While some called it ideological censorship, those who supported the decision termed it a step towards making the syllabus "India-centric" and free from bias.
Over 50 people have been arrested after the communal violence in Maharajgaj town, officials said on Tuesday, as markets remained shut and people stayed indoors for a second day in a row amid heavy deployment of police and other security personnel.
The violence, which erupted over the setting up of a shop in Maheshtala under Rabindranagar police station in South 24 Parganas district, quickly escalated, turning the area into a virtual battlefield.
Some of the issues Vivek Agnihotri raises in The Bengal Files are valid, but today, the need of the hour is to find ways of negotiating peace not pouring oil over troubled waters, asserts Deepa Gahlot.
While the DMK depends on a 'silver sieve' of welfare schemes to stay in power, its support is slowly draining away under the weight of poor governance, corruption, and voters who are no longer satisfied with benefits alone and now want basic administration to work, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
A few days back, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation issued a notice to Khan, citing various lapses and lack of the building plan approval (for his house), sources said.
Following the violence in Nagpur, Maharashtra's Cyber department has identified over 140 posts and videos on social media platforms that incite communal unrest. These posts, found on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube, are being removed, and legal action is being taken against the individuals responsible. The department is also investigating the origins of the violence, which was triggered by rumors of a religious artifact being burnt during protests.
Maharashtra has witnessed 823 incidents of communal unrest since January this year, with demands for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb and the spread of distorted facts on social media fomenting fresh trouble. Districts like Nandurbar, Pune (Rural), Ratnagiri, Sangli, Beed, and Satara have seen communal unrest in recent days due to right-wing organizations' demands for the demolition of the Mughal emperor's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The state witnessed 4,836 Hindu-Muslim related communal crimes in 2024, with 170 incidents classified as cognisable and 3,106 as non-cognisable cases. The violence in Nagpur, triggered by protests demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, highlights the role of social media in spreading inflammatory content and instigating people. While the state has taken measures to curb the spread of misinformation, concerns remain over the impact on communities and the need for promoting peace and understanding.
The Karnataka Legislative Council passed a bill to curb hate speech, facing strong opposition from BJP and JD(S), who criticized it as 'draconian' and a threat to free speech. The bill proposes jail terms and fines for hate crimes and repeated offenses.
Eight burnt bodies were found on Saturday from two Bodo villages taking the toll in the ongoing group clash to 10 in Udalguri district where a shoot-at-sight order was on, official sources said. The bodies were found from Sonaripara and Jhargaon villages, under Udalguri police station, which were attacked in the wee hours by illegal Bangladeshi migrants with bows and arrows. Several houses of a neighbouring village were also torched, the sources said.
The Delhi police vehemently opposed the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others in the February 2020 riots case, saying it had become a trend now for doctors and engineers to engage in anti-national activities. The police cited inflammatory speeches and violent protests as reasons for opposing bail.
'... Rahul Gandhi's name came to my mind at that time.'
The communal violence in Sambhal that claimed four lives and left over 20 people injured has now sparked a debate over a purported rivalry between the Turk and Pathan communities, with political and administrative figures weighing in on the cause of the unrest.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led Centre of spreading communal hatred and failing to protect the country's border. She alleged that families affected by recent violence in Murshidabad were being prevented by the saffron camp from meeting her. Banerjee also criticized the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for its visit to Murshidabad and questioned its priorities, asking whether NHRC members visited BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and ethnic violence-hit Manipur.
The bench questioned the petitioner for not moving the high court and directly coming to the apex court.
Amid criticism over his absence from violence-hit Murshidabad in West Bengal, TMC leaders defended Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan, saying he is "busy with the IPL." TMC sources expressed unhappiness with Pathan for not visiting the district during last week's communal clashes. Three people were killed in the clashes, which erupted during protests against recent amendments to the Waqf Act. The BJP seized the opportunity to criticize the ruling party, with Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar saying, "Bengal is burning under the indulgence of TMC leaders. But TMC MP Yusuf Pathan is busy sipping tea as Hindus get slaughtered. This is the true face of the TMC."
Villagers from Shivrajpur, Pavagadh and Kalol who were going to Halol town to attend a function to pay homage to the Godhra carnage victims, raised anti-minority slogans while passing through a sensitive area in Halol.
