The Delhi high court on Wednesday sought journalist Priya Ramani's stand on former Union minister M J Akbar's appeal against a trial court verdict in his criminal defamation case against her over sexual harassment allegations on the grounds that it was "based on surmises and conjecture".
'The Pakistani government's growing fear of Dr Mahrang's rising popularity is evident.' 'Her defiance is inspiring.'
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, calling it a direct assault on the values of the republic. The party accused the BJP of exploiting the tragedy to promote discord and polarization, while urging for unity and solidarity in the face of adversity. The CWC also demanded a comprehensive analysis of the intelligence failures and security lapses that led to the attack.
Akbar said the next general election "will be won on the basis of governance and not on journeys".
Ramani had made the allegation of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018. Senior advocate Geeta Luthra, appearing for Akbar, said: "The moment a meeting is denied, further questions are not warranted. None of the suggestions are warranted. The meeting in the hotel is denied."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said he is "more than happy" to take responsibility for everything wrong the party did in its history, including the 1984 Sikh riots. He acknowledged that the party made "a lot of mistakes" when he was not there, but said he has publicly stated that what happened in the 80s was "wrong." The remarks were made during an interaction at Brown University in the US. The video of the interaction was uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs on Saturday. The BJP has criticized Gandhi for his remarks, accusing him of "ridiculing" the beliefs of Hindus and Sikhs.
Priests at the famed Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan have rejected a demand to stop using attires made by Muslim artisans for its deity, emphasizing that religious discrimination has no place in temple traditions. The demand was raised by a right-wing group, who argued that the deity's attire should be made only by those who adhere to "religious purity." The temple priests countered by highlighting the historical contributions of Muslim artisans to temple traditions and the impracticality of replacing them.
Sukanya Verma celebrates Hrithik Roshan's silver work anniversary with a playlist of 25 of his chartbusters.
RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has criticized the Karnataka government's decision to provide four per cent reservation for Muslims in government contracts, stating that the Constitution does not allow religion-based quotas. He also said that such reservations go against the wishes of B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. He also spoke about the controversy over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave in Maharashtra, stating that people who went against the ethos of India were made icons. Hosabale lauded figures like Rajput king Maharana Pratap for resisting Mughal emperor Akbar and said those who resisted invaders were also "freedom fighters". He also spoke about the RSS's idea of 'One Nation, One Culture', stating that it draws inspiration from India's rich cultural heritage and ethos.
Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has appealed against an interim order by a magistrate directing him to pay maintenance to a woman who claims to be his first wife. Munde, a leader of the NCP, maintains he was never married to Karuna Munde, who filed the case. The appeal argues the magistrate's order was erroneous and that the relationship between Munde and Karuna was personal, not marital. The court adjourned the matter to March 21, and Karuna Munde has agreed not to apply for execution of the interim maintenance order until then.
Ending all uncertainty over the trial in the criminal defamation complaint filed by former Union minister M J Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani, a Delhi court on Thursday sent back the case to the judge who was hearing it for two years.
'They want to keep the pot boiling all the time.' 'The BJP wants to set a political narrative that the Gandhis are doing wrong things.'
Ramani had made allegation of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018.
The court referred to a judgment passed by the Supreme Court 60 years ago wherein it was declared that in India, the angels and saints of Michelangelo do not need to be made to wear breeches before they can be viewed.
A 25-year-old man was killed on a moving train in Telangana after he confronted four men who had stolen his money. The victim, Shashank Ramsingh Raj, was traveling from Secunderabad to Jhansi when the incident occurred. The thieves, who were later detained by the Government Railway Police (GRP), allegedly stole Rs 1,700 from Raj's pocket and also stole another passenger's mobile phone. When Raj confronted them, a brawl ensued, during which Raj was kicked and punched mercilessly. He later vomited blood and fell unconscious. Raj was pronounced dead upon arrival at Nagpur station. The case has been transferred to the GRP at Mancherial in Telangana.
'We played at Zakir's request. It was an amazing experience for me playing with a famous tabla player's son.'
Priya Ramani had made allegation of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018.
'No military offensive by Pakistan will end the insurgency in Balochistan without simultaneous, concerted efforts toward political dialogue to de-escalate tensions.'
Akbar had filed a defamation case against Priya Ramani for accusing him of sexual misconduct. The allegations levelled against him forced him to resign from the Union Cabinet on October 17, 2018.
'It was me the victim who had to stand up in the court as an accused. I thank everyone who stood by me especially my witnesses Ghazala Wahab and Niloufer Venkatraman who came to the court and testified on my behalf'
Akbar had filed the complaint against Ramani for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct around 20 years ago when he was a journalist. Ramani had said the allegations against Akbar, made in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018, were her truth and were made in public good.
Ramani, who concluded her arguments on Saturday in the complaint filed against her by Akbar, told the court through her lawyer that the #MeToo campaign was started to correct the structural wrong, which was continuing for long.
With at least five women accusing the minister of sexual harassment when he was an editor, sources say his position is untenable.
Either everyone's articles and tweets are defamatory or none is. Or are the other allegations accepted, she said.
'When so many young Baloch men and women are willingly volunteering as fighters and even suicide bombers.'
Sukanya Verma quizzes you to find out just how much you know about the movies.
Shahid's heft is the only thing that keeps up the momentum in a mediocre rehash, dumbed down by flimsy motive and mindless bravado, sighs Sukanya Verma.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from hit-and-run attacks to carrying out sophisticated operations with tactical precision. The group's tactics and targets have become increasingly audacious, targeting security forces, Chinese nationals, and innocent civilians. Experts attribute the BLA's evolution to various factors, including the leadership of Bashir Zeb, the group's growing intelligence network, and its exploitation of the grievances of the Baloch people. The BLA's actions are a cause for concern, as the group's sophisticated attacks pose a major challenge to security forces.
Sukanya Verma quizzes you to find out just how much you know about the movies.
On Wednesday, Minister of State (External Affairs) M J Akbar resigned from his post after facing a flurry of allegations of sexual harassment by women journalists. As the women journalists 'feel vindicated' following his resignation, here's a list of the women who came forward and shared their ordeal.
Ramani had made allegation of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on the Akbar controversy.
'Ramani said it was important for women to speak about sexual harassment at the workplace. She hoped that the disclosure would empower women and encourage them to speak up'
"The car driven by Tayal crashed into Shaikh's bike. The accused fled the scene but was later detained after police used footage of CCTV cameras to identify the car and then track him down with its details," said Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Pail.
The former Union minister filed a criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani after she named him in the #MeToo campaign.
"It seems that apart from Ramani, nobody else had made any allegations against Akbar. By then Ghazala Wahab had written about her experience. At 15 women had spoken up on Twitter," she said before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar.
Eight years ago, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain had narrated how his father Alla Rakha had welcomed him into this world by putting the musical instrument's rhythms into his ears when asked to recite prayers.
The following are some of the key observations made by a Delhi court while throwing out M J Akbar's criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani over her allegations of sexual harassment.
The cross-examination of Akbar by Ramani's counsel remained inconclusive and would resume on on July 6.
'I have only this to say to those who talk about Mewar rulers and Akbar's brutality -- do you expect a king to not expand his kingdom?' 'You have entire cities named after Muslim rulers. It's time our heroes got their due.'
