Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise his government by trying to split the National Conference. He alleged that the BJP is using financial incentives and promises of ministerial berths and statehood to lure his MLAs, with one MLA reportedly offered up to Rs 30 crore. Abdullah asserted that his party's legislators would not compromise their integrity.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka assembly R Ashoka on Sunday announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Janata Dal-Secular would lay siege to Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on August 24 seeking the removal of planning and statistics minister B Nagendra from the cabinet.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed district presidents at a training camp in Nashik, urging them to uphold party ideology and fight for justice. He also demonstrated martial arts and discussed various state issues with senior leaders, while BJP leaders protested his visit.
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.
The Congress party has criticised the government's new 0.4% charge on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 for merchants, terming it a "Modi tax". Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, allege that this move will ultimately burden consumers through price hikes and accuse the government of succumbing to American pressure to dilute India's zero-MDR policy. The government states the charge will support banks and fintechs.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's decision to grant a one-year extension to autorickshaw and taxi drivers to learn Marathi, alleging it was due to 'pressure from Delhi' and a message to BJP's ally Shiv Sena.
'...in which our names are written with our phone numbers.'
The Bombay High Court strongly criticised the Pune administration's decision to ban alcohol sales for 10 days during the Ganesh festival, questioning why Pune was singled out for such restrictions while other regions were not. The court deemed the blanket ban arbitrary and stigmatising for Pune residents, urging the administration to withdraw the order or face judicial intervention.
The Enforcement Directorate has seized Rs 3.45 crore in cash during searches against Karnataka PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, his family, and associates in a FEMA investigation. The probe concerns alleged undisclosed overseas investments, cross-border business links, and collection of bribes from PWD contractors, with the minister denying wrongdoing and alleging political targeting.
Two Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers have been arrested in Pune for allegedly removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph from a government polytechnic office. The incident occurred during a visit by MNS leader Amit Thackeray, who is also facing a case related to the alleged act. BJP criticised the MNS leader for political immaturity.
The Congress party has criticised the Modi government over a notification regarding UPI transactions, alleging it paves the way for imposing fees, especially on transactions above Rs 2,000. Rahul Gandhi claimed the government is surrendering to American pressure, while Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted the potential burden on common citizens amidst inflation. The government's notification prohibits charges on UPI transactions up to Rs 2,000 but remains silent on higher amounts, sparking fears of a "Digital Payments Tax."
Maharashtra BJP minister Chandrakant Patil claimed Delhi Police are collecting fingerprints from stones used in the CJP agitation and linking them to Aadhaar numbers for protester identification and background checks. This statement, made in Kolhapur, drew sharp criticism and mockery from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who suggested Patil be nominated for a Nobel Prize for his "scientific innovation." The CJP protest at Jantar Mantar involved clashes and stone-pelting over examination paper leaks.
Private guards at Ttrinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee's office, his supporters and some party leaders on Thursday scuffled with police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, trying to prevent them from entering the building on Camac Street and dismantling an "unauthorised" billboard.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. This move ends nearly six years of fully free UPI payments, though person-to-person (P2P) transfers and small P2M payments remain free. The charges aim to bolster investment in UPI infrastructure, with specific exemptions and caps for essential sectors.
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.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has accused the Maharashtra government of conspiring to kill him and suppress his agitation, following Mumbai police's denial of permission for his indefinite hunger strike from September 19. Jarange stated he would proceed with the march to Mumbai despite the ban.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has launched a scathing attack on the BJP, asserting that Ayodhya will be their "Lanka" due to alleged corruption in Ram Temple donations. He also linked the issue to the NEET controversy, suggesting a wider pattern of malfeasance and predicting internal strife within the ruling party.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the BJP of being 'anti-religion' following an alleged 'purification' ritual after his speech in Uttarakhand, and challenged the ruling party's claims of patriotism, questioning their involvement in India's independence struggle.
A government bill proposing to widen the remit of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) is facing scrutiny from Members of Parliament. Concerns have been raised that the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, could reduce the premier institute's autonomy. The bill, currently under examination by a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, aims to incorporate ISI as a 'body corporate' to strengthen governance and promote academic excellence, but critics fear increased government control.
Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's "smash the patriarchy" remark and his defence of actor Kriti Sanon's outfit in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement, sparking a wider debate on women's choices and cultural attire.
Karnataka home minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday rejected Bharatiya Janata Party leader B L Santhosh's claim that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers had protected his (Kharge's) family from Razakars during Hyderabad state's integration with India, saying that his family and people of the region were protected by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian Army.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of political vendetta after his name was marked as 'shifted' in the draft electoral rolls despite being registered in Mohali. The AAP has refuted the claims, stating that Chadha has been living in Delhi and was attempting to get his voter registration made in Delhi through a 'backdated process'.
