West Bengal has enacted two controversial legislations, the Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act and the Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Act, aimed at curbing organised crime and violent protests. These laws grant authorities significant powers, including preventive detention without trial and property attachment for riot damages, drawing both support and criticism.
'We have to pull 80 million workers out of agriculture and go back to where we were in 2014. That itself is going to be a huge task.' 'We have already lost time, and that is a catastrophe impending.''
Recent protests by CJP supporters attempting to march towards Parliament in Delhi highlight a recurring pattern of public demonstrations in the capital over the past 15 years. The article details several significant protests, including the 2021 farmers' tractor rally, the 2011 Anna Hazare movement, the 2012 Nirbhaya protests, anti-CAA demonstrations, and the 2023 wrestlers' protest, all of which involved attempts to reach central Delhi's high-security zones to press demands.
Approximately 27 workers are trapped inside an under-construction tunnel in Sikkim's Namchi district following a landslide and suspected gas leak. Rescue operations are underway, but the presence of gas, believed to be methane, is complicating efforts, causing dizziness among rescue personnel. Teams from NDRF, SDRF, and West Bengal are involved in the challenging operation to save the workers.
Many of them travelled to Delhi in groups or connected with other participants through WhatsApp groups and activist networks. These networks helped them coordinate their travel, decide meeting points and stay in touch during the protest.
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.
A suspended employee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has been booked for alleged irregularities in handling donations at the Badrinath temple. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condemned the act, calling it a "sin akin to cow slaughter," while a high-level government inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the matter. The Congress party has also demanded a judicial probe.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has reiterated its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on fast-track courts for paper leak cases does not address accountability.
A major security breach occurred at the Delhi Assembly when a masked man drove an SUV onto the premises, placed a bouquet in the Speaker's vehicle, and fled. Police have detained three people, including the driver, and are investigating the incident.
Director H Vinoth has finally broken his silence on the controversies surrounding Jana Nayagan, addressing allegations of the film's leak and the Censor Board's role in its delayed release, while also defending actor-politician Vijay's decision to remain silent.
'I went to protest because whatever is going on in our country is not right.'
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs, including Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and, within hours, were named the saffron party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha bypolls from West Bengal, underlining both their political rehabilitation and the party's calibrated shift in inducting leaders from the erstwhile ruling dispensation.
C Joseph Vijay's Jana Nayagan is not just a film but a potent political statement, strategically crafted to align with his political aspirations and claim the legacy of M G Ramachandran, notes Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
The Calcutta High Court has appointed a retired judge as a special officer to manage the day-to-day expenses of the Mamata Banerjee-aligned Trinamool Congress (TMC) from three debit-frozen bank accounts. The accounts were frozen following a complaint by a rival TMC faction alleging they held proceeds of crime. The court allowed transactions for party expenses and legal costs, noting that the initial freezing lacked specific material basis and that the complainant had previously benefited from these accounts.
The Indian government has approved two major manufacturing initiatives worth nearly Rs 1.9 lakh crore (USD 22 billion) to expand the country's semiconductor ecosystem and scale up mobile phone production, aiming to strengthen its position as a global electronics manufacturing hub.
Dialogue must be encouraged rather than adoption of hardline stands, violence and use of force, recommends Biswajit Dasgupta.
An FIR has been registered against a teacher and others at a private school in Hyderabad after a Hindu student was allegedly assigned "Islamic religious practices" as homework. The incident sparked outrage from political and religious groups, leading to the teacher's termination.
Fourteen civil society organisations from Manipur have urged the Centre to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state before the completion of Census 2027. They argue this is essential to address concerns over demographic changes and alleged illegal immigration from Myanmar, which they believe has altered the state's population profile.
'Fencing work for 4.35 km of the border could not be carried out due to objections by the Border Guard Bangladesh.'
INLD president Abhay Singh Chautala criticised the Haryana government, urging them to address the hardships faced by farmers instead of bringing a censure motion against the opposition. He highlighted issues with biometric verifications at 'mandis' and problems with land registry fees.
