The police have announced a reward on the head of the main accused, against whom a non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued.
'It was a disaster on his part to give an oral remark which allowed ascertainment of the religious character of places of worship.' 'This disrupted the social harmony of the country.'
Moderate turnout was recorded in the first four hours of polling across five assembly constituencies across Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat and Kerala where bypolls are underway on Thursday.
Opposition parties have called for a discussion in Parliament on the Maha Kumbh tragedy and the UP government's alleged focus on VIPs rather than the common pilgrims. Union minister Kiren Rijiju has stated that the Business Advisory Committee will decide on the agenda of the Budget Session, which will start from January 31. The Session will commence with President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Union Budget will be presented on February 1.
A 23-year-old Dalit woman was found dead in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, with her family alleging she was killed for refusing to vote for the Samajwadi Party in the Karhal assembly bypoll. Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the woman's death. The incident has escalated into a political controversy, with the BJP accusing the SP of creating an atmosphere of terror and the SP alleging that the Election Commission is turning a blind eye to the BJP's alleged misuse of government machinery. The bypoll in Karhal is being contested by the SP's Tej Pratap Singh and his 'fufa' Anujesh Pratap Singh, with the BSP also fielding a candidate.
The average age is 56, making the Lower House the oldest in India's parliamentary history and a year older than the previous Lok Sabha.
Daughter of three-time MP Toofani Saroj, Priya Saroj, 26, is a first-time MP from Uttar Pradesh's Machhlishahr. constituency.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the opposition Samajwadi Party over the 2013 Kumbh Mela arrangements, accusing the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of appointing a "non-Sanatani " as the in-charge of the religious congregation in Prayagraj. Adityanath highlighted the presence of dignitaries, including the President, Prime Minister, and heads of state from 74 countries, at the recent Maha Kumbh, contrasting it with the "chaos, corruption, and pollution " of the 2013 event. He also criticized the opposition's criticisms of the Maha Kumbh arrangements, arguing that everyone found something in accordance with their nature and character. Adityanath refuted allegations of discrimination against any community at the Maha Kumbh, emphasizing the unity and inclusivity of the event.
On Thursday, November 3, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will launch his Samajwadi Rath Yatra. The official launch of the party's election campaign, but also a way of assessing how much traction he has among the people.
'Such a remark does not behove the Prime Minister. Also, you have brought the country's youth to this point. There are no jobs. The only option is to fix punctures or sell fritters. Muslims don't just make punctures. I can list what Muslims have made'
The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday accused police personnel of deterring some people from casting votes in Uttar Pradesh where bypolls are underway, while the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the faces of some burqa-clad women voters are not matching with their IDs.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak has asserted that no cases of skin diseases were reported among pilgrims who took a dip in the holy Sangam during the Maha Kumbh. Pathak's statement comes in response to concerns raised by opposition leaders regarding the purity of the river water. He highlighted the cleanliness efforts undertaken during the event and the cultural significance of the Maha Kumbh.
The attack occurred when Kamlesh Pathak had gone to settle a land dispute in Bhind district in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.
Ramji Lal Suman had married the complainant after raping her.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a holy dip in the Sangam at Maha Kumbh on Sunday, urging the BJP to bathe with "patience." He criticized the BJP for splashing water on each other after bathing in the Sangam, saying people come to Kumbh for virtue and charity, not for water sports. Yadav, who had earlier taken a dip in the Ganga river in Haridwar on Makar Sankranti, said he had always visited the religious congregation. The latest official figures show that 1.17 crore people took a dip in the Sangam till late Sunday afternoon, bringing the total number of 'snan' (bath) in Maha Kumbh since its start to 11.47 crore.
A Samajwadi Party Member of Legislative Assembly was booked on Monday for attempt to murder in Mahrajganj after a woman, whom he had allegedly set ablaze last week, died at a hospital. The FIR lodged against MLA Sripat Azad in this connection has been converted into a case of attempt to murder after the death of the woman at a hospital in Gorakhpur, Superintendent of Police Ram Swarup said. Raids are being conducted at Gorakhpur, Lucknow, across the Nepal border.
