Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday attacked the United Progressive Alliance government for "reducing states to glorified municipal corporations" by turning a deaf ear to their reasonable demands and described central proposals like the Communal Violence bill as "fascist".
The watchdog said human rights violations continued to surge in different parts of India, including Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states.
The chief minister has also directed Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta to look into the possible action that could be initiated against one of the film's producers, K V Dhillon, who had reportedly promised in writing, back in 2019, that he would shelve the movie, originally titled 'Sukha Khalwan'.
As the Queen star found herself in the middle of a row, with the BJP distancing itself and the Congress attacking it, here's a look at some of the controversies, political and otherwise.
Tamil Nadu is the celebrated home of the 'social justice' movement in the country, yet caste differences and violence has only been increasing in numbers and becoming more brutal in recent years, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team has said that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi took all possible steps to control the 2002 post-Godhra riots and questioned the motive behind filing a complaint against him by a riot victim four years after the communal violence.
They are also upset with the Delhi government for not standing with the victims and the Centre for delayed deployment of security forces.
"Considering request of Delhi government and to avoid inconvenience to students, staff and parents, the board has decided to postpone the exam for Class 12 in northeast part of Delhi," CBSE Secretary Anurag Tripathi said.
With 32 people being killed in Assam, the Centre on Sunday said it is determined to curb attacks on minorities as the violence there was aimed at starting a "full-fledged communal conflagration".
The situation is now said to be under control.
"Sectarian violence killed thousands of Muslims and drove thousands more from their homes in Gujarat and elsewhere in India, a champion of cultural accomodation," the report said.
As Islamic scholar and reformist, Asghar Ali Engineer passed away on Tuesday morning.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley was on Sunday detained as he arrived at the airport here on his way to communal violence-hit Kishtwar, which was made out of bounds for political leaders by the Jammu and Kashmir government.
Four persons, including two policemen, were injured in fresh clashes which broke out in Kishtwar on Monday as locals defied the curfew to protest against the arrest of a youth for his alleged involvement in Friday's communal violence in the area.
The monsoon session of Parliament opening on Wednesday promises to kick up a lot of heat and dust as opposition parties are planning to raise issues like communal violence in Assam, rising prices, economy and drought.
The Nanavati Commission, which was appointed in 2002, after five years observed that police at some places were ineffective in controlling the mob and said the post-Godhra riots that spread out in the state were "not a pre-planned conspiracy or orchestrated violence.
A week after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh over the remarks on Prophet Muhammad by a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, no untoward incident took place following the Friday prayers, an official said in Lucknow.
Murder cases have been registered against Krishna Kunal and Hinglaj Dan, who were posted as district magistrate and superintendent of police of Bharatpur when it witnessed communal violence earlier this month.
A series of events brought South India's largest garment export hub to its knees.
His scheduled visit to Sashastra Seema Bal's Patna Frontier on Sunday morning was cancelled due to 'unavoidable reasons', a statement said.
Security has been stepped up in the city and Godhra town in wake of the 10th anniversary of the Sabarmati Express train carnage, which killed 59 people and triggered large-scale communal violence in many parts of Gujarat in 2002 claiming over 1200 lives.
While a magisterial probe has been ordered in the incident, 30 persons have been arrested for inciting and indulging in violence.
The opposition INDIA bloc has written to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai over their social media platforms' alleged role in "aiding communal hatred" in the country and demanded that the platforms maintain neutrality in the upcoming elections.
Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Nawab Malik on Tuesday said any decision on the opposition's candidate for the post of the country's next President will be taken collectively by leaders of various parties, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's name could be considered only if his party Janata Dal-United snaps ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Launching a strong campaign over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against its manifesto, the Congress said on Monday that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has sought an appointment with Narendra Modi to "educate him" about its poll promise document.
Negi's decapitated and charred body was found in Brahmpuri on February 26. On February 24 afternoon, Negi had gone for a nap to a nearby building that served as a storage space for the sweet shop. Around 3 pm, a mob gathered near the shop and started throwing stones. The building was set on fire around 11.30 pm.
'The Supreme Court has now demonstrated its capacity to right its own wrongs, and to place the rule of law above all else.'
Every corner of the town has a police personnel standing while various security teams such as bomb disposal squads have been deployed.
'...to think apna time aa gaya after the 2024 election.'
Four persons on Friday arrested and a large haul of crude bombs, petrol bombs and sharp weapons recovered during combing operation in Shahpur and Kalupur areas in Ahmedabad, police said.
The official said the occupants of the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) land were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who were earlier living in Assam and the shanties were demolished Thursday evening.
"In the last 60 hours, no incident has taken place. We have made arrangements as there are Friday prayers today. Through the extensive outreach programme done by us and the interaction with the people, we get to know that everybody wants peace. We are moving fast towards normalcy. In the Aman Committee meetings everybody has said that they will work for maintaining peace," the special commissioner said.
Violence erupted on Monday following which police imposed curfew in the Theldeniya area.
Notably, leaders of 13 Opposition parties on Saturday expressed deep concern over the recent incidents of hate speech and communal violence in the country and urged people to maintain peace and harmony.
Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti was Saturday arrested while on way to Aligarh town in Uttar Pradesh where at least six people have died in communal violence over the past three days.
A fresh round of violence in the communally sensitive northern Nigerian city of Jos has killed more than 500 persons and displaced dozens.
Over seven months of violence severely hit businesses, schools, colleges and other institutions, besides disrupting transportation and communication networks. It also affected the agrarian sector, considered the mainstay of the state economy.
