Chhattisgarh's latest police recruitment exam results have drawn widespread attention after a bizarre mix of candidate names, such as 'News', 'Space Rani', 'He Ram' and 'Tufail', surfaced on the qualifying list, prompting the Opposition Congress to allege irregularities, even as candidates came forward to defend their unique monikers.
The Congress party has strongly condemned the 'purification' of a rally venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after a public meeting addressed by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging it reflects an 'anti-Dalit' mindset of the BJP and RSS.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged girl students to "smash patriarchy" and criticised the "Manusmriti mindset" during an interaction in Pune, highlighting issues of sexual harassment, safety, and economic independence for women.
The Supreme Court has listed for hearing on August 31 an appeal of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, challenging the August 6 order of the Calcutta high court denying him pre-arrest bail in the Salboni land-grabbing case.
Major opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, and SP, boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die, while some opposition leaders attended a similar event in the Rajya Sabha.
'They want to sabotage the caste census and bury Muslim backward classes, Hindu backward classes, Sikh backward classes and Buddhist backward classes.'
Private guards at Ttrinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee's office, his supporters and some party leaders on Thursday scuffled with police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, trying to prevent them from entering the building on Camac Street and dismantling an "unauthorised" billboard.
'The BJP has all the instruments with them and they do have a sense of purpose, so I don't think there will be a challenge.'
The wife of slain Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan on Friday threatened to self-immolate if the police fail to arrest her husband's killers within four days.
The BJP accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of objecting to the full version of Vande Mataram at an Independence Day event, sparking a political row. The Congress denied the charge, stating Gandhi was only seeking a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and clarified the historical context of the song's usage.
Ten days after both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die, the Monsoon session is yet to end formally, giving rise to speculation that the government wants to pass a key legislation without convening a new session.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged a dharna at a Delhi police station, demanding an FIR for 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, who suffered pellet injuries during a protest against the NEET paper leak. Gandhi claimed police cited 'orders from the top' for not registering the complaint and accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being 'afraid of justice'.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's planned visit to the United States has been denied political clearance by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), citing non-conformity with laid down norms, forcing him to cancel the US leg of his 'TelanganaRising' delegation tour and return to Hyderabad earlier than planned.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge stated in the Legislative Council that no cases of communal riots or other crimes have been registered against the RSS. This statement, made in response to an opposition query, has sparked a political controversy, with the BJP criticising Kharge, a vocal RSS critic, for his alleged "political vendetta." Kharge, in turn, clarified that the RSS is not a registered legal entity, and therefore, cases are registered against individuals, not the organisation itself, calling for its registration for transparency.
Police have granted permission for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Pune, but with 30 stringent conditions, including prohibitions on 'objectionable' banners and directives to avoid hurting religious sentiments.
Kiren Rijiju has strongly criticised the Congress for allegedly 'unfairly disrupting' the recent monsoon session.
Clashes erupted between police and students in Jharkhand protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, even as the high court provided interim relief by staying notifications cancelling appointments for Child Development Project Officers and those recruited through JSSC-CGL tests.
Students in Jharkhand are intensifying their protests against alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, demanding Chief Minister Hemant Soren's resignation and planning to gherao his residence on August 20, while the CM assures impartial investigations and systemic reforms.
Thousands of students clashed with Bihar Police in Patna while attempting to march to the chief minister's residence, protesting against the Bihar Public Service Commission's (BPSC) examination system and alleged irregularities.
The Calcutta High Court has extended interim protection for TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee until November 30, directing police not to take coercive steps in three criminal cases, stating that custodial interrogation is not necessary.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has criticised Congress leaders for visiting 'anaj mandis' in Haryana and challenged them to assess the performance of Congress-governed states. He highlighted the development work carried out in Haryana under the current government.
Former poll strategist Prashant Kishor made a stunning electoral debut by winning Bihar's Bankipur assembly seat, a long-held BJP bastion. Concurrently, the Congress retained the Datia assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, while the BJP successfully held onto the Manjalpur seat in Gujarat, showcasing mixed results for the ruling and opposition parties in these crucial by-elections.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the use of force against students protesting alleged recruitment exam irregularities in Jharkhand, urging the state government, of which Congress is a part, to engage in dialogue and resolve their issues immediately. Police in Ranchi had used water cannons, tear gas, and lathi-charged job aspirants attempting to reach the state assembly.
