashram in Bhattyan village, said Khargone district Superintendent of Police Dharmaraj Meena. Condolences poured in from various quarters. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, former CM Digvijaya Singh, and ex-Union minister Arun Yadav among others expressed grief over the death of the Hindu seer, a revered figure in the Nimar region ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (VOICE) The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders of the Apex Court. A Special Bench headed by CJI Sajiv Khanna asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the clutch of petitions challenging the validity of the 1991 Act, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. The Bench, also c ...Read More >
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 8 (ANI): As the commencement date for the 2025 Maha Kumbh nears, popular seers and saints are joining the crowd in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. Amid celebrations, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj on Wednesday demanded that cow be given the status of 'Rashtra Mata'. He said that one of the biggest problems was cow slaughter and it must be stopped. The seer said that they would organise a 'maha yagya' to press their demands. "All Sanatani Hindus are uniting here for Kumbh. Even though we have a number of problems, the ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jan 13 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court has dismissed on Monday an appeal by J Deepak and J Deepa, the legal heirs of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, seeking the release of her assets confiscated in a 2004 disproportionate assets case. Jayalalithaa was convicted by a special court in 2014 for amassing wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income during her tenure from 1991 to 1996. Following her conviction, her properties were confiscated by the authorities. Although she was acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in 2015, then congress government in Karnataka ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Responding on the arrest and denial of bail of Chinmoy Krishna Das the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday urged Bangladeshi government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus. "We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote", the statement said. "This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There are several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities' ho ...Read More >
BUDAUN: A court hearing a plea of a Hindu outfit, which had sought permission to worship at Jama Masjid Shamsi here claiming it was a temple, on Tuesday asked the Muslim side to complete their arguments by December 10. Arguing his case, the lawyer for Shamsi Shahi Jama Masjid Intezamia Committee and Waqf Board Asrar Ahmed questioned the locus standi of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha to file the petition in the matter. Urging the court to dismiss the plea, the counsel submitted that the mosque is about 850 years old. He stated that there is "no existence of a temple" there and worship by Hin ...Read More >
The Supreme Court overturned a Madras High Court decision. The high court had refused to dismiss defamation charges against Union minister L Murugan. Murugan faced these charges over statements made in 2020. The Supreme Court accepted Murugan's argument. He said he did not intend to defame the Murasoli Trust. The case is now closed.The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed criminal defamation proceedings against Union minister L Murugan on a complaint filed by the Chennai-based Murasoli Trust for his ...Read More >
Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. IMAGE: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant hands over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira. Photograph: @DrPramodPSawant/X Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Ame ...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 >
Bengaluru, Dec 15 (VOICE) Former Minority Commission Chairman Anwar Manipaddy on Sunday refuted the bribery charge levelled by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying the Congress leaders have been offering him bribes to suppress the Waqf encroachment report. CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday alleged that BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra "tried to bribe" the former Minority Commission Chairperson during the previous government with Rs 150 crore to suppress a probe into the Waqf property encroachment. Speaking to the media, Anwar Manipaddy stated that if Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has any genuine co ...Read More >
Also Read | Sambhal sparks rift: INDIA bloc allies face leadership turmoil? "Multiple encroachments are being seen around the area," Sambhal DM Rajendra Pensia told ANI. Pensia said, "There was encroachment on roads, sewers, water bodies, and that too for a long time. We are undertaking an 'abhiyan' (drive) to fix it. We launched a campaign in Chandausi and we had decided we would start the campaign here in November. But we could not start." The DM stated the anti-encroachment drive will conti ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) The Pakistan high commission on Wednesday said it issued 84 visas to Indian pilgrims to visit the Shree Katas Raj temples in Punjab province's Chakwal district. The group has been given visas to visit the Katas Raj temples from December 19 to 25. The temples are also known as Qila Katas. It is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. Under the provision of a bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines, Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan every year.Pakistani pilgrims also visit India every year under the protocol. ...Read More >