Vulgar display of extravagance seems to be a commonality between political rivals Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Acting on complaints, the Election Commission on Wednesday ordered suspension of police personnel violating its guidelines on checking of voters and stopping them from casting votes in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, officials said.
While the MNS had fielded 125 candidates, the VBA had 200 candidates in the fray.
The Allahabad high court on Friday stayed the arrest of Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq in connection with violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district during a survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
Farhat, the PA of SP's Rajya Sabha MP Munabbar Saleem, was detained on Friday night.
Akhilesh said the alliance's decision was not informed by any seat-sharing math but its pursuit of victory.
Samajwadi Party leader and Kairana MP Iqra Choudhary has moved the Supreme Court seeking effective implementation of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. This move comes amidst several petitions challenging the law's validity, including those filed by the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay. The Supreme Court, in December 2022, had restrained all courts from examining fresh suits and passing interim orders in pending cases seeking to reclaim religious places. The Act aims to maintain the religious character of places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947, but the dispute relating to Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid at Ayodhya was kept out of its purview. The court has listed Choudhary's plea with other pending pleas for February 17.
After Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, his colleague Sriprakash Jaiswal has earned the wrath of the Samajwadi Party which on Saturday demanded that the prime minister sack him from the Cabinet for levelling allegations of corruption against the Uttar Pradesh government.
The Congress on Saturday maintained silence over Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma's renewed attack on outside ally Samajwadi Party, which is hopeful that he will be removed during a minor Cabinet reshuffle being talked about soon.
The ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday retained the Handia assembly seat by defeating its Bahujan Samaj Party rival by a comprehensive margin of more than 26,000 votes.
Severing ties with the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari has sent resignations of his supporters, including his member of Legislative Assembly son-in-law, from all positions in the state government.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party on Thursday blocked in the Lok Sabha a bill to provide reservation for SCs and STs in government job promotions, delaying the measure which was seen as quid pro quo for Bahujan Samaj Party's support to United Progressive Alliance on Foreign Direct Investment in retail.
Senior Samajwadi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Mohan Singh passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Sunday after a prolonged battle with cancer.
The residence of Samajwadi Party (SP) Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman was attacked in Agra by alleged workers of the Karni Sena, days after his remarks in Parliament on Rana Sanga triggered a row. The attack comes as the latest instance of violence in India stemming from historical figures and caste-based tensions. The Karni Sena demanded an apology from Suman and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for "insulting" their hero, while Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Uttar Pradesh government for its claims of "zero tolerance" against crime.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who faced trolling on social media in the wake of India and Pakistan reaching an understanding on May 10 to halt all military actions, has received support from veteran diplomat Nirupama Menon Rao, a body of Indian diplomats and a host of politicians from several parties.
Mathura resident Tarun Gautam has alleged in the court that police threatened his family and framed his son, a B.Tech student, in false cases under the Gangsters Act, and Arms Act.
Akhilesh Yadav hit back, saying no one had any clue that the alliance was coming apart and that he had dialled the BSP chief to know why the tie-up ended.
Opposing Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail, the Samajwadi Party on Tuesday said that the move is not in the interest of the country.
As the Centre announced the inclusion of caste enumeration in the next census on Wednesday, opposition parties said it is a victory for their long-standing demand and sought time-bound implementation.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violence during protests against the Waqf law, accusing her of remaining silent while "Bengal is burning." He also said that the only treatment for rioters is stick, as "Those who respond only to thrashing don't understand words."
The delegations led by Baijayant Panda, Ravi Shankar Prasad (both Bharatiya Janata Party), Sanjay Kumar Jha (Janata Dal-United), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Kanimozhi (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and Supriya Sule (Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Pawar) will visit a total of 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on Thursday invited rebel Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh to join his party saying that its doors were open for him.
In a jolt to Rashtriya Lok Dal, its Rajya Sabha member of Parliament Shahid Siddiqui and Anuradha Chowdhury, a former aide of party chief Ajit Singh, on Sunday joined the Samajwadi Party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
