The War of the Tiranga is a metaphor for a new battle of ideas in national politics, observes Shekhar Gupta.
Providing succour to distressed farmers, the Karnataka government on Saturday announced waiver of interest and penal interest on crop loans from cooperative banks for the current fiscal and hike in compensation from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to families of farmers who had committed suicide.
Maharashtra BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said there was no political angle to the meeting. "Raut wanted to interview Fadnavis for (the Sena mouthpiece) Saamana and this meeting was to discuss how to go about it," he tweeted.
A meeting of opposition leaders from many anti-Bharatiya Janata Party parties, most of them regional forces, hosted by the veteran leader and Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday is being seen by political pundits as a beginning of an exercise by them to join forces to put up a more cohesive challenge to the saffron party.
Road and rail traffic was partially affected in some regions on Monday during a 'Bharat bandh' called against the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, while protests appeared to taper off in many states, with authorities stepping up security and imposing curbs after days of unrest.
Surat -- Gujarat's diamond city and the epicentre of the Patidar quota movement -- is set for a tough assembly poll battle as the Congress has added the face of the Patidar agitation Hardik Patel to its arsenal this time.
"The ruling establishment seems to have lost all sense of balance, and of proportion. It appears determined to undermine all democratic norms. It seems hell-bent to destroy the spirit of inquiry, the spirit of questioning, the spirit of debate and dissent, said the Congress president.
Modi, 68, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering ceremony at the forecourt of majestic Rashtraparti Bhavan.
Apparently targeting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Rahul Gandhi on Friday dubbed it as an "intolerant non-state actor" "controlling" the Narendra Modi government and said the prime minister cannot see it.
Union Minister Kumari Selja was named the Congress nominee for Rajya Sabha elections, putting an end to speculation that former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit could be brought to the Upper House from Haryana.
Ahead of the Parliament session, beginning Monday, the government is apparently aiming to build a consensus to deal with its biggest neighbour as well on Kashmir issue.
'In countries like Japan, one out of 11.7 tests turns out to be positive, which is among the highest in the world. Italy tests 6.7 persons for one positive test while the USA tests 5.3 persons and the United Kingdom 3.4'
The ruling BJP stole a march on the Congress on Friday by releasing its first list of 177 candidates for the assembly polls.
With Lok Sabha elections due in April-May, government will hold a session of Parliament in the first fortnight of February to pass the vote-on-account.
The Opposition alleged that without any provocation from the Opposition, "outsiders who were not part of Parliament security were brought in to manhandle the Opposition leaders and members, including women Parliamentarians who were only protesting against the Government's conduct, highhandedness and muzzling of the voice".
Since two weeks now, A K Antony has been meeting Congress leaders across India to pinpoint reasons behind the party's abysmal performance in Lok Sabha elections.
The FIR, in which 15-20 unnamed people were also mentioned, was registered at the Gurubuxganj police station in Rae Bareli.
The National Commission for Women has summoned Udit Raj over his "sycophancy" remark against the president.
The very best of Indian cuisine was served to the Obamas at the presidential banquet
He said it's an alliance between two families, one of which 'looted' the country and the other UP.
The incident is said to have occurred in the wee hours when a huge mound of earth fell on the 'row houses' and two children and five women were among the deceased, most of whom were plantation workers from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
"Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," Rao told reporters after meeting the Trinamool Congress president.
RM took stock of progress in production of the fighter jets whose delivery to India will begin in September next year.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also congratulated the para athletes for bringing glory to the country.
Downplaying the allegations made by the Congress and former French President Francois Hollande's statement that the Indian government played a role in finalising Reliance Defence as Dassault Aviation's offset partner, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that some statements are made to create controversy and these do not have credibility. In an exclusive interview to ANI, Jaitley added that circumstances and fact prove these statements wrong.
Many BJP leaders are of the view that most key members of the previous Cabinet could be retained.
Kidwai is survived by two sons and four daughters. His funeral will be held on Thursday afternoon at the Jamia Burial Grounds.
In the wake of Priyanka Gandhi asking the Special Protection Group to withdraw exemptions given to her family from security checks, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Monday asked why she was trying score a "brownie point" as security does not depend on "someone's whims and fancies".
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on opposition BJP over its "double-standard" attitude towards corruption and attempt to "divide the society on communal lines".
The news of Shah joining the Cabinet came from Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani, who tweeted a congratulatory message. "Had a courtesy meeting with our mentor Amit Shah and gave my best wishes to him on his inclusion as a strong member of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's council of ministers," he tweeted.
Exit pollsters "deserve the Nobel prize for miniaturisation", Congress said on Tuesday taking a dig at pollsters who have projected a poor show by the party in Lok Sabha polls.
Manash Borah, the Congress candidate in Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency, has reasons to feel special for two reasons.
Informal talks with people close to the Patidar leader are on to enlist the support of the Patel community, which comprises 20 per cent of the voters.
He will be the first former Chief Justice of India to be nominated to Rajya Sabha. Former Chief Justice Ranganath Misra was also a Rajya Sabha member but he was elected on a Congress party ticket.
Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart L K Advani turned 88 on Sunday and was greeted by a host of leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
'The new generation is looking for performance.' 'They don't want sermons, they don't want allegations, they don't want empty assurances and hollow slogans.'
With the issue of nationalism dominating the political discourse, the BJP on Tuesday announced a three-day programme to comemmorate Bhagat Singh's martyrdom and attacked the Congress over its MP Shashi Tharoor's remarks comparing Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar with the freedom fighter.
The bypolls are termed as a 'rehearsal' for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by CM Yogi Adityanath.
The BJP office bearer said if Communists love this country, how did they take part in an "anti-national" event.
Besides Srikanth, the other players withdrawn are Ashwini Ponnappa, Ritika Rahul Thkar, Treesa Jolly, Mithun Manjunath, Simran Aman Singh and Khushi Gupta.
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