'I stand by what I said. It is understandable that Rushdie got angry and called me names. But it also means it hurt him because there was some truth in what I said.'
Amid demands for allowing Holi celebration on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus, its administration has decided that students can do so "freely" at the Non-Resident Students Centre Hall. The decision came after a controversy erupted when members of a right-wing group accused the university administration of denying permission to Hindu students to organize a 'Holi Milan' function on campus. However, the university administration clarified that the decision to allow Holi celebrations at the NRSC Hall was taken because of an AMU board examination scheduled for March 9. The administration further stated that March 10, 11, and 12 are working days and there will be classes, while March 13 and 14 are holidays, making them suitable for celebrations.
A summary of Wednesday's Champions League first leg quarter-finals between Barcelona and Dortmund and Real Madrid, and Paris St Germain and Aston Villa.
Maninder Singh (51') and Harmanpreet found the back of the net to extend Soorma's lead further and even though Gursahibjit Singh (56') pulled a goal back in the dying minutes, Soorma walked away with all three points.
Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said social media was used to vitiate the atmosphere, and appealed to the opposition not to politicise the matter.
'Under the more strident Modi version of Hindutva, Nehru has almost become a contemporary political figure.' 'The ruling party knows that without total erasure and distortion of Nehru, their fantasies will always be wobbly.'
That kept Real top of LaLiga on 50 points, one ahead of Atletico in second who missed a chance to leapfrog them. Barcelona, third on 45 points, visit Sevilla on Sunday with a chance to close the gap in the title race.
Senior RSS leader Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi's call to drop the Aurangzeb tomb controversy challenges decades of communal rhetoric in Maharashtra, igniting hopes for unity and a balanced historical narrative.
In another match, Inter Kashi drew 1-1 with Real Kashmir to remain on top of the table due to better goal difference +5 compared to Snow Leopards (+3). Both teams have eight points.
L2: Empuraan is an ambitious sequel that is bigger, bolder and timid in equal measure, observes Arjun Menon.
Britain has revoked visas issued to two prominent members of organisations with right-wing leanings from Kerala after the Indian community in the UK complained against their visit.
A body representing the 'Khadims' of the Ajmer dargah has condemned a plea in a local court that seeks to declare the shrine of Khawaja Gharib Nawaz as a temple, saying right-wing forces were trying to "isolate" Muslims and "disrupt" communal harmony in the country.
Gurjant Singh (10th minute) gave Soorma the lead early in the game while Jugraj Singh (56th) equalised for the Tigers towards the end.
The Indian women's hockey team stunned reigning Olympic champions Netherlands in the shootout after the two sides were locked 2-2 in regulation time.
'Mamata needs to address the anger and resentment among various sections of the Hindu community because low-scale communal violence has always paid richer electoral dividends for the BJP.'
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said imprisonment and fine would be ensured against those who violate the law and action taken considering such crimes as cognisable and non-bailable.
Right-wing organizations, including Bajrang Dal and All India Karni Sena, held a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) ceremony and chanted Hanuman chalisa at a long-abandoned Shiva temple in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. The temple, located in a Muslim-majority locality, was "reopened" by members of these groups. The ceremony took place on Wednesday night amid tight security measures. Local residents, including a former Aligarh Mayor, have voiced concerns over the state of the temple and called for its restoration.
The Battle of Lhagyala on November 23, 1962, fought by the 4 Rajput Regiment against the Chinese PLA, remains a forgotten chapter of heroism, with no survivors left to tell their story.
'Trump's desire to withdraw the US from some arenas on the global stage will result in ceding space to China.'
Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, which outraged the nation, joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Jalna ahead of assembly polls.
How have aspirations, ambitions and hopes broken down for these young men from the most advanced parts of India? asks Mihir S Sharma.
Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, Pangarkar joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Friday in the presence of party leader and former state minister Arjun Khotkar.
The Delhi Police has stepped up security outside Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's residence following an intelligence input of disturbance by right wing groups, sources said on Wednesday.
A right-wing group on Sunday said it had issued a "diktat" barring entry of Muslims at Garba events during the upcoming Navratri festival at Mandvi town in Gujarat's Kutch district to prevent "love jihad" incidents.
'Imagine what the BJP's urges would be if India's electorate awarded it truly brute majorities like the 400 plus seats the prime minister called for in the 2024 general elections?' asks Shyam G Menon.
'Besides electoral opportunism, a sustained vilification of AMU on one or the other pretext helps them sustain their 'everyday communalism', the new strategy of the BJP of the Narendra Damodardas Modi-Amit Anilchandra Shah era,' says Mohammad Sajjad.
Trump spoke approvingly of his recent telephone conversation with Xi Jinping. This could indicate the possibility of America and China reaching some level of tactical accommodation, which would not be good news for India, points out Ambassador Shyam Saran, a former foreign secretary.
Rajiv Gandhi, his son Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Karan Singh, Naveen Patnaik besides celebrated authors like Amitav Ghosh and Vikram Seth studied at The Doon School.
Elon Musk, who has previously vowed to "go to war" to defend the H-1B visa program, has reignited debate surrounding the program by labeling it "broken" and in urgent need of "major reform." Musk, along with Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, has been tapped by Trump to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While Musk acknowledges the need for foreign workers in the tech industry, he believes the current H-1B system needs significant changes, including raising the minimum salary and adding a yearly cost for maintaining the visa. The H-1B visa, which allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, has been a subject of debate for years. The tech industry advocates for more H-1B visas to attract highly skilled workers, while some argue that it allows businesses to replace Americans with lower-paid foreign workers.
'They contest to ensure they win the election.'
A dominant Chennaiyin FC returned to winning ways in style as they pumped in five goals to register a crushing 5-1 victory over Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League on Monday.
Showing total disregard for the US constitution, Trump has said that this could be the last election to be held in the country. A Trump presidency could lead to mass deportation of undocumented migrants and harsh family separation, warns Aseem Chhabra.
'The real danger in India right now is that identity politics is being stoked in extremely dangerous ways.' 'The narrative you get about churches in the mainstream Indian media and the narrative you get in the social media is very different.' 'Many Americans today want to appropriate Indian culture. They want yoga, but they say yoga has nothing to do with Hinduism. They want Ayurveda, but they say it's got nothing to do with Hinduism.' 'Hinduism has been failed by political constituencies in India -- seculars and the right-wing.'
There are few leaders in the Opposition line up who can claim a path to party leadership like Sitaram Yechury and certainly, very few who blended that ascent through student politics with awareness about non-elite real India, urban India and liberal politics, as he did, notes Shyam G Menon.
Malayalee From India is trapped within its self-serving corniness and refuses to break free in the process, observes Arjun Menon.
What can we expect from the traditional Rose Carnival in Mainz, Germany? Revellers at the Rose Carnival celebrate by dressing up in fancy costumes, dance, parade, drink and showcase floats.
A 12-hour hartal is being observed against the preventive detention of a Hindu Aikya Vedi leader.
More than 100 people were booked on charges of stone-pelting and rioting on Thursday night while a man belonging to a right-wing outfit was detained for questioning in connection with the vandalism outside the station.
Indian women produced a flawless effort to outwit United States 3-1 and end this leg of the Hockey Pro League on a winning note in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Images from Saturday's action in the Premier League.
