With the maulana fully committed and PML (N) cadres prepared to court arrest, this would be the first time where both Punjabis and Pakhtuns would be standing up against the Pakistan army, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
'The nominations were not meant to last permanently, but depended on the government of the day.' 'There was no question of revoking it during Congress, Janata Dal or even Vajpayee's NDA rule.' 'But Modi is different.'
'Shouldn't our investigation agencies be fiercely independent and conduct fair investigations, show some spine and say no to such witch hunting?' 'That they will not be cowed down by what the Centre wants them to do.'
Given the many policy areas where the Centre and the states have not been seeing eye to eye in the last few years, it is time the Modi government convenes a meeting of the Inter-State Council, recommends A K Bhattacharya.
'But India, increasingly, is not that far behind, which is a story I never expected to tell.'
Asked about the report, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "The political judgements of Freedom House are as inaccurate and distorted as their maps."
The main opposition party alleged "trampling" of democracy by the BJP-led government which hit back by reminding that Congress had "butchered" democracy by misusing Article 356 about 100 times.
Tassaduq Hussain Jillani was on Thursday sworn in as Pakistan's new chief justice, replacing activist judge Iftikhar Chaudhry who led a crusade against corruption and misgovernance.
A 21-year-old Hispanic man arrested for firing rifle shots at the White House was charged with attempting to assassinate United States President Barack Obama, or member of his staff.
In the lawsuit filed in federal district court in Manhattan, five of the protesters said police officers had led people onto the bridge's roadway and then prevented them from leaving the bridge on Saturday.
Taking Karnataka to task for its repeated "defiance" by flouting its orders for release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court on Friday asked it to discharge 6,000 cusecs water from tomorrow till October 6, warning no one would know when the "wrath of the law" would fall on it.
Seemandhra Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Lagadapati Rajagopal on Tuesday moved Delhi high court seeking its direction to Speaker Meira Kumar to accept his resignation as member of the House, submitted two months ago.
The Centre is playing politics and is more worried about its poll prospects in Karnataka than following the apex court order, says lawyers representing Tamil Nadu.
The law, which dilutes the Indian capital's autonomy and emasculates the elected local government's powers, will be a political millstone for the party for the next elections, reports Aditi Phadnis
If the flag comes into being, Karnataka will be the second state to have its official flag after J&K.
For Shayana (Shane) Kadidal, a senior managing attorney of the Guantnamo project at the Centre for Constitutional Rights, the recent Supreme Court ruling in favour of the detainees is yet another reminder that the fight for ethical and fair treatment of all prisoners held by the United States has to continue.
It held that though the LG was not a 'titular head', he should not emerge as an 'adversary having a hostile attitude' towards the Council of Ministers but rather act as a facilitator.
'Through a translator, I was able to speak with several of the detainees from India who are seeking asylum.' 'I was saddened to hear the detainees tell us that they are being confined in their cells for up to 22 to 23 hours a day.' 52 Indian are among the 121 asylum-seekers held in an Oregon prison. Rediff.com Senior Contributor Pottayil Rajendran reports from New York on the case that is making headlines in America, India, indeed around the world.
The ruling by US Judge Steven Rhodes, who cited the city's dismal finances and $18 billion owed to a multitude of creditors in support of his decision, marks a watershed in the history of Detroit.
Madhubala Mandal, a widow, returned home to her hearing impaired daughter on Wednesday evening, shortly after being freed from a camp for illegal immigrants in Kokrajhar.
The United States Soccer Federation said in a statement on the new charges that its hosting of the 2016 Copa America Centenario tournament would go ahead as planned.
'The Constitution must reflect the reality of mature states because otherwise it is the Centre that will become irrelevant,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
Karnataka claims that that it has supplied 116.697 tmcft of Cauvery water, instead of 100.04 tmcft, to TN.
As lobbying and counter-lobbying intensify, right now, it looks like a T20 match, discovers Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
The small state becomes the first to challenge the ban, which they say violates the US Constitution.
The documents shed new light on how the government dealt with US Internet companies that were reluctant to comply with orders from the secretive US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which rules on government requests to conduct surveillance for national security issues.
Officials said the addition shows the measure was set on the basis of security and was not a 'Muslim ban'.
The court had earlier barred publication of photos of leaders in government advertisements except those of the President, PM and the CJI.
The year is coming to an end and overall, it's been one hell of a year! We have had our share of ups and downs and we look forward to a better 2020. While we count down the days to the new year, let's also reflect on those who gave us strength to stand up in what we believe, the courageous who didn't bow down and the ones with gumption who inspired us to be better. We, Rediff.com, have selected 26 personalities, who we think are worthy of the title -- HERO OF THE YEAR -- and we want you, dear readers, to choose your hero!
His ministers's conduct may lead to a distancing between the army leadership and Prime Minister Imran Khan reveals Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
If push comes to shove, Trump is probably planning to order the US army to clear his path for a second term. What if the armed forces refuse to obey their commander-in-chief?, asks Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Orwellian surveillance State is here. And here to stay, asserts Virendra Kapoor.
The development brings to an end the legal battle unleashed by President Donald Trump against the elections, which he lost both in terms of the popular vote as well as the majority in the 538-member electoral college.
'Uttar Pradesh, our largest state by population and the most powerful, is also the worst governed.'
'To ascribe motives to the actions of the state government at such an early stage of police investigation will be counter-productive,' says former Union home secretary Madhav Godbole.
Bharara has also asked the US Court of Appeals to deny 65-year-old Gupta's motion, filed earlier this month, that his bail be continued pending resolution of his petition for rehearing the insider trading case.
Hailing Uttarakhand high court's verdict which set aside President's rule in the state, the Congress and AAP took potshots at the Modi govt.
"Immigrants make many of the nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies," says their court motion.
"Features of the Bill are anti-people and anti-Constitution...it is a very dangerous act," the fiery TMC MP said.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances