Courts cannot be the only hope for those fighting hate speech. Countering its effects on the ground takes more effort. With our political parties unwilling to put in that amount of effort, it's left to citizens to do so, points out Jyoti Punwani.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of spreading falsehoods and offering no relief to the poor through his speeches. She made these remarks at a rally in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas district, ahead of Modi's address to the nation.
The Karnataka Assembly has passed two significant bills aimed at social reform and heritage preservation: the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2026, and the Karnataka Jnana Bhandar Manuscripts and Digitisation Bill, 2026.
Who were the mothers who shaped Mahatma Gandhi, Sachin Tendulkar, Narendra Modi and other well-known Indians?
Goa Police have issued a Look Out Circular against right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar for alleged objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier and arrested his brother in Uttarakhand. The arrest follows widespread condemnation and protests over Khattar's remarks at an event in Goa.
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, facing a breach of privilege notice for satirising Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, defends his actions by referencing Bal Thackeray's history of political cartoons and arguing for the protection of free speech and satire.
A Delhi court has set aside a magistrate's order taking cognisance of a criminal defamation complaint filed by AAP leader Satyendar Jain against BJP MLA Karnail Singh, citing that the order did not adequately consider exceptions to the offence of defamation.
Goa Police are initiating a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Gautam Khattar after alleged objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier. Khattar is accused of hurting religious sentiments and creating communal discord. The move aims to prevent him from fleeing the country as police search for him.
Comedian Kunal Kamra appeared before a Maharashtra legislature committee regarding his remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, refusing to apologise and stating he felt no remorse.
'Gandhi was Thakur and Gabbar was Jinnah.'
Police have filed a case against JJP leader Digvijay Singh Chautala and members of the INSO for allegedly damaging public property during an event at Kurukshetra University. The FIR cites damage to chairs and other property, leading to accusations of political disruption and government interference.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised to resolve the decades-old Gorkha issue within six months if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal, addressing a rally in Kurseong, Darjeeling district.
Four Assam Congress workers have been arrested for allegedly possessing and transporting pamphlets containing allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, sparking controversy and accusations of undemocratic action.
The Delhi High Court has questioned the blanket ban on protests and demonstrations on the Delhi University campus, seeking justification from the university and Delhi Police. The court acknowledged the need for balance but emphasized that a complete prohibition is likely untenable.
The Supreme Court of India has cautioned against the dangers of unregulated social media, emphasizing that freedom of speech cannot be exercised at the expense of others' dignity and integrity. The court was addressing a plea related to a recent incident where a shoe was thrown at the Chief Justice of India.
Suryakumar Yadav reveals how a video montage and a positive team environment helped India overcome setbacks and win the T20 World Cup.
Director Honey Trehan's film Punjab '95, based on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra's life, remains stuck with the Censor Board, facing over 127 cuts.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims regarding the state's fish production, accusing him of misrepresenting facts and alleging restrictions on non-vegetarian food consumption in BJP-ruled states.
A Dalit man was arrested in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly posting objectionable content against the Rajput community on social media, leading to outrage and a police investigation.
The Karnataka Assembly has passed two significant bills aimed at social reform and heritage preservation: the Karnataka Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Unity, Freedom, Dignity and Tradition in Marriage Bill, 2026, and the Karnataka Jnana Bhandar Manuscripts and Digitisation Act, 2026.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims about the state's fish production, accusing him of misrepresenting facts and alleging restrictions on non-vegetarian food consumption in BJP-ruled states.
Comedian Samay Raina discusses the controversy surrounding his show 'India's Got Latent' and hints at a second season in a new stand-up special.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
Confusing academic freedom with the right to free speech of an individual and expecting unconditional institutional support is not realistic. Academic freedom provides an opportunity for an academic to pursue their passion and contribute to the society through the outcome of their research and/or thought process, points out N Ravichandran.
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.
Social media platform X argues that satire, fair comment, and public speech should be protected from takedown orders in personality rights cases during a Delhi High Court hearing involving Baba Ramdev's lawsuit.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed the House, reaffirming his commitment to impartiality and adherence to parliamentary rules and regulations following a motion seeking his removal.
This Hamlet and most of the film's characters are Hindus, so there is an elaborate wedding sequence with a baraat, dholki players, dancing baraatis, and a dance performance piece, set to the qawwali Mast Qalander.
Freedom of speech is subject to reasonable restrictions and it does not include the freedom to make defamatory statements against any person or the Indian Army, the Allahabad High Court has said, rejecting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea to quash summons against him for alleged derogatory remarks during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022.
Benjamin Netanyahu declares that the joint Israel-US campaign is successfully 'crushing' Iran, eliminating existential threats and weakening the regime's regional influence.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed concerns about fairness and speaking privileges in the House, emphasising that all members, including the Prime Minister, must adhere to parliamentary rules and procedures.
Congress leader V D Satheesan has criticised Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, accusing him of appeasing both majority and minority communities for political gain. Satheesan's remarks follow allegations of a CPI(M)-BJP deal in the upcoming election and Vijayan's claim that Satheesan has RSS support.
Suryakumar Yadav discusses his successful partnership with head coach Gautam Gambhir, highlighting their shared understanding and mutual respect, which has led to significant success for the Indian T20 team.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress party for allegedly neglecting the tribal community's contributions to India's freedom struggle during its 60-year rule. He spoke at an event marking Janjatiya Gaurav Divas and inaugurated development projects for tribal communities.
Eminent historian and academic K.N. Panikkar, known for his Marxist interpretation of history and advocacy for secularism, has passed away at the age of 90. His contributions to historical research and defence of secular values are widely recognised.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Leading Bangladeshi newspapers report increasing threats to media freedom following attacks on newspaper offices, raising concerns about journalists' safety and freedom of expression.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has criticized the central government's directive mandating the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram at official functions, alleging it violates religious freedom.
'The jail staff told me Kasab was served only jail food and not biryani.' 'They told me that Kasab was beaten regularly after court proceedings.' 'And they filled Kasab's bottle with urine so that whenever he felt thirsty he used to drink urine.'
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