Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said the government was open to discussions with the agitating students but was against politicising the issue.
'This letter is not a complaint, it's more indignation, because we do not like being used as political tools by people of various parties.'
'Rajapaksa's victory poses a serious foreign policy challenge for the Modi government,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Two months ago, May 2, Major Anuj Sood made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland in a hostage-rescue mission in J&K. As his grieving family grapples with their immense loss, they graciously share memories of the young major -- a husband, brother and son -- whose only calling was the fauj.
Police are probing both the cases and efforts are on to trace the missing 9mm pistol, they said.
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!
Leading historian Irfan Habib said the country's academic community is shocked at the manner in which the Modi government is "trampling upon" academic institutions.
Iqbal Ansari, one of the main plaintiffs who fought for the right of the community over the disputed land, says Muslims in Ayodhya won't be satisfied if the Sunni Waqf Board accepts the five acres in Dhannipur.
Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was inducted as one of the five new members into the prestigious Laureus Sports Academy in a glittering annual award ceremony at the Shanghai Grand theatre in Shanghai.
The studio said it would soon announce the new release date for the film.
The Sangh's leadership has boxed itself into a tight situation. It now needs to wait and see if Modi can deliver in the Lok Sabha polls, says Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Celebration of Holi at Mathura, Vrindavan and Barsana in Uttar Pradesh is world famous and it attracts tourists from across the globe.
'Nobody will think like him. It was a treat for us to listen to him. He was meticulous in his argument. We got trained by listening to him,' says senior criminal lawyer R Shanmugasundaram, who had known Ram Jethmalani for almost 40 years.
The bandh has been called by pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations, protesting the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal's interim order rejecting the state's petition seeking 7.56 tmcft for drinking water projects.
Delhi, which has gained infamy as one of the world's most polluted cities, has for some years now witnessed a sustained campaign from various quarters seeking a ban on firecrackers. While the Centre launched the newly approved, eco-friendly firecrackers earlier this month as a "safer and cheaper" alternative, the mood in the market is tepid, says Ritwik Sharma.
Journalists from across the country gathered and demanded justice amid call for standing up to "forces" trying to the "muzzle" the voices of dissent.
'The downslide has been rapid leading up to the number one and number two of the organisation flinging against each other horrendous accusations of bribery and tampering with investigations for personal gain, and the latest petition to the Supreme Court by the joint director of the CBI, M K Sinha, opening a veritable Pandora's Box of repulsive skeletons,' notes B S Raghavan, the distinguished civil servant who witnessed the CBI's birth.
The government must engage with the advertising fraternity, clients and subject experts to formulate a set of guidelines for celebrities to follow, says Hemant Misra.
The incident occurred at Press Club when Sena workers barged in at the venue despite the security arrangement and raised slogans against Kulkarni and against Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism.
BKS and BMS leaders have told the BJP leadership that it is staring at a build-up of anti-government propaganda in the run-up to polls in five states.
Celebs and their adorable Karva Chauth pictures!
'Having dealt with security and insurgency for 15 years, I am fully convinced that the steps taken by the government in regard to J&K and the measures in force there are essential,' says B S Raghavan, the distinguished civil servant.
The SC said that the woman law student did not want to go to her home state Uttar Pradesh.
As the strike by the Film and Television Institute of India students entered the fifth day, the Information and Broadcasting ministry on Tuesday offered to discuss "all relevant issues" after they stuck to their demand for revoking the appointment of actor and Bharatiya Janata Party member Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of its governing council.
Delhi high court restrained the media from revealing the identity of the victim by any means.
Leading Malayalam film actress Shweta Menon, who was allegedly molested by Congress Member of Parliament N Peethambara Kurup at the President's Boat race event at Kollam two days ago, on Sunday gave her statement on the incident to police.
The UP government said it would not sack any of its ministers without a probe, days after a cabinet minister was accused of orchestrating the murder of a journalist in the state.
'It would have been much more appropriate if a law such as this, which all of the civilised world has given up, was struck down through democratic politics rather than five individuals sitting in judgement,' says Aakar Patel.
Highlighting the pendency of cases in various courts of the country, he said Indian legal system is marked by long delays and some of the reasons for it are infrastructure gaps and considerable vacancies, particularly in subordinate courts.
'You put crores of rupees making films, so I don't think any producer or studio would back you because you know a relative in the industry.' 'They will back talent, either from within the fraternity or outside.'
The last rites will be conducted in Mandala in Madhya Pradesh, according to his wishes.
Amidst a raging controversy over remarks on smoking by a Bharatiya Janata Party MP who is a 'beedi' baron, another Member of Parliament from the party Ram Prasad Sarmah on Friday waded into the row, claiming there is no clear proof yet linking cigarette puffing and cancer while wondering whether tobacco contains "herbal medicine"
'Challenges will come but we will stay the course. No big step can be taken if one is afraid of criticism. We will not flinch from criticism,' says Railways Minister Piyush Goyal.
The five-member Regulatory Commission of the Indian Super League met in Mumbai over the three days, in continuation of its earlier sittings since February 2016, to hear the submissions of the respective parties in the matter of Football Sports Development Limited vs FC Goa; FC Goa vs Chennaiyin FC; FC Goa vs Elano Blumer and Chennaiyin FC vs FC Goa.
Over the last decade the Indian film industry has reinvented itself. Do film critics need to do that too?
A year has passed since Shashi Kapoor passed into the ages. His movies live on on television, but Shashiji's greatest legacy must remain Mumbai's Prithvi Theatre, where people came to be entertained, informed and, perhaps, also enlightened.
'Like Robespierre,' argues Syed Firdaus Ashraf, 'Kejriwal too talks of virtue, and the ones who speak out against him will encounter the terror of Kejriwal's wrath in the Aam Aadmi Party.'
The 2015 World Bank group's Doing Business index ranked India at 142, down from 140, which it was the year before.
Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra on Saturday applauded IOC's decision to not change its stance on barring charge-sheeted persons from contesting Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections, saying it is heartening to see the world body keen on cleaning up sports in the country.
The agitating students will meet officials from the information and broadcasting ministry on October 1.