A proposed polling booth reconfiguration in West Bengal has ignited a political battle, with the TMC, BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) raising concerns about bias, partisanship, and flawed processes.
'Mamata needs to address the anger and resentment among various sections of the Hindu community because low-scale communal violence has always paid richer electoral dividends for the BJP.'
An Assam Cabinet minister's use of 'gobi farming' imagery after the Bihar election results has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, who allege it references the Bhagalpur communal riots.
Communal violence broke out in Nuh district on Monday as a mob tried to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession by pelting stones and setting cars on fire. The violence spilled over into neighbouring Gurugram on Tuesday with mobs killing a Muslim cleric, torching an eatery, and vandalising shops.
The violence broke out at Maharajganj under Mahsi tehsil on Sunday over the alleged playing of loud music outside a place of worship during a Durga Puja immersion procession, in which Ram Gopal Mishra (22) died of gunshot injuries.
The Supreme Court granted bail to Abdul Sathar, a former PFI leader, in the 2022 murder of RSS leader Srinivasan in Kerala's Palakkad district. The court stated that there is no direct role attributed to Sathar in the assassination. The Kerala High Court previously granted bail to 17 PFI members accused of instigating communal violence. The NIA is investigating the case.
Odisha Police conducted a flag march in sensitive areas of Cuttack ahead of a mass prayer, warning against spreading rumors on social media and threatening strict action, including sedition charges, against those disrupting communal harmony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the NDA's victory in the Bihar assembly elections as a win for good governance, development, and social justice. He congratulated alliance partners and thanked the people of Bihar for their support.
Mobile internet was suspended for 24 hours in several areas of Udaipur and all schools were ordered to remain closed after a class 10 student stabbed another boy at a government school, triggering communal violence in the city.
The Deepa Thoon controversy, if not allowed to die a natural death, could take the election focus away from the anti-incumbency impacting the DMK and into the secular space. Stalin would love to have it that way, all over again, after the three past elections, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
Security was beefed up in Bareilly after violence following Friday prayers the previous week. Prayers passed off peacefully with heavy security presence and appeals for peace from religious leaders. Restrictions remained in place and arrests were made in connection with the previous violence.
The Delhi High Court has refused to allow the release of the Hindi film "Masoom Kaatil," citing concerns over violence, promotion of lawlessness, and potential for inciting communal disharmony.
'This silence is an eloquent testimony to the fact that such private armed mobs enjoy the luxury of official patronage'
'The implementation of the judgment has largely been left to the discretion of the very executive authorities it sought to restrain.'
'Raj Thackeray is working at the behest of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.'
Kolkata Police stopped the trailer launch of 'The Bengal Files', a film based on the 1946 Calcutta Riots, its director Vivek Agnihotri claimed, sparking controversy and allegations of censorship.
Curfew was clamped on Sunday night in two police circles covering several Muslim dominated localities, where tension between Shias and Sunnis has, often in the past, led to major violence.
Wondering what to watch on OTT this weekend? Namrata Thakker lists options to choose from.
'Even as the Supreme Court's anti-punitive demolition judgment nears its first anniversary, no formal contempt proceedings have been initiated either by the Supreme Court or any high court against officers or demolition squads who have acted in violation of it.'
This "Special Eleven Team" has been equipped with a dedicated control room, a senior officer said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has denied rumours that a cloth with Quranic verses was burnt during a protest in Nagpur. He attributed the subsequent violence to a planned attempt to disrupt social harmony and vowed to punish those who attacked police. Fadnavis stated that the violence was triggered by false rumours about the burning of a 'chadar' with Quranic verses during a protest demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb.
The Supreme Court of India has declined to interfere with the bail granted to 17 members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with the 2022 murder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Srinivasan in Kerala. The court noted that the Kerala High Court, which granted bail, has the power to revoke it if the conditions are violated. The NIA had sought cancellation of the bail, alleging the accused had violated bail conditions and contacted witnesses. The accused are also facing trial for allegedly instigating communal violence in Kerala and other parts of the country.
Fadnavis further said it was too early to comment on a foreign or Bangladeshi link to the riots as the probe is underway.
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