The display of RSS founder KB Hedgewar's portraits during a temple festival in Kollam district has sparked controversy in Kerala, prompting the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to request a report from its vigilance wing. The images of Hedgewar were reportedly displayed along with the photos of prominent social reformers like Sree Narayana Guru and B R Ambedkar during Kollam Pooram festival here on Tuesday night. TDB sources said the management of Puthiyakavu Temple, a local shrine in the district which does not come under its ambit, is allegedly responsible for the showcasing of the images of the RSS leader during the "kudamattam" as part of the Pooram festivities.
'Rahul Gandhi's problem is that he doesn't think big.' 'He looks more like an activist, while politics is like a game of chess. You attack and then defend and have a game-plan.'
A Kerala man, Ramachandran (65), was killed in a terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, leaving his wife unaware of his death. Ramachandran and his wife, Sheela, were on a holiday with their daughter and grandchildren when the attack took place. The couple was known for their love of travel and had recently returned to Kochi after living in the UAE. The family is in shock and mourning Ramachandran's death. The Kerala government has launched a help desk to assist Keralites affected by the terror attack.
The coastal areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are expected to experience the "kallakkadal phenomenon" on January 15 night, causing rough waves and a possible sea surge. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued an alert, advising coastal residents to move to safer locations and avoid venturing into the sea.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the RSS of "majority communalism" over an article published in an RSS mouthpiece regarding the Catholic Church's property holdings in India. The article, which has since been removed from the website, called for the government to acquire the church's land, claiming it was illegally leased during the British era. Vijayan said the article reveals the "true mindset" of the RSS and its alleged plan to "target minority groups one by one and destroy them step by step." The Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, echoed Vijayan's concerns, stating that the article shows the RSS's intent to target the Church's property. He also claimed that the article's publication coincides with the passing of the Waqf Bill in Parliament, suggesting a pattern of targeting religious communities. Meanwhile, the BJP state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, denied the article's accuracy and stated that the article was removed after it was found to be untrue. He also emphasized that owning land is not a crime, and countered allegations that the Congress and Waqf have illegally acquired land in Karnataka. Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Thalassery, however, expressed confidence that the Church is not afraid of any "Church Bill", as its properties have been earned through hard work. He said the Church will take legal action if necessary.
Sri Lanka stays with you not just in memory, but gently reminds you what a society can achieve when heart and heritage guide the way.
'If you don't fulfil whatever they ask, you are in trouble.'
These traditions have survived centuries, even as India has changed dramatically around them.
'Are elections still fair in India, or are we all witness to a macabre style of 'selection' of lawmakers? The jury will be out on this for a long time because there is no definitive evidence on either contention, at least as yet,' notes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author, Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.
Prominent businessman Boby Chemmanur was taken into custody on Wednesday by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the sexual harassment case filed by Malayalam actress Honey Rose, official sources said on Monday.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his disappointment at the potential exit of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from Chennai Super Kings (CSK), saying that the move is "very unlike CSK", a franchise whose "identity was stability and trust in players".
The alleged threats by the BJP's district president Prasanth Siva came in the wake of a row over naming a skill development centre for disabled persons after RSS founder K B Hedgewar.
'Parents only realise the trap in which their children fell after losing money. Some exploit children for sexual acts such as pornography and the narcotics trade.'
Afan, a 23-year-old man from Kerala, allegedly killed five people, including his brother, grandmother, paternal uncle, aunt, and his girlfriend, in a series of brutal hammer attacks. The victims were found with severe head injuries, indicating the severity of the assaults. The accused, who was reportedly a drug abuser, calmly walked to the police station after committing the murders, informing officers about the killings. Police are investigating the motive behind the horrific crime.
The Deepa Thoon controversy, if not allowed to die a natural death, could take the election focus away from the anti-incumbency impacting the DMK and into the secular space. Stalin would love to have it that way, all over again, after the three past elections, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
In a fortunate twist of fate, a family from Kerala narrowly escaped the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, thanks to a horse-riding accident that delayed their journey.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from northwest India around September 15. This year's monsoon covered the country earlier than usual, resulting in surplus rainfall and extreme weather events.
'Arundhati Roy is like a ballerina performing on a high wire, cool, supremely at ease but conscious of all the adoring eyes on her,' notes P Vijaya Kumar.
Kant, a retired 1980-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Kerala cadre, was appointed as India's G20 Sherpa in July 2022, months before India assumed the G20 Presidency.
Nine seats are going to polls in Uttar Pradesh, four in Punjab and one in Kerala.
Three elderly people died in a stampede caused by two elephants becoming agitated after crackers were burst during a festival at the Manakulangara Temple near Koyilandy, Kerala. The elephants ran towards a building, causing a wall to collapse and trapping people. The stampede also resulted in around 20 people suffering minor injuries. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences, and investigations are underway to determine if there were any violations of elephant management rules.
While wellness-related facilities and activities used to be considered luxury offerings, hospitality industry executives note that it has now become a mainstream expectation among guests.
'... Rahul Gandhi's name came to my mind at that time.'
The Congress claimed that dynastic politics exists across party lines and also hailed the Nehru-Gandhi family's leadership.
The Kerala government announced on Wednesday that the Argentina national football team, led by legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit the state next year for an international friendly match, which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hailed as a tribute to state people's passion for soccer.
'We can't afford to fight each other.' 'We have to win the 2026 election.'
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a warning of significant rainfall in Kerala due to cyclone Fengal, currently positioned as a strong low-pressure area over northern Tamil Nadu.
'The current Election Commission functions more like a government department than an autonomous body.'
While two bodies were recovered on Wednesday, the death toll climbed to four on Thursday after the recovery of two more bodies from the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric project site in Kangra district.
Opposition-ruled states warn of steep annual losses; Centre assures higher consumption will offset revenue hit.
EVMs can't be used in presidential, vice-presidential, or Rajya Sabha polls because they only count simple votes, not the preference-based system needed for these elections.
The Election Commission on Monday rescheduled from November 13 to November 20 the assembly bypolls to all nine and four seats in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, respectively, and one seat in Kerala in view of festivals, an official statement said.
'I wanted to go for the heart, and at the same time, open the audience's mind.'
'The nuns were subjected to abusive language and all types of mental torture.'
The conditions that lead to landslides, including soil texture, soil moisture and slope are known, and it is important to put all this knowledge into an operational system, he said.
Women's WC matches in Bengaluru face uncertainty, shifting of venue on cards
'Vijay should have stayed there for the night and in the morning he should have met the people.'
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted above-normal rainfall for most parts of India during the post-monsoon season (October to December), except for some areas in the northwest. The southwest monsoon season ended with the country recording eight per cent above normal rainfall.
'I realised why the farmers and the rural folks are going for Trump. They are so insecure and vulnerable that anybody who is throwing a line of hope to them, they seize it.'
On November 18, 1962, 114 soldiers of the 13th Kumaon fought till the last man, and last bullet, in sub-zero temperatures, to beat back the huge Chinese army. We salute the Heroes of Rezang La.
