Ajit Pawar became a ray of hope for Muslims, the only man in power who could resolve their grievances.
He added that the Uttarakhand government has acted swiftly in the matter and that around five people have already been arrested.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the deadline for registering Waqf properties on the UMEED portal will not be extended. However, those who attempted registration but could not complete it will be exempt from penalties for the next three months.
The home portfolio of Bihar, which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar kept with himself all through his nearly 20-year-long tenure, has been given to his deputy, BJP leader Samrat Chowdhury, this time, according to an official notification issued on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened" by the bus accident in Saudi Arabia's Medinah, in which several Indian Umrah pilgrims are feared dead.
'This game against Tottenham will be important for us... to be (around) the top of the league.'
Rajasthan's finance department has approved about Rs 23 crore for the renovation, beautification and development of religious tourist destinations.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju clarifies that tribal communities in the northeast and other areas will be exempt from the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to preserve their traditional way of life.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce interim orders on key issues related to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the power to denotify waqf properties.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce interim orders on key issues related to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the power to denotify properties declared as waqf.
The West Bengal Urdu Academy has postponed a 'mushaira' featuring Javed Akhtar following protests by some Muslim groups who claim his comments hurt religious sentiments. Left student organizations condemn the postponement.
Two Union Ministers visited the family of a 23-year-old woman in Kothamangalam who allegedly took her own life due to harassment by her lover. The family is demanding an NIA probe into the incident, alleging forced religious conversion.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserts that the decision on the Incarnation of the Dalai Lama will be taken by the established institution and the leader of Tibetan Buddhist himself, rebuffing China's claim to approve the successor.
On Monday, May 19, 2025, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju unveiled the statue of the 19th Kushok Gyalsras Bakula Rinpochey at the Bakula Rinpoche memorial park in Leh.
China has objected to Indian Minister Kiren Rijiju's remarks on the Dalai Lama's reincarnation, urging India to be cautious on Tibet-related issues to avoid impacting bilateral relations. China insists any future Dalai Lama must receive its approval.
China has protested to India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings to the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday and the attendance of Indian officials at the celebrations, stressing New Delhi should appreciate Beijing's sensitivities on Tibet-related issues.
President Droupadi Murmu attended the funeral Mass of Pope Francis at St Peter's Square in Vatican City on Saturday. She was part of an official Indian delegation led by the President and also paid homage to Pope Francis at the Basilica of St Peter. India had declared a three-day state mourning on the passing of Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for those challenging the validity of the law, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, to file their written notes by Monday.
The Minister for Housing, Waqf, and Minority Affairs in the Siddaramaiah-led government claimed that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were to give him a suicide bomb, he would tie it to himself and go to Pakistan to fight.
The matter would be heard by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih.
As soon as one of the pleas came up for hearing on Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, objected and said there can't be an "endless" filing of pleas challenging the Act.
The Web portal of the Organiser, the RSS mouthpiece, published an article (withdrawn later) that the Christian community holds many acres of land, far more than Waqf property.'
The bill aims to include all the Muslims sects in the Waqf board, Rijiju said.
'It is not as if Hindus are not being touched at all, and only Muslims are.'
Introducing the bill, Rijiju said the consultation process of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was the largest ever exercise carried out by a parliamentary panel in India's democratic history.
The committee includes secretaries of the women and child welfare, minority affairs, law and judiciary, social justice and special assistance departments, and deputy secretaries of the home department.
The Supreme Court on Monday said the pleas challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act's constitutional validity will now be taken up by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India-designate Justice B R Gavai on May 15 as the incumbent CJI will be demitting office on May 13.
The opposition Peoples' Democratic Party and Peoples' Conference targeted the ruling National Conference over the meeting, and accused it of surrendering to the Bharatiya Janata Party without even a pretence over the passage of the Waqf act.
Only four working days are left for the ongoing budget session to come to an end on April 4.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has urged Muslims to wear a black armband on their right hand during Juma prayers on the last Friday of Ramzan as a mark of protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The AIMPLB has been vocal in its opposition to the Bill, calling it "controversial, discriminatory and damaging." The organization has planned nationwide protests against the Bill, with large sit-ins scheduled in several cities.
Be it a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Parsi, Buddhist or Jain, everyone is welcome at the dargah, Rijiju said.
Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, the MLA from Bisfi assembly constituency in Madhubani district, made these remarks while speaking to reporters at the Vidhan Sabha premises.
'The irony of this country is that the party in Opposition and the party in power both depend on Muslims.'
A chance meeting between Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union minister Kiren Rijiju at the Tulip Garden in Srinagar has sparked a political storm, with opposition parties accusing the National Conference of laying out a red carpet for the BJP leader in the aftermath of the Waqf Amendment Act. While NC sources termed the interaction as a purely coincidental encounter, opposition parties like the PDP and Peoples' Conference condemned the meeting, accusing the NC of surrendering to the BJP. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, passed by Parliament last week, aims to streamline the management of Waqf properties with provisions to safeguard heritage sites and promote social welfare.
'So, they have taken away the word Waqf from the Bill.' 'It will now be known as the UMEED Act.'
The Supreme Court of India will likely hear a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 on April 15. The Act, which came into force on April 8, has been met with widespread criticism from various stakeholders, including politicians, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. They argue that the law is discriminatory and violates the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. The petitions allege that the amendments give the government more control over the administration of Waqf, effectively sidelining the Muslim minority from managing their own religious endowments.
'They want to snatch the land and give it to their friends'
Pakistan's Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a vocal critic of the controversial blasphemy law, was on Wednesday shot dead by gunmen who ambushed his car near his residence in Islamabad, the second high-profile politician to be assassinated in nearly two months.
The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with the ruling NDA defending it as beneficial for minorities while the opposition called it "anti-Muslim". All amendments moved by the opposition were rejected and the bill was passed with 288 votes in favor and 232 against. Union Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that India is the safest place in the world for minorities, refuting claims of their insecurity.
The Telangana government has issued a circular allowing Muslim employees to leave offices an hour early during the holy month of Ramzan. The move has been criticized by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which termed it "appeasement politics". The BJP questioned why similar measures are not extended during Hindu festivals. The ruling Congress party defended the decision, stating that such facilities are provided during various festivals and are not unique to Ramzan.
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