Vande Mataram, the national song that has stirred passions and political controversies for more than a century, received legal protection on Thursday with Parliament passing a bill making any insult to it a punishable offence, rekindling the long-running debate over its place in India's history and identity.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has dismissed a writ petition challenging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Indian citizenship. The petitioners failed to provide concrete evidence to support their claim that Gandhi is a British citizen, leading to the withdrawal of the plea.
The Indian National Congress has strongly condemned the air strike by Pakistan that hit a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, resulting in a high number of casualties. The party calls for global rejection of such acts of barbarism and expresses solidarity with the Afghan people.
BJP MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, has demanded an unconditional apology from Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. This demand follows an alleged incident at the AICC headquarters on Independence Day, where Chatterjee claims there were attempts to prevent the full singing of "Vande Mataram," which he described as a "shameless repetition of a historical mistake."
'Whether they change uniforms or try to rewrite history through education policy, no matter what they do... You have seen what the youth of our country think about this...'
The Congress party has criticised the decision to change the Indian hockey team's jersey colour to saffron, calling it a 'narrow-minded political experiment' and demanding the government reconsider the move.
On August 8, 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave India a simple but powerful call: 'Do or Die'. What followed was the Quit India Movement, one of the largest mass uprisings against British rule.
The Congress party has accused the Modi government of creating a "deep crisis" in India's job market due to its "flawed" economic and employment policies. Citing a media report on a 27% decline in new jobs at major companies, the opposition party stated that the government is engaged in "headline management" and "politics of distraction" instead of addressing the youth employment crisis.
India's first Asian Games gold-winning heptathlete, Swapna Barman, has been provisionally suspended by NADA after testing positive for the banned substance Boldenone. This disciplinary action proceeds despite her recent retirement announcement. The case highlights ongoing efforts to combat doping in Indian sports, with other athletes also facing bans.
A Congress spokesperson, quoted in media reports, summed up the party's thinking by saying, 'Whenever BJP is in trouble on the ground, a new 'apolitical' or 'alternative' party appears with the same ideology and the same backers.'
Ruling TVK legislators are advocating for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as their Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, a move dismissed by the Congress party which insists on Rahul Gandhi as their choice. This internal conflict within the alliance highlights a growing divide over national political ambitions.
On National Sports Day, political leaders including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and several Chief Ministers paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand and lauded Indian sportspersons for their contributions to the country.
For 17 years, Mani Bhavan was Gandhi's Bombay home and nerve centre of the freedom movement.
The Delhi high court on Monday granted three weeks to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others to respond to a plea by the Enforcement Directorate challenging a trial court order that refused to take cognisance of its chargesheet against them in the National Herald-linked money laundering case.
The South African government has cleared its High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, of any wrongdoing after he appeared at a temple event in Haridwar with former president Jacob Zuma and businessman Ajay Gupta, who faces corruption allegations. DIRCO stated Sooklal provided only customary protocol support to Zuma and attended the event independently, without facilitating any substantive engagement with Gupta.
The BJP has strongly condemned the Congress's decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram, vowing to protect the dignity and national status of the full version of the national song and launch a nationwide campaign to spread its significance.
'You have to get private investment to somewhere between 35% to 36% of GDP. It is hovering about 30%-31%.'
Congress leader K C Venugopal has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, demanding privilege proceedings against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for allegedly "misleading" Parliament regarding Indian soldier casualties post the Pahalgam terror attack and during Operation Sindoor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to opposition parties to support the delimitation-linked Women's Reservation Bill, highlighting its 40-year struggle. The bill aims to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and increase Lok Sabha seats, requiring a two-thirds majority for passage. Despite previous setbacks and ongoing efforts to secure numbers, the government continues to push for this crucial legislation.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has dismissed "baseless" rumours of a possible merger with the Congress, despite recent meetings between TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, which occurred amidst significant internal rebellion within the TMC following its recent electoral defeat in West Bengal.
