Maharashtra BJP MLC Pravin Darekar announced the launch of 'Devabhau' and 'Chhava' cooperative taxi services in Mumbai, aiming to counter private aggregators and benefit drivers directly, but the scheme has drawn sharp criticism from social activist Anjali Damania and the Opposition Congress over the proposed use of Mumbai Bank funds and its political branding.
Glimpses of our leaders at work on Wednesday: From photography and policy meetings to honours for veterans and high-level consultations.
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal sustained a minor injury to his right hand after being attacked with a kirpan by a Nihang member inside a gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra. The assailant has been arrested, and SAD leaders are demanding a CBI probe into what they term an intelligence failure.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal criticised the BJP's stance on women's reservation, challenging them to reject ideological texts like the Manusmriti. He accused the BJP of using the issue for political gains and misrepresenting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training has reconstituted the Textbook Development Team for class 11 and 12 political science with a mandate to integrate cultural rootedness, Indian knowledge systems and inclusion, with at least four of the members having direct or indirect links with the RSS.
Ideology is dead; long live the numbers game that is being played with the sole intention of securing a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha for the NDA, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
A political controversy has erupted in Navi Mumbai after Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde's name was omitted from official invitation cards for a civic event, leading to protests by Shiv Sena workers. The incident has also exposed infighting within the BJP, with an MLA accusing a minister of sabotaging her projects and falsely claiming credit.
BJP spokesman Sajid Yousuf Shah claimed he was asked to leave a hotel in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar due to his "Kashmiri identity." Shah expressed sadness over the incident, highlighting persistent stereotypes despite efforts to strengthen bonds between Jammu & Kashmir and India. The National Conference criticised the BJP, stating the incident reflects the "politics of hatred" propagated by the party.
Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil has criticised the Maharashtra government over farmer suicides and crimes against women, alleging widespread corruption within the ruling alliance.
The Congress party has accused Home Minister Amit Shah of launching an "onslaught" on the Opposition and "wrecking" Indian democracy. The party alleges that Shah is enticing elected representatives to join the BJP with significant incentives, a claim echoed by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut regarding Maharashtra MPs. This comes amidst reports of defections from other parties like the TMC.
BJP rebel Gokul Gite secured a surprising victory in Maharashtra legislative council's Nashik district local governing body constituency, defeating the ruling Shiv Sena nominee Narendra Darade by 109 votes, despite senior Mahayuti leaders' attempts to resolve his independent candidature.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made history by becoming India's longest continuously serving elected prime minister.
BJP candidate Arun Lakhani, contesting the Maharashtra legislative council elections, addresses the unique situation of his son's marriage to Supriya Sule's daughter, emphasising the separation of politics and family ties.
Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have been directed by a Thane magistrate's court to appear in connection with a 17-year-old defamation complaint. The case, filed by late NCP leader Vasant Davkhare, relates to a controversial video screened during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
Lack of women in Karnataka's new council of ministers has put the spotlight once again on women's under-representation in politics and policy.
Change of guard in some states and evolving El Nino dynamics are triggering fresh actions on raging water-sharing disputes in several states.
A late-night meeting between leaders of the ruling NCP and Opposition NCP (SP) at the Maharashtra Chief Minister's residence has sparked intense speculation about shifting political dynamics in the state. This comes as the BJP reportedly seeks support for the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill, which proposes to increase Lok Sabha seats and initiate delimitation, a move criticised by Congress leader P Chidambaram for potentially disadvantaging states that controlled population growth.
Dipke has clarified the funding of his US education, stating it was supported by a scholarship and an education loan, amidst growing scrutiny and calls for a probe into his finances.
If the government wishes that protests like the one that took place at Jantar Mantar during the last few weeks should not recur, it must refocus its energies on jobs, not just the examination system, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Maharashtra ministers have ignited a fresh controversy by linking Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's third marriage to the contentious concept of "love jihad".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed concern over the repeated disruptions of parliamentary proceedings, stating that due to the turmoil in the House, the country has been unable to listen to the talented MPs elected in recent times.