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) January 27 (ANI): Spiritual leader and orator Devkinandan Thakur on Monday said that the Sanatana Dharma Sansad, which he convenes at the ongoing Mahakumbh, is organised for safeguarding Sanatanis. Devkinandan Thakurji Maharaj, as he is popularly known, said that the Dharma Sansad has been called for a board that can bring all our puja, tradition, culture, and Gau mata together and protect them. Also Read | Mahakumbh 2025: After Taking Holy Dip, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Along With His Family, Performs 'Aarti' at Triveni Sangam. "This Sanatana Dharma Sansad is ...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 >
ISKCON Bangladesh has strongly condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader, and spokesperson for the "Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot" and also issued a list of demands to the Muhammad Yunus-led government for subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh. The organisation has also issued a statement and called upon the government authorities to promote peaceful coexistence. ISKCON Bangladesh made note of the above points and more matters in a statement issued, regarding the current situation in Bangladesh and the arres ...Read More >
ISKCON Kolkata has raised concerns with India over ongoing persecution of its monks and Hindu communities in Bangladesh, following the arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. ISKCON Kolkata has seriously raised concerns with the Indian government over the ongoing persecution of its monks and Hindu religious communities in Bangladesh. This is after the recent arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a development that is very worrying in light of a series of attacks on members of the Hindu Vaishnavite order and other minority communities. ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharaman Das shared with PTI that ...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 >
Dhaka: A writ petition has been filed in the Bangladesh High Court seeking a ban on the broadcast of Indian TV channels in the country citing growing concerns over the impact of Indian media on Bangladeshi culture and society, Dhaka Tribune reported. Lawyer Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan, who filed the petition on Monday, is seeking a directive under the Cable Television Network Operation Act 2006 to prohibit the broadcast of Indian TV channels. It also asks why a rule should not be issued instructing a ban on Indian TV channels in Bangladesh, as per Dhaka Tribune. The hearing on the application may ...Read More >
Panaji, Dec 10 (PTI) Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Shane is the second person from the coastal state to receive the certificate, after Joseph Francis Pereira, another Pakistani citizen who was granted Indian citizenship in August this year. Shane, originally from Demello Wado ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Dec 12 (PTI) Ride-hailing app Uber on Thursday launched 'Uber Moto Women,' a first-of-its-kind service in Bengaluru offering women-only bike rides, the company said. In a statement, Uber said that this on-demand two-wheeler service connects female riders with female drivers and is designed to address women's safety and mobility needs while "empowering female drivers with flexible earning opportunities". "Developed based on feedback from women riders and drivers, Uber Moto Women offers a safe, affordable, and convenient commute option for women who prefer to ride with female driver ...Read More >
Kottayam (Kerala), Dec 12 (PTI) The historic struggle for equality that took place in Vaikom a century ago, popularly known as the Vaikom Satyagraha, was not a movement confined to Kerala but marked the starting point for various other struggles for social justice, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday. In his address at Vaikom in this district after inaugurating the renovated Thanthai Periyar Memorial and Periyar Library, Stalin said that while impressive strides have been made in areas of social justice and economy in 100 years, a lot more has to be achieved. Stalin inaugur ...Read More >
Sambhal (UP), Dec 15 (PTI) Weeks after violent clashes over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid claimed four lives, the district administration has launched a campaign against encroachments and illegal power theft in the area around the historic mosque. As part of its efforts, the administration began removing encroachments from the area on Sunday morning. According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shrish Chandra, the focus is on clearing drains outside houses and shops in the area under the Nakhasa police station. The area is close to the residence of Samajwadi Part ...Read More >
Gaya (Bihar) | Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday visited Bodh Gaya in Bihar's Gaya district and prayed at the Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO world heritage site. After arriving at Gaya International Airport, Dissanayake went straight to the 1,500-year-old Mahabodhi Temple, one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment. The Sri Lankan president was received by Bihar ministers Prem Kumar and Santosh Kumar Suman and senior officials of the district administration at the airport. Dissanayake, accompanied ...Read More >