Rahul Gandhi's aggressive street politics is giving him a fresh political edge, but overplaying his role could hurt his credibility with the wider opposition, predicts M R Narayan Swamy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'dimagi Naxal' (intellectual Naxal) remark, made during his Independence Day address, has ignited a significant political debate, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju clarifying that the comment targets those who support Maoists and separatists, not opposition leaders, while opposition figures like P Chidambaram have embraced the label in defiance.
There is a strong opinion within the BJP in Punjab that the party must now stand on its own two feet and dump the badly compromised SAD baggage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon citizens to celebrate Independence Day with honour and pride, urging them to take a pledge for a developed India. This appeal comes amidst parliamentary sessions marked by protests from both ruling and opposition alliances.
The Congress on Sunday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the US' statements after three Indian sailors were killed in American attacks on ships, with party leader Rahul Gandhi saying the "compromised PM" listens "like an obedient servant" and "complies with the orders".
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday sought a change in seating arrangement for its MPs in the Lok Sabha, saying their alliance with the Congress has ended and it would not be appropriate for its members to sit alongside those of the Congress.
Over 14,000 members of the academic and scientific community have petitioned Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking intervention against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "gau mutra expert" remark concerning IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti during parliamentary proceedings. The petition calls for the withdrawal of the derogatory expression, arguing it undermines the dignity of an eminent scientist and the institution he leads, and urges for respectful democratic discourse.
The rejection of senior Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination papers transformed what should have been a routine Rajya Sabha election into a lesson in contemporary political warfare.
US Vice-President J D Vance's unexpected phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 8 has ignited speculation about a potential diplomatic overture, possibly seeking India's support amidst the escalating US-Iran conflict and a shifting global power landscape, suggests Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Congress MLA and former India Hockey Captain Pargat Singh has criticised the change in the Indian hockey team's national jersey colour from blue to saffron, alleging it reflects the BJP's mindset of 'giving everything a particular colour' and urging a focus on sports development instead.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP-RSS, labelling them a "bunch of jokers" with no understanding of India, and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy as merely "hugging leaders." He also claimed the RSS has become an instrument of large capital, serving Adani and Ambani, and vowed that the Congress would keep pressure on the government until Modi and Shah resign. The BJP hit back, calling Gandhi immature and out of depth.
This year's Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort uniquely featured the national song 'Vande Mataram', marking 150 years of its profound legacy and historical significance in India's freedom struggle.
'The BJP has all the instruments with them and they do have a sense of purpose, so I don't think there will be a challenge.'
Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a symbolic protest in Parliament, enacting the "theft" of Ram Temple donations. The INDIA bloc demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation and questioned his absence, also protesting police action against student agitators.
Congress leader Manish Tewari expressed his disappointment after being overlooked in the recent Punjab Congress reshuffle for upcoming assembly polls, posting a cryptic message on X about "insecurities of individuals and institutions" while reaffirming his loyalty to the party. The reshuffle saw key appointments for election committees, including Charanjit Singh Channi as Campaign Committee chairman, but notably excluded Tewari.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's planned visit to the United States has been denied political clearance by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), citing non-conformity with laid down norms, forcing him to cancel the US leg of his 'TelanganaRising' delegation tour and return to Hyderabad earlier than planned.
At this point at 85, Sharad Pawar is like a mature but ageing trapeze artist who is assessing if he will still land on his feet if he jumps from the safe perch of INDIA to the NDA. Can a Great Betrayal be presented as a tactical move? Watch Sharad Pawar do it, predicts Aditi Phadnis.
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has made a significant U-turn, praising Gen Z as India's biggest strength and ambassadors of culture, days after controversially labelling them 'generation gutter.' Her new stance aligns with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's recent comments advocating for hearing out young protesters.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Prayagraj, emphasising that India's youth are its greatest strength. He raised concerns about the lack of employment opportunities, the declining value of educational credentials, and issues like exam paper leaks, urging youth to bring change through love and affection.
Following the Supreme Court's clean chit in the coal block allocation case, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has lauded former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's integrity and accountability, drawing a sharp contrast with the Narendra Modi government's operational style and alleged misuse of investigative agencies.