The Congress and BJP are engaged in a political spat over the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill and its proposed link to delimitation, with Rahul Gandhi urging unconditional implementation of the 2023 law and Kiren Rijiju highlighting the constitutional requirement for delimitation based on post-2026 census figures.
The Mumbai police on Thursday ordered a probe and removed a police driver from the duty roster after a viral video purportedly showed him threatening student protesters with false narcotics charges if they returned to demonstrate.
The spiralling agitation over the NEET issue saw protests and counter-protests by Congress and BJP across the country on Wednesday, with clashes and tense face-offs at many places, a day after Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders were forcibly removed from a dharna outside the prime minister's residence.
The Lok Sabha passed two Bills, including one to rename Kerala as Keralam, without debate as Opposition members continued their protests, demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah's presence to address police excesses against student protesters and alleged Ram temple fund irregularities.
Donald Trump has explicitly acknowledged that the US Constitution's 22nd Amendment prevents him from seeking a third presidential term in 2028, despite expressing a desire to run again and noting strong support from his base.
Congress leader K C Venugopal has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, demanding privilege proceedings against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for allegedly "misleading" Parliament regarding Indian soldier casualties post the Pahalgam terror attack and during Operation Sindoor.
Three months after winning power in West Bengal, the BJP is confronting a significant political challenge: how to expand and consolidate its presence without adopting the very political culture it campaigned against, particularly concerning the integration of former TMC leaders and the need to curb practices like extortion and intimidation among its own cadres.
Actor-MP Kangana Ranaut and movie legend Sharmila Tagore are embroiled in a public debate over Vande Mataram.
Maharashtra Congress on Tuesday branded deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar a "gungi gudiya" (mute doll), drawing a sharp rebuttal from the Nationalist Congress Party, which asked if the Opposition party now endorses the infamous slur once hurled at former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Supporters of Congress MLA S N Subba Reddy launched a violent protest in Chikkaballapura, Karnataka, after he was excluded from the state cabinet. The agitation, which included a bandh, road blockades, and an attempted self-immolation, highlights a wider rebellion within the ruling Congress over ministerial berth denials following the recent cabinet expansion.
The Maharashtra Congress has called for an inquiry into IPS officer Vishwas Nangre Patil's speech at a Hindu Sakal Samaj event, where he reportedly praised the RSS. The party alleges that the speech raises questions about his neutrality and adherence to All India Services (Conduct) Rules, especially concerning political neutrality and the requirement for prior permission for such public engagements. Nangare Patil was recently appointed Nagpur police commissioner, a city known for housing the RSS headquarters.
'If Congress had aligned with the TVK before the election, we would have won almost a two-thirds majority.'
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is in New Delhi to discuss the allocation of portfolios among newly inducted ministers and address discontent among legislators who missed out on cabinet berths. Speculation also surrounds a potential minor cabinet reshuffle and the appointment of a woman minister to the lone vacant position, with the CM aiming to finalise these decisions before the state Legislature's monsoon session.
The Supreme Court has extended its order staying the arrest of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, in connection with the Salboni land-grabbing case. The West Bengal government alleged Roy was not cooperating with the probe, while Roy's counsel argued he has a right to silence and the case is politically motivated. The court will review a sealed cover report from the police before further proceedings.
Opposition parties Congress and Goa Forward Party have commenced preliminary discussions for an alliance ahead of the 2027 state assembly polls, with the Aam Aadmi Party also indicating its willingness to join. The primary goal of these potential alliances is to challenge and defeat the ruling BJP government in Goa, which aims for a fourth consecutive term.
Kharge, who is also the Congress President, demanded that cases should be registered, under the Untouchability Act, against those who purified the stage in Haldwani, and they should be arrested and sent to jail.
Several prominent BJP leaders, including former Union minister Smriti Irani, RSS veteran Ram Madhav, and former chief ministers Biplab Kumar Deb and Tirath Singh Rawat, have been reinstated into significant roles within the party's national team. This reshuffle marks a political recovery for many who had previously seen their influence wane or lost electoral battles, positioning them for key organisational responsibilities ahead of upcoming elections.
