Eight individuals have been arrested in Ayodhya in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple. The arrests follow an FIR lodged by a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, based on recommendations from a Special Investigation Team. The accused were involved in counting cash and valuables and face charges including theft and criminal breach of trust.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav turned in a fine all-round performance as he led his team the Chief Minister's XI to a victory over the state's bureaucrats in a friendly 20-overs-a-side tennis ball cricket match at Lucknow's Le Martinier school grounds on Sunday.
The death of a Dalit girl in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, has ignited a political controversy as opposition parties demand justice and action against officials. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav plans to visit the girl's family, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state.
Ayodhya police have conducted fresh searches in the ongoing investigation into alleged donation embezzlement at the Ram temple, recovering a donation box with a QR code, cash, gold, silver, and foreign currency. The probe has also widened to include around 400 private security personnel.
Investigators recovered nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash and some foreign currency from six of the accused.
Asthana was sent on a forced leave after the CBI registered a case of corruption against him. His plea to quash the FIR was rejected by the Delhi high court.
The suicide of a NEET aspirant in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly due to the cancellation of the medical entrance exam, has triggered strong reactions from opposition leaders who are demanding accountability and compensation for the family.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow on Monday, he sought to emphasise that he had charted out a comprehensive development plan for the state.
On April 29, a slum settlement in Banda in Uttar Pradesh consisting of several households was demolished in the dead of the night. The residents claim that it was because Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's official convoy was supposed to pass through that road the next day, and the police didn't want him to see the slums.
A Samajwadi Party delegation visited the family of a 17-year-old girl found dead in the Ganga River in Ghazipur, offering condolences and financial support amid allegations of sexual assault and murder.
Top leaders of opposition parties including Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC's Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, besides Left leaders and those from smaller parties, are likely to attend the meeting at the Constitution Club in the national capital.
'The Ayodhya incident has certainly hurt the faith of all of us, of Ram devotees like us.'
A former aide to a councillor was allegedly stabbed to death by unidentified individuals in Gorakhpur while on a morning walk. Police have launched an investigation, detaining several suspects and analysing CCTV footage.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk's health is deteriorating on the 18th day of his hunger strike, with his weight dropping significantly and vital signs requiring continuous monitoring. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has accused the government of 'cruelty' for its refusal to engage in dialogue regarding alleged NEET irregularities, intensifying calls for accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai's statement has been recorded by Ayodhya police as part of the investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, following his offer to resign over the controversy.
Taking a cue from the massive victory of the Grand Alliance against the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said such a tie-up was possible in the state where assembly elections are due in early 2017.
Major bills, including those on women's reservation, delimitation, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), face an uncertain future in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament due to persistent opposition protests and a lack of consensus.
Jewellers in Lucknow protest Prime Minister Modi's appeal to defer gold purchases for a year amid the West Asia crisis, fearing significant business losses and economic hardship for those involved in the trade.
After six days of stalemate, a discussion on the anti-paper leak bill began on Tuesday in Lok Sabha with the government describing it as a reaffirmation of ruling dispensation's commitment to safeguard the welfare of students but opposition hit back over the lathi-charge on protesters, saying every blow on them hurt the government's prestige more than the backs of the youth.
Parliament proceedings were stalled for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday as loud protests by an unrelenting opposition over the NEET paper leak and demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation reverberated in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, leading to adjournment of the two Houses for the day without transacting any business.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Modi government of 'destroying' India's education system, expressing full support for protesting students and their demands, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Police in Varanasi arrested Himanshu Yadav, a Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha leader, for allegedly assaulting a student at Banaras Hindu University after inquiring about his caste.
The CPI(M) will attend the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday, with its MP John Brittas expected to raise concerns about allegations made by Congress leaders during the Kerala Assembly elections. The Left party is awaiting a clarification from the Congress regarding claims of a CPI(M)-BJP understanding, which it views as inconsistent with alliance cooperation.
The Ghazipur administration has imposed prohibitory orders, banning demonstrations and visits to a village, following concerns over law and order after the death of a teenager. The Uttar Pradesh government claims that 'unverified rumours' are being spread and opposition parties are attempting to sensationalise the matter.
Following the death of a teenager in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, the local administration has imposed prohibitory orders, banning demonstrations and restricting visits to the victim's village. The government cites concerns over law and order and alleges that opposition parties are attempting to sensationalise the matter.
After Samajwadi Party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, its president Mulayam Singh Yadav today appointed his son Akhilesh as the UP party chief in an effort to revamp the state unit.
Residents and pilgrims in Ayodhya are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust meeting, convened amidst serious allegations of embezzlement of temple donations. The controversy has led to a subdued public mood, concerns among devotees about the security of their offerings, and calls for strict action against those responsible, including "big people" behind the alleged scam. Security has been heightened as an SIT investigates and arrests have been made.
Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike has entered its 20th day, with doctors warning of his critical health condition. Despite this, Wangchuk is resolute in his call for a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the Monsoon Session's opening, to protest alleged examination irregularities and demand the Union education minister's resignation.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav likened Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to an infiltrator, saying he is from Uttarakhand and should be sent back to the state. Yadav also criticized the BJP's governance and alleged injustices against Dalits and backward communities.
The BJP is significantly increasing its digital engagement with young people on Instagram, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers, in response to the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and subsequent student protests. This strategic shift aims to counter the narrative and communicate government actions on examination reforms.
Monday's proceedings demonstrated that the legislative debate has become inseparable from the broader political crisis surrounding the NEET controversy.
"Samajwadi Party will fight the next assembly election in the state alone," he said when reporters asked him about possible alliance partners in the polls for his party.
'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.'
Shivpal Yadav on Wednesday held a meeting with party workers and exhorted them to ensure the victory of the SP candidate in the bypoll.
The speculation gained strength after the sulking socialist leader Shivpal Yadav recently met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath amid reports of strains in the SP-led alliance.
Lawyers of the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday took out a protest march here and submitted a police complaint seeking an FIR against Ram Mandir Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao over alleged embezzlement of donation funds.
A caste recalibration is simmering just below the surface in UP.
Under the lens over serious lapses in the donation management system at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Govind Dev Giri, has said that all audit reports were "safe" and that he had no role in the daily donation collection process at the temple.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Uttar Pradesh government has questioned Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai and administrator Gopal Rao regarding allegations of donation money theft and financial mismanagement at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
A truck accident in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, resulted in the deaths of two people, including a minor, and injuries to four others after the truck hit a scooter and crashed into a roadside shop.
