The previous Congress-NCP government had issued an ordinance to grant a 16 per cent quota to Marathas and five per cent to Muslims.
Ajit Pawar became a ray of hope for Muslims, the only man in power who could resolve their grievances.
The real surprise in these results came from Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM. Of the 29 Muslim candidates who got elected to the 227-strong BMC, the Congress and the AIMIM between them bagged 22.
Shahjahanpur is preparing for its unique 'Laat Saheb' Holi procession, a tradition where revellers hurl footwear at a man impersonating a British Lord. Security has been heightened, mosques covered, and preventive measures taken to ensure a peaceful celebration.
All along, we were told SIR was an essential exercise carried out as part of the Election Commission's regular duties. But now that the ideological mentor of the ruling party has declared that SIR is a means of detecting infiltrators, one understands the unseemly haste with which it is being carried out, notes Jyoti Punwani.
Tension gripped Sihora town in Jabalpur district after a communal clash involving stone-pelting and vandalism, leading to police intervention and multiple arrests.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani's remarks alleging discrimination against Muslims, citing the Al Falah University case, have sparked a row with the BJP, who accused him of supporting terrorists.
Kapil Sharma's 'Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2' is set for its OTT release on JioHotstar after a theatrical run. The film features Kapil Sharma, Warina Hussain, Manjot Singh, Parul Gulati, Tridha Choudhary and Ayesha Khan.
O'Romeo is an ordinary plot about a man's obsession, but Vishal Bhardwaj lays it out like a lavish spread, with stylish and very violent action set pieces, effectively used music (Bhardwaj composes Gulzar's delectable lyrics), and a romance that has moments that are tender as well as bitter, observes Deepa Gahlot.
'Some films are meant to more than just entertain you. They are meant to challenge, provoke, push you to think, instil change, and be in the public conversation.' 'That is Haq.'
As the controversy erupted surrounding the removal of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury questioned whether this action would improve the security of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Mohammed Azharuddin backs BCCI; BJP and Congress clash over Mustafizur Rahman issue
A video of IAS officer Tina Dabi during flag hoisting has gone viral. She explains how the mistake happened and clears the air.
'We are not all Abduls, you know. Our community has any number of retired civil and defence officers, doctors, engineers, lawyers.'
The Supreme Court denied bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, citing prosecution material suggesting their involvement in planning and strategic direction. The court granted bail to other activists but emphasized the seriousness of the allegations against Khalid and Imam.
'Four other teams bid for him and KKR outbid everyone, that is a different story. And if he was included in the auction, it was BCCI's call. Removing a player will not make any difference...'
'Should China's interest in the Teesta River projects be approved, it would likely result in heightened Chinese presence near the Siliguri corridor.'
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United made public the names of candidates for all 101 seats it will be contesting in the assembly polls, with more than half of them from the backward and extremely backward classes.
'They wanted the city to be a great business hub. They didn't like the fact that taxes collected in Bombay would go outside the city.'
Union minister Giriraj Singh's controversial remarks regarding the 'naqab' incident in Bihar have drawn criticism from opposition leaders, escalating the political row.
Funeral prayers were held for Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia amid tight security. Millions joined the namaz-e-janaza of Zia, a three-time Prime Minister and political icon of Bangladesh.
In the year gone by, quite a few of the younger actors flexed their acting muscle. Whether the films were blockbusters or not is immaterial, what matters is the effort put in.
'Now there is no fight between us (Thackerays); now the fight is with them.'
Former BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, son of MP Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, wrote to IMC commissioner Shivam Verma claiming some streets in Chandan Nagar had been renamed on the basis of a "particular religion".
Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 may be a comedy filled with chaos, but in its indirect way, it speaks about a time when the Constitution mattered more than one's religion and when the idea of India was larger than personal hate, observes Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
The Supreme Court has temporarily halted a High Court order that would have sent a decades-old property dispute involving the Bhopal royal estate back to trial court. The case involves descendants of Nawab Hamidullah Khan and challenges the inheritance of Sajida Sultan and her heirs, including actor Saif Ali Khan.
The Madhya Pradesh high court has dismissed a petition filed by Shah Bano Begum's daughter seeking to stop the release of the Hindi film Haq, inspired by her mother's famous legal battle, holding that a person's right to reputation or privacy is not heritable.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a petition seeking a stay on the release of the Hindi film 'Haq', which is inspired by the life and legal struggle of Shah Bano Begum. The court found the petition devoid of merit, clearing the way for the film's release.
The hope is that the film raises significant issues about the rights of women, and does not become a diatribe against a minority community that has happened with some recent films, points out Deepa Gahlot.
'I don't know what people will say, but as a liberal Muslim, I can say that I had no problems with the viewpoint of the film. Because we are not maligning any community, if we were I wouldn't have done this film...'
Made at a time when an insidious agenda can be read into it, Haq is an important film that deals with a contentious subject with maturity, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Siddiqa Begum, daughter and legal heir of Shah Bano, has served a legal notice on the makers "for immediate restraint on the publication, screening, promotion, or release of the upcoming film."
The Jammu and Kashmir legislative Assembly was disrupted after a BJP MLA alleged the government was neglecting some Kishtwar areas because "nationalist Hindus" reside there. The remarks were deemed communal by other members, leading to a heated debate.
Delhi Police strongly opposes bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others in the February 2020 riots case, claiming it was a pre-planned attack on the nation's sovereignty and an attempt to divide society on communal lines.
From royalty to a tea vendor-turned-politician's wife and from a first lady to a Bengali actress, the 18 Muslim women who treaded the hallowed corridors of power in the Lok Sabha are an eclectic mix, with each of them having an interesting backstory, but one common thread -- their path to power was always strewn with struggle and hurdles.
The Jan Suraaj Party announced its second list of candidates for the Bihar assembly elections, covering 65 constituencies. The party has kept its choice for the Raghopur seat, where founder Prashant Kishor is expected to contest, under wraps. The list includes candidates from various sections of society, including the extremely weaker sections, Other Backward Classes, and Muslims.
In the order stated by the trial court 25 years ago, a decree was made according to the principle of primogeniture in which the successor of the ruler was entrusted with all private properties.
'I wanted to go for the heart, and at the same time, open the audience's mind.'
Voting is underway for the second and final phase of the Bihar assembly elections across 122 constituencies. Key candidates and political dynamics are in focus as the state decides its next government.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda and several other top leaders of the NDA.
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