An FIR has been registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Haldwani following a complaint from a Valmiki community member. The complaint alleges Gandhi gave a casteist interpretation to a religious ritual performed after an AICC chief's programme, hurting community sentiments. The case involves provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, stemming from a political row over a 'purification yajna' at a rally venue.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra alleged that BJP workers hurled eggs and raised slogans against her during a protest in West Bengal's Nadia district. She accused the BJP of orchestrating the incident, which occurred outside a party MLA's residence. This follows a similar incident in June where BJP Mahila Morcha workers allegedly attempted to attack her.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has indicated a potential renaming of Orchha's historic Jahangir Mahal to Veer Singh Mahal, honouring Bundela ruler Veer Singh Judeo. Yadav stated that Veer Singh originally built the palace, and the move aims to highlight overlooked historical aspects. Former minister Narottam Mishra supported the proposal, citing a "malicious attempt to erase our historical heritage" by Mughals. The palace, a blend of Bundela and Mughal architecture, was built for Jahangir but he never resided there.
The Goa government has decided not to introduce its anti-religious conversion bill during the ongoing monsoon session of the state assembly, following significant pushback from legislators representing the minority community.
Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has stated that festivals like Navratri are inclusive and there is nothing wrong with Muslim individuals attending the celebrations, despite the Vishva Hindu Parishad's call to bar Muslims from such events and BJP leader Nitesh Rane's support for the ban.
West Bengal's Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Pal announced that fines for spitting, littering, open defecation, and using single-use plastic bags will be enforced from Tuesday, with penalties ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 200, aiming to change public behaviour rather than generate revenue.
'BJP wanted a compromised Opposition and found a match in this faction of the Trinamool.'
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.
A 32-year-old man died after allegedly falling unconscious at a police post in Jammu, leading to protests by his family and locals who claim custodial torture. Police have ordered both departmental and magisterial inquiries into the incident, assuring action against any wrongdoing. Four police personnel have been attached to headquarters.
West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh asserted that eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja is not controversial, countering Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri's call for vegetarianism. Ghosh highlighted Bengal's traditions, including goat sacrifice as prasad, and criticised attempts to dictate food choices or government involvement in community pujas. He also touched upon a controversy regarding an 11-handed Durga idol.
Delhi Police has assured the arrest of Swatantra Bharadwaj within 72 hours, who is accused of assaulting student activist Nishu Azad's father during a protest at Jantar Mantar. The assurance follows a video where Bharadwaj admitted to the assault and claims of political connections, prompting demands for stronger charges and action against online abuse targeting Nishu.
Rahul Gandhi's aggressive street politics is giving him a fresh political edge, but overplaying his role could hurt his credibility with the wider opposition, predicts M R Narayan Swamy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'dimagi Naxal' (intellectual Naxal) remark, made during his Independence Day address, has ignited a significant political debate, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju clarifying that the comment targets those who support Maoists and separatists, not opposition leaders, while opposition figures like P Chidambaram have embraced the label in defiance.
'The generational shift belongs to Vijay, Udhayanidhi and Annamalai.' 'The BJP cannot fit into the shift.' 'So they threw Annamalai into the situation where he is comparable with Vijay and Udhayanidhi.'
Tamil Nadu's ruling TVK and its post-poll allies have officially named their front the "Secular Social Justice Victory" alliance, with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay elected as its leader. The alliance, which includes Congress, VCK, and IUML, is preparing for upcoming bypolls on October 6, which will serve as an initial test of its strength. Leaders emphasised the alliance's ideological foundation rooted in secularism and social justice, aiming to protect constitutional values and oppose communal forces.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak met with students leading a "reservation reform" movement, assuring them that their demands would be presented to the BJP's central leadership and a Union minister. The movement, led by anti-reservation activists, seeks equal opportunities, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the "reform" as a plot against the PDA community, asserting the permanence of reservation rights.
A Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) team, inspecting a government school in Rampura Kanwarpura village, Rajasthan, as part of its 'School Thik Karo' campaign, was allegedly attacked by villagers and BJP workers. CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka claimed their workers were assaulted, vehicles damaged, and women supporters roughed up, accusing the state police of inaction.
A five-storey building housing a boys' hostel in Delhi's Satya Niketan collapsed, resulting in three student deaths and five critical injuries. The incident, which occurred on a Sunday afternoon, sparked frantic rescue operations and raised serious concerns about building maintenance and safety in the congested student neighbourhood. An investigation is underway to find the building's owner.
