CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan defends a Kerala temple marriage involving a young woman and her Muslim friend, amidst allegations of underage marriage and criticism from the Sangh Parivar. An investigation has been launched in Madhya Pradesh following claims about the woman's age.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan faces criticism for using his caste surname 'Menon' during his swearing-in ceremony, igniting a debate on caste identity and political messaging.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan defended his use of the caste surname "Menon" during his swearing-in ceremony, saying he had only mentioned his father's name and saw nothing wrong in doing so on such an occasion.
The DMK criticised its former allies, VCK and IUML, for joining the TVK government, leading to a heated exchange and prompting DMK chief M K Stalin to call for restraint.
AM Shahjahan and Vanni Arasu from IUML and VCK respectively were sworn in as ministers in Tamil Nadu, increasing the number of allies in the TVK government. This marks the first time representatives from both parties have been inducted into the state cabinet, signifying a shift in Tamil Nadu's coalition dynamics.
'When Narendra Modi was here, he spoke only about development and what the BJP wanted to do in Kerala. That kind of sober rhetoric or argument is acceptable to the people here.'
Hopefully, the BJP will realise that it's the right time for parivartan (change) in its polarising poll strategies after achieving the impossible-looking goal of winning West Bengal, argues Sheela Bhatt.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has accused the BJP of attempting to intimidate bishops and church leaders in Kerala to gain their support, asserting that such tactics will not succeed in the state.
'The BJP and its allies can decide the fate of many candidates.'
Police in Maharashtra's Amravati district arrested a pastor from Kerala and seven others on charges of hurting religious sentiments after allegations of offering money for conversion to Christianity. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the arrests.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met and voiced his support for Deepak Kumar, dubbed 'Mohammad Deepak', an Uttarakhand gym owner who bravely confronted Bajrang Dal activists harassing a Muslim shopkeeper, symbolising unity and courage.
The Congress-led UDF is closely monitoring CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran's decision to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming Assembly election. UDF leaders are considering supporting Sudhakaran, while the CPI(M) expresses disappointment and denies mistreatment.
The Sabarimala temple women's entry issue has resurfaced in Kerala, leading to a political debate between the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress, as the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider review petitions related to its 2018 verdict.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said it is not right to call the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its associated groups 'Sangh Parivar' as a family has women, respect for elders, compassion and affection, and the organisation has none of these.
According to an FIR registered at Edachery police station, around 200 people marched towards the Congress office carrying dangerous weapons and vandalised the building, causing damage estimated at around Rs five lakh.
Masood Manna, who is known to Shifa, claimed in a tweet that a mob of 150 people attacked Saif.
"People are being beaten up if they do not say 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Vande Mataram.' These incidents are not going to stop. Only Muslims and Dalits are being targeted. There are organisations behind such incidents and all of them are linked to the Sangh Parivar," he said while speaking to media persons.
Former Kerala Police chief Jacob Thomas has joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a full-time 'pracharak'. He participated in an RSS event on Mahanavami, emphasizing the organization's aim to create individuals with cultural strength. Thomas previously joined the BJP in 2021.
Outfits related to labour and agriculture critical of policies, say their voices are not being heard. Archis Mohan reports.
Nitin Nabin's selection is a bold political decision by the Two Gujaratis. When Rahul Gandhi has resurrected the issue of social justice, the BJP and the Two Gujaratis are sticking to their plan and agenda, explains Sheela Bhatt.
The Pope had made remarks while receiving India's envoy.
A group of women activists of Sangh Parivar sat on a dharna in Bhubaneswar demanding arrest of the nun, who was raped in Kandhamal, for 'playing hide and seek" with the Orissa government.
He said the BJP was possibly caught in a dichotomy between governance and politics and its political strategy was perhaps not prudent.
'The move to appoint a person with a profile, markedly lower than the leader Nitin Nabin will replace, has the potential to put the brakes on the careers of several others in the party and government in the positions they currently hold,' points out Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
On Thursday, the opening day of the movie itself, the Sangh Parivar came out with vehement criticism against the film on social media, while the Congress and a section of the Left platforms celebrated the film for portraying the right-wing politics as "villainous".
As the demand for a new anti-terror law gains momentum, the Communist Party of India-Marxist has said only "tough" laws cannot curb the menace and the "hate politics" pursued by the Sangh Parivar have to be defeated first. In an editorial in the forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece People's Democracy, the CPI-M said attacks on Christians in Karnataka "do not portend well" for an effective fight against terror.
In the past year, Beijing has hosted at least 70 delegations from India as part of its outreach to the Indian business community, youth leaders and Sangh Parivar affiliates
The meeting is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's preparations for the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, New Delhi and Chattisgarh.
The women's wing of the Sena UBT will launch a Sindoor Raksha Abhiyan, a protest campaign where women will take to the streets to express their outrage.
The Sangh Parivar is convinced that by agreeing to Rahul Gandhi's demand for a Parliament debate on communal riots would expose the Congress vice president's lack of homework on the issue.
'Modi's charisma may have weakened as last year's Lok Sabha poll results showed but in the eyes of the Sangh Parivar, it has not waned.' 'Minus a strong BJP government at the Centre for another decade and more, there is apprehension that an anti-Hindutva government could reverse many of the ideological gains that the Modi dispensation has achieved through its three terms,' points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
Bowing to pressure from various quarters, the Sangh Parivar on Friday night called off their proposed Orissa bandh on Christmas day following talks with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The state-wide bandh had been called by Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Sradhanjali Samiti in protest against alleged failure of the state government in arresting the culprits and conspirators involved in the killing of Swami Laxmanananda in Kandhamal district.
Attacking the BJP, Bhartiya Janshakti Party chief Uma Bharti expressed 'shock' that the party and its affiliated organisations were 'disowning' 38-year-old Pragya Singh Thakur, the sadhvi, who is suspected to have links with right-wing Hindu Jagaran Manch.
Let there be no doubt that Modi in these 24 years so far has reshaped politics and governance considerably, if not completely, asserts Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author, Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.
Centre's counsel Lala Ram Gupta told the Liberhan Commission that there is no evidence to suggest a conspiracy.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly criticised Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane for calling Kerala a "mini Pakistan", saying the remark is "highly provocative and condemnable". Vijayan said Rane's comments expose the Sangh Parivar's approach towards Kerala, which he said involves alienating and spreading hate campaigns against the state. He also criticised the leadership of the ruling party for not reacting to Rane's "serious breach of oath". Vijayan called for all democratic and secular forces to unite against the Sangh Parivar's "hateful propaganda".
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the RSS of "majority communalism" over an article published in an RSS mouthpiece regarding the Catholic Church's property holdings in India. The article, which has since been removed from the website, called for the government to acquire the church's land, claiming it was illegally leased during the British era. Vijayan said the article reveals the "true mindset" of the RSS and its alleged plan to "target minority groups one by one and destroy them step by step." The Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, echoed Vijayan's concerns, stating that the article shows the RSS's intent to target the Church's property. He also claimed that the article's publication coincides with the passing of the Waqf Bill in Parliament, suggesting a pattern of targeting religious communities. Meanwhile, the BJP state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, denied the article's accuracy and stated that the article was removed after it was found to be untrue. He also emphasized that owning land is not a crime, and countered allegations that the Congress and Waqf have illegally acquired land in Karnataka. Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Thalassery, however, expressed confidence that the Church is not afraid of any "Church Bill", as its properties have been earned through hard work. He said the Church will take legal action if necessary.
The efforts by the organisers to show that the reception for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Madison Square Garden was an event organised by all sections of the Indian community has led to deep divisions and heartburn among Sangh Parivar organisations in the US.
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