The Mumbai police on Thursday ordered a probe and removed a police driver from the duty roster after a viral video purportedly showed him threatening student protesters with false narcotics charges if they returned to demonstrate.
The Gujarat government has imposed a state-wide ban on the production, transportation, and sale of unstandardised analogue paneer, cheese, and butter. Citing public health concerns and the need to protect consumers and the dairy sector, the decision follows detections of substandard artificial dairy products during inspections. Legal action will be taken against violators.
Police in Amravati district, Maharashtra, have filed a case against former state minister Omprakash alias Bachchu Kadu for allegedly conspiring to kill the brother of a BJP MLA.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation, alleging that orders to use force against students during the July 20 "Sansad Chalo" march over the NEET exam paper leak must have come from Shah himself. Dipke also criticised the appointment of Pralhad Joshi as the new Education Minister and dismissed Yoga guru Ramdev's comments on Gen Z.
Maharashtra's CET Cell has lodged a police complaint after an audio clip surfaced, allegedly showing a woman offering a 'special' exam centre for the MH-CET engineering entrance test for Rs 12 lakh, promising a high percentile.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray have announced a joint 'morcha' (protest march) in Mumbai on July 26 to express solidarity with students protesting the NEET paper leak and alleged police atrocities.
Mumbai witnessed a second consecutive day of protests by Opposition parties and residents, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET fiasco and condemning the police crackdown on a CJP-led march in Delhi.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has demanded the immediate disqualification of six party MPs who defected to the Eknath Shinde-led camp, alleging a larger political conspiracy. He accused the BJP of exploiting the Ram Mandir issue and systematically sidelining its own state leaders, while also questioning the rebel MPs' motives and wealth.
The Bombay High Court has quashed a year-long externment order against a political leader, ruling that involvement in agitations and protests against the government cannot be the sole basis for such orders. Justice Madhav Jamdar stated that externment for opposing government decisions affects fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and expression.
Nationwide protests against the NEET paper leak have intensified across several Indian states, with demonstrators condemning the Delhi Police crackdown and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Congress party has called for further demonstrations, while various student and political groups have organised marches and sit-ins, some leading to clashes with police.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya advocated a new land policy to facilitate large-scale industrialisation and assured investors of a 'fearless' environment in the state.
Opposition leaders across party lines have condemned the forced removal of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site in Delhi, accusing the BJP-led central government of undermining democratic freedoms, curbing dissent, and choosing force over dialogue.
A viral video of a woman confronting a Maharashtra minister over traffic jams caused by a BJP rally has sparked a backlash, forcing the ruling party to defend its actions and prompting apologies for the inconvenience caused to commuters.
Amid cross-voting from both ruling and Opposition ranks, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti on Monday swept 16 of the 17 Maharashtra Legislative Council seats from local authorities' constituencies even as Nashik delivered a surprise defeat to the governing bloc.
The Bombay High Court has upheld the Wrestling Federation of India's decision to cancel the affiliation of the Maharashtra State Wrestling Association (MSWA), led by Sharad Pawar. The MSWA had challenged the WFI's move, arguing it was illegal and arbitrary.
A court in Sindhudurg has sentenced Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane to one month's imprisonment in a 2019 case of pouring mud on an NHAI engineer, noting that lawmakers are not supposed to take the law into their hands.
BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar has filed a police complaint against a company and an MPCB official, alleging pollution causing crop damage in Belsani village, Chandrapur. The complaint cites environmental pollution from coal washeries since 2024, leading to crop damage, livestock deaths, and health issues.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating he needs to change his "dil ka angle" (heart's perspective) rather than camera angles to connect with Gen Z, following his Instagram outreach to student protesters. She also condemned the government's handling of student protests and the widespread issue of paper leaks.