The MDMK general council, led by Vaiko, has announced its decision to withdraw from the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance. The party accused the DMK of attempting to prop up an AIADMK government, which they claim goes against the people's mandate and the alliance's secular ideology.
West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday saw a massive voter participation during the ongoing assembly elections, with turnout reaching 89.93 per cent and 82.24 per cent respectively by 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
July 16 will be the biggest and happiest day of the year in Puri, home to the magnificent Jagannath Temple.
The Indian government is considering amending the IT Rules 2021 to introduce compulsory certification for films released on OTT platforms, following a controversy involving the film 'Satluj' which was released without clearances and later taken down due to national security concerns.
Delhi Police executed a meticulously planned overnight operation, involving white sheets and potential network jammers, to shift activist Sonam Wangchuk to a government hospital after his health deteriorated during a 20-day hunger strike, following directions from the Delhi High Court.
Bajaj Auto plans to increase its annual production capacity by nearly 25 per cent, from around 7 million to over 9 million vehicles, in the coming quarters. This expansion is driven by strong export demand and rapid growth in electric vehicles, which have stretched current capacity across key product segments.
A man who breached security at the Delhi Assembly by driving an SUV into the complex has been remanded to eight days' police custody. The court cited the seriousness of the allegations and the accused's apparent awareness of his actions.
BMW Group India says every Re 1 depreciation in the rupee against the euro trims its profit margin by about 1 per cent, prompting the company to consider further price increases.
A 15-day protest against the Ken-Betwa Link Project and other development initiatives in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, concluded after police cleared the agitation site and dispersed protesters. While police denied arrests, protesters alleged their leader, Amit Bhatnagar, was detained amidst claims of project irregularities and corruption. The project aims to provide irrigation and drinking water to the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
Brazilian aerospace company Embraer has secured type certification from India's aviation regulator, DGCA, for three of its commercial jets (E195-E2, E190, and E195). This approval, alongside an existing certification for its E175 jet, paves the way for Embraer to expand its presence in India's regional aviation market, supported by a strategic MoU with Adani Defence & Aerospace for a Final Assembly Line in Dholera, Gujarat.
A caste recalibration is simmering just below the surface in UP.
Uttar Pradesh Police are investigating the mental health of a man accused of breaching security at the Delhi Assembly after he drove an SUV onto the premises. The suspect's family claims he has mental health issues and is undergoing treatment.
The Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra has swiftly distanced itself from MLA Sana Malik's controversial statements on talaq and polygamy, reiterating its firm commitment to women's rights and constitutional principles.
The Indian government is reportedly developing new proposals to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent across all states. This initiative aims to address concerns from southern states regarding potential political power reduction due to population-based delimitation, while also facilitating the operationalisation of the women's quota law before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
A private school in Hyderabad has terminated a primary teacher after she assigned Islamic religious verses as homework, sparking controversy and prompting police intervention to ensure communal harmony. The incident led to protests and demands for action against the school from political and religious groups.
A rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has taken control of the party's organisational headquarters in Kolkata. This move follows their claim to the party's name and symbol before the Election Commission, intensifying the power struggle with the Mamata Banerjee-led faction. Both sides are now preparing submissions for the Election Commission regarding the party's control.
A bold cuisine known for its flavours and robust spices, Memoni food comes from the Memon community with roots in Sindh and Kutch.
Maharashtra's Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat sparked a political storm with his controversial comments regarding a fatal tree fall incident in Mumbai, which killed an 11-year-old boy and injured four others, initially suggesting such incidents are 'not in human hands' before clarifying his stance.
Investigation into the Delhi Assembly security breach focuses on the suspect's mental health history and potential links to the farmers' agitation.
The Gujarat assembly complex received a bomb threat via email, leading to the evacuation of staff and MLAs and a search operation by local police.
