The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), custodian of Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple, has banned political and hate speeches at Tirumala. The decision comes in response to recent incidents where individuals, including political leaders, made political or inflammatory statements before the media near the temple premises after Darshan, disrupting the spiritual peace. The TTD warned of legal action against violators.
TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy in a press conference claimed that the adulteration has been confirmed by a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory, on the ghee samples provided by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, which manages the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.
'Father Stan was concerned about other innocents who may be implicated and put inside without the slightest proof, the way he was.'
The city of Shahjahanpur in India celebrates Holi with a unique procession called "Laat Saheb," where revellers hurl footwear at a man impersonating a British Lord. The tradition dates back to the 18th century and has evolved over time. The procession involves a seven-kilometer route, prayers at a temple, and a symbolic bribe offered to the police. The event is marked by strict security measures, including barricades, CCTV cameras, and the covering of mosques with tarpaulins. The procession is seen as a way to commemorate the city's history of freedom fighters and to discourage the British colonizers.
The Bombay high court, while hearing posthumously the appeals filed by late Jesuit priest Stan Swamy in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, on Monday said he was a wonderful person and the court had 'great respect' for his work.
One unwanted fallout of Stan Swamy's death from the government's point of view will be the increased attention on those senior citizens who are still in jail on charges which are taking a long time to prove, believes Amulya Ganguli.
Devotees gathered to take a dip at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion of the first Amrit Snan during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj.
Ahead of YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's planned visit to Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala Hills, the district police on Friday issued notice to several leaders and cadre of the party not to defy Section 30 of the Police Act which is in force.
Among heavy criticism of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks on Prayagraj's Mahakumbh, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj on Wednesday supported the CM, saying that the religious event has been mismanaged.
The BJP member also sought to put the LVB-DBS merger on hold in order to facilitate a forensic audit of the takeover of the assets of both banks.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the University of Oxford, stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive. She emphasized that her governance model prioritizes the welfare of all sections of society and does not allow discrimination, highlighting the state's diverse population and the need for a human-centric approach.
Senior counsel Mihir Desai, who represented Swamy in the high court, said that although the activist was dead and there existed no question of him being granted bail any more, the high court need not consider the late priest's appeals seeking bail abated.
Saints and seers gathered at the Triveni Sangam for the 'Amrit Snan' on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Monday cautioned political leaders against misusing Sanatan Dharma and spreading rumours for political gain, and praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over arrangements at the Maha Kumbh.
The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a batch of petitions challenging the validity of certain provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits lawsuits to reclaim a place of worship or change its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. The pleas, including one filed by Ashwini Upadhyay, argue that these provisions violate the right to judicial remedy and create an arbitrary cut-off date. The matter will be heard in the backdrop of several ongoing cases related to places of worship, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura. The Muslim side has cited the 1991 law to argue that such suits are not maintainable. The Supreme Court had previously sought the Centre's response to Upadhyay's petition, which alleged that the law creates an "arbitrary and irrational retrospective cut-off date" for maintaining the character of places of worship.
"The painful wait that Swamy will have to endure for a sipper cannot be tolerated any longer. December 4, when the very same court decides again, is seven days away. Stan cannot be refused fluids for such a long period. The NPRD and its affiliating units have therefore decided to send sippers to the jailor of Taloja Jail, Maharashtra, to be given to Stan Swamy," the NPRD said in a statement.
The Congress workers torched an effigy of Swamy during the protest.
Evidence of several irregularities have been detected in the transfer of 14 sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to B M Parvathi, the wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, according to the Enforcement Directorate.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others on charges of money laundering in the National Herald case. The chargesheet, filed on April 9, names Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey as accused persons. The case pertains to the alleged fraudulent takeover of properties valued over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald news platform. The ED alleges that Young Indian, a private company "beneficially owned" by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, "acquired" AJL properties for a mere Rs 50 lakh, significantly undervaluing its worth. The case has been transferred to Special Judge Vishal Gogne's court for further proceedings.
The Karnataka CM is facing allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi B M by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam in Mahakumbh Nagar on Monday and described the Maha Kumbh as a unique symbol of the Sanatan culture's philosophy, which is rooted in harmony.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Prayagraj to inspect the preparations for the Maha Kumbh 2025.
'A girl on Instagram got very angry with me and wrote, 'Yeh toh shakal se he harami lagta hai, yeh real life mein bhi harami hi hoga.'
The Lokayukta police probing the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case on Wednesday said that the charges against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi could not be proved for want of evidence.
The Kumbh Mela is what it is because of the devotion of millions who make it an experience like no other. It is experiencing the heart and soul of India and the brotherhood of mankind.
Many states are realising that hosting mega events puts the spotlight on them and raises their profile.
Amid concerns among devotees on the quality of ghee used in the famous Tirupati 'laddu prasadam', the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has said sanctity of the sacred sweetmeat has been restored.
In a statement, they said it was 'unconscionable' that someone as old as Swamy and who was suffering poor health was put in jail amid a pandemic.
The makers of the film Thalaivi introduced one of its stellar characters, Tamil Nadu's former chief minister MGR, on his 103rd birth anniversary on January 17.
'I knew I wouldn't be offered hero roles anymore. That is why when I accepted this show.'
A dispute between two Hindu groups, the Himalayan Brahmo Samaj and the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, in Shimla resulted in injuries to seven people, including three police personnel. The clash occurred after members of the Brahmo Samaj entered the ashram premises to perform prayers, which the ashram members objected to. The incident, which involved alleged stone-pelting, has led to the registration of FIRs against seven individuals, including an ABVP leader. The dispute centers around the ownership of the ashram property, which is reportedly worth crores. Both groups have accused each other of attempting to take possession of the property and have called for investigations into the incident.
A court in Mumbai on Thursday once again sought a reply from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 83-year-old tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy's request that he be provided a straw and sipper in jail.
The Hindu Munnani staged a protest in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, against a group of people consuming non-vegetarian food on the sacred Thiruparankundram hill. The protest, which was initially banned, was allowed by the Madras High Court with some restrictions. Several thousands of devotees, Hindu Munnani functionaries, and BJP members participated in the protest, raising slogans hailing Murugan (Lord Subrahmanya). Hindu Munnani state president Kadeshwara Subramaniam and scores of activists were arrested.
If Prakash Jha is able to transfer today's social and political reality onto the screen, the future seasons of Aashram might just get a much-needed dose of eyeball-grabbing power, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The Rajasthan government has rechristened the state tourism corporation's well-known Hotel Khadim in Ajmer as 'Ajaymeru' with an aim to preserve the cultural heritage of the city, according to an official order.
The Bombay High Court has granted bail to researcher Rona Wilson and activist Sudhir Dhawale, arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. The court noted that they had been in jail since 2018 and the trial was yet to start. The court said the two had spent more than six years in jail as under-trial prisoners. The NIA, the prosecution agency, did not seek a stay to the HC order. Eight other activists have been granted bail in the case, which pertains to provocative speeches allegedly delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017.
'If we accept this, then in a few years we will not see a democratic India that we know'
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on March 9 Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking a direction to the Centre to declare 'Ram Setu' a national heritage monument.
The upper caste people, mostly Vokkaligas, allegedly took away the 'Utsava Murthy', the metallic festival idol of the deity for performing rituals outside the temple in Hanakere village.
'Why he wasn't released, and why he had to die in custody?'
'This was a decision taken and executed by Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief Pottu Amman. Both were convinced that the assassination would not be linked to them.'
