'Religion must be in your home and in the temple, not in government functions.'
Each time her little boy wakes up from sleep, his voice trembles with the same haunting questions: "Where is Papa? Did he go somewhere?"
'The nuns were subjected to abusive language and all types of mental torture.'
A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, claiming it was a "blatant intrusion" into the rights of a religious denomination to manage its own affairs in the matter of religion. The plea, filed by Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema, argues that the amendments would distort the religious character of Waqfs and irreversibly damage the democratic process in their administration. Several other petitions have been filed in the apex court challenging the validity of the bill, including those by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, and AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan.
Addressing a press conference in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress Rajya Sabha member termed Bajrang Dal -- the youth wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad -- a goondon ki jamat (group of goons).
'By birth, you are not superior or inferior to anyone.' 'There are millions of people who want to have a casteless society. I am one of them.'
A three-judge Supreme Court bench will hear petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, on April 16. The petitions, including those by politicians and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, were filed in the top court challenging the validity of the newly-enacted law. The Centre has filed a caveat in the apex court, seeking a hearing before any order is passed.
'Modi's charisma may have weakened as last year's Lok Sabha poll results showed but in the eyes of the Sangh Parivar, it has not waned.' 'Minus a strong BJP government at the Centre for another decade and more, there is apprehension that an anti-Hindutva government could reverse many of the ideological gains that the Modi dispensation has achieved through its three terms,' points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
Himanshi Narwal had asked people not to target Muslims and Kashmiris following the April 22 terror attack near south Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
The Supreme Court of India has agreed to examine whether Muslims can be governed by secular Indian succession law for ancestral properties instead of Shariat without renouncing their faith. The court will consider three petitions on the matter, including one filed by Naushad K K, a resident of Kerala, who wants to be governed by the succession law without leaving Islam. The court has issued notices to the Centre and the Kerala government to file their responses.
Asserting that terrorism is not linked to any religion, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday said it is no coincidence that despite there being around 200 million Muslims, the involvement of Indian citizens in global terrorism has been "incredibly low".
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that if Hindus are safe, then Muslims are also safe in his state.
'What is going on is the under counting of the migration population in urban areas.' 'It has been going on in the last few censuses.'
'Pakistan cannot sustain a war with India for more than four days. They are in such dire straits. At best they can sustain war for one week.'
"I'm very glad you raised this, Ishaan. I didn't plant it. I promise you. This guy does this to his dad," Tharoor replied amid laughter from the audience.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said his article on Operation Sindoor's global outreach was not a sign of his 'leaping to join' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party but a statement of national unity, interest and standing up for India.
Panchayat Season 4 is watchable, mainly because of the wonderful actors, who, over the seasons have developed a warm rapport, notes Deepa Gahlot.
BJP leaders in Maharashtra criticized Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's joint rally in Mumbai, calling it a desperate attempt to revive their political fortunes ahead of civic polls. They accused the Thackerays of using the Marathi language issue as a guise to regain power and criticized their past actions.
"The entire nation was in shame due to the comments... We saw your videos , you were on the verge of using very filthy language but somehow better sense prevailed or you did not find suitable words. You should be shameful. Entire country is proud of our Army and you made this statement," Justice Surya Kant said.
President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which has sparked controversy and legal challenges. The Bill, passed by Parliament after heated debates, has been criticized by opposition parties as "anti-Muslim" and "unconstitutional". The government, however, maintains that the reform will benefit the Muslim community. Several petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Bill, alleging discrimination against Muslims and undermining their religious autonomy. The Bill repeals the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923, and introduces restrictions on Waqf properties and their management, which have raised concerns about the impact on the Muslim community.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has sparked controversy by asking students at a government-aided college in Madurai to chant "Jai Shri Ram". The State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) has demanded his removal, alleging that he violated his oath of office and secular principles. The group claims Ravi's actions were against the Constitution, which outlines India as a secular country and emphasizes the importance of upholding secular values in education. The incident follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that overruled Ravi's decision to withhold 10 Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu government, highlighting ongoing tensions between the Governor and the state administration.
Aam Aadmi Party's Gopal Italia on Monday won from Gujarat's Visavadar assembly constituency and his party also retained Punjab's Ludhiana West seat while the Congress-led United Democratic Front wrested Nilambur from the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala, according to results of assembly bypolls in four states.
A female student of primary school was killed in Kaliganj in West Bengal's Nadia district on Monday after bombs were allegedly hurled from a Trinamool Congress victory celebration rally taken out even before the results of the assembly bypoll were officially announced.
'In today's political spectrum, it is the Bharatiya Janata Party that always says, nation first.'
Bill Aitken came to India nearly 60 years ago. He never returned. An Indian citizen since 1972, he tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih how India changed his life forever.
Kamal Haasan stoked a controversy during the audio launch event for his film Thug Life in Chennai, by remarking that Kannada was born out of Tamil.
The editorial came amidst the ongoing tussle between Arlekar and the Marxist party-led Left Democratic Front government over the usage of 'Bharat Mata portrait' during official functions being held in Raj Bhavan.
The visitor returns not just with the jewel-like beauty of the country imprinted on the mind, the body rejuvenated by hot stone massages, but also with the captivating stories and myths that are built into every important structure -- whether a tourist magnet or an off-the-beaten track spot.
Tamil actor Ajith condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, expressing his heartbreak and offering prayers for the families of the victims.
The Supreme Court of India has sought the Indian government's response to a petition filed by a Muslim woman seeking to be governed by the Indian succession law instead of Shariat. The woman, Safiya P.M., argues that she does not believe in Shariat and wants to be governed by secular law, including the Indian Succession Act of 1925. The court has asked the government to file a counter affidavit within four weeks.
Former Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto had acknowledged his country's tango with terror operatives, saying that Pakistan has a past.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court will decide whether Jain individuals can seek relief under the Hindu Marriage Act, including divorce by mutual consent. This decision stems from a family court's refusal to accept a divorce petition from a Jain software engineer, citing the community's minority status. The high court appointed an amicus curiae to assist in the case, and the next hearing is scheduled for March 18.
'It is not as if Hindus are not being touched at all, and only Muslims are.'
The Supreme Court of India has quashed a fine imposed on political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for mocking Jain monk Tarun Sagar. The top court criticized the high court for engaging in "moral policing" and imposing a fine despite acquitting Poonawalla. The high court had argued that the fine was necessary to deter others from mocking religious leaders. The Supreme Court disagreed, stating that courts should not be involved in moral policing.
The Indian Army has released a booklet on Operation Sindoor, which was launched to avenge the April 22 ghastly Pahalgam attack in which Pakistan-backed terrorists brutally killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, and left many injured.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain pleas seeking a direction to the Centre to frame religion and gender-neutral uniform laws governing subjects like marriage, divorce, inheritance and alimony, saying it cannot direct Parliament to "enact the law".
A 30-year-old woman with three children converted to Hinduism and married a 12th-grade student in a temple ceremony in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha district. The woman, previously known as Shabnam, has been married twice before and has no living parents. Police are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the marriage, but no legal complaints have been filed so far. The woman's previous husband was left disabled after a road accident and she obtained a divorce last week. Her new husband's father supports the marriage and wishes the couple happiness.
The Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of parliament, was adjourned on Monday without transacting any business due to a heated exchange between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress over the issue of reservations to Muslims in public contracts in Karnataka. The BJP accused Congress of seeking to amend the Constitution to provide reservations based on religion, while Congress asserted its commitment to protecting the Constitution. The debate centered around a statement by a senior Congress leader, who was reportedly advocating for changing the Constitution to provide reservations for Muslims.
Kharge claimed that the Centre accepted "intelligence failure" in an all-party meeting and said it should be held accountable for "not reinforcing" security arrangements in Kashmir to protect people.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, is the son of a nuclear scientist who was sanctioned by the United Nations and the US for providing information and expertise to al-Qaeda, according to Indian officials. Chaudhry's father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, allegedly provided insights into nuclear weapons infrastructure and raised funds for a fundamentalist organization linked to the Taliban. Mahmood was arrested in 2001 after admitting to meeting Osama bin Laden but was later released.
