At a time when at a time Lalu Prasad Yadav is facing huge flak from his political opponents for stoking a controversy saying Hindus too eat beef, fellow Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Saturday created another furore when he claimed, citing the Vedas, that 'rishis' and 'maharishis' used to consume beef.
In photos: From the mountains to the ocean.
The 74-year-old leader, who describe himself as "a rebel with a cause", earlier served as the country's president from 2005-2015, becoming South Asia's longest-serving leader. He was also prime minister for a brief period in 2018.
'One of the most decisive factors in the Tibetan issue is this newly found interest for Buddhism in China.'
Some believe she should no longer be the face of the struggle to free Myanmar from the new military dictatorship, observes Prakash Bhandari.
'Indiscriminate killing, abduction, extortion and torture can't be acceptable ways to bring about political change,' Deuba told the second World Summit on Buddhism at Lumbini.
'We are happy China has failed to disrupt the Kalachakra Puja by its repressive measures in Tibet; many Tibetans have come to attend the Puja.'
'The feeling is growing that if India slips in the realms of liberal tenets, it will be a tragedy not only for the country, but also for the world because it will lose a remarkable role model,' notes Amulya Ganguli.
'The Bharat Ratna should have been given a long time ago. Not just to irk the Chinese, but to recognise His Holiness for what he is and how we have benefited immensely from his presence in India.' 'I don't think there's been a better ambassador for India's philosophical and cultural past than the Dalai Lama.'
The Tibetan leader was to reach Tawang by chopper on April 4 but due to bad weather, he travel over 550 km by road from Guwahati to reach Tawang.
India is too diverse to be governed centrally and with a single system. The way forward is for the central government to keep the monopoly of military power and a share of national resources while the provinces must have greater autonomy, recommends Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
They are doing so in protest against the Tamil Nadu government's anti-conversion law.\n\n\n\n\n\n
A senior discipline inspection official has "lambasted some party officials for allegedly donating money to the 14th Dalai Lama
On the request of investigators, micro-blogging site Twitter has suspended an account claiming to be that of the terror group Indian Mujahideen, which is suspected to have orchestrated the Bodh Gaya serial blasts.
A year after the holy Buddhist city of Bodh Gaya in Bihar was rocked by serial bomb blasts, the city is gearing up for the three-day International Buddhist Conclave in which 300 scholars, historians and Buddhists from across the world will participate. The conclave will be held in September, officials said on Saturday.
Taking forward the Bharatiya Janata Party's aggressive dalit outreach, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flew into Nagpur to pay homage to Bhimrao Ambedkar at 'Deekshabhoomi'.
Yechury recounted the non-violent traditions of the country citing the Maurya Empire's acceptance of the Buddhist philosophy.
The towering face of Kailash reminded us that we were but insignificant participants in a pilgrimage ritual that has played out over millennia for people of four major religions -- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon, notes Sonia Trikha Shukla.
'Our modern icons have assumed infallibility and think course correction or admission of a mistake as taboo.' 'Much will depend on the sagacity of the national leadership to show humility that our Gods showed.' 'Else, we are doomed in the coming year to divert our attention to firefighting rather than the task of nation building,' warns Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Was Wang Yi'S visit intended to remind India of 1962, asks Claude Arpi?
Like millions of people across the world, the year 2020 had dealt me irreplaceable losses and the lowest of blows. Like I have always done at such junctures, I had sought the refuge of the mountains. I wanted to end the year on a high, to show the finger to life, says Sumit Bhattacharya after a memorable journey to North Sikkim.
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Wednesday left on a five-day visit to China where he will hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart Li Yuanchao and attend events to mark the 60th anniversary of Panchsheel agreement.
Modi hasn't raised or encouraged the raising of slogans such as 'Jai Sri Ram' at public meetings
'The colloquial language forced a turn to the recent past and I thought about the hangings of men like Afzal Guru and Yakub Memon.' 'Whatever their deeds, proven or still in doubt, did their deaths not deserve to be mourned by a sister, wife, or child?' A fascinating excerpt from Amitava Kumar's Writing Badly Is Easy.
The China's foreign ministry criticised the visit, saying it will impact the boundary talks between the two countries.
'Whether the people will benefit or not depends on what the central government does in Kashmir successfully.'
The Torana Gate is a gift from India to mark the launch of Kuala Lumpur's 'Little India' project as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Only 400 grams have been deposited so far.
A play set in India and to be performed at an American university has been cancelled after its Korean-American playwright objected to casting of white actors as Indian characters and sending a "dehumanising" message to minority students.
'Rajapaksa's victory poses a serious foreign policy challenge for the Modi government,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday alleged that Nitish Kumar's camp was trying to "frighten MLAs" by spreading rumours that he was "conspiring" with BJP to have President's Rule imposed in Bihar and accused his rival of parading "bogus" MLAs.
'Whenever Dalits have agitated on the streets, the government has blamed Naxalites.'
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ladakh MP revealed his reason to quit the BJP and resign from the Lok Sabha ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
'Was he afraid that his answers during cross-examination would land him in trouble under the new ruling dispensation?'
Statements emanating from the recent Chinese Communist party congress suggest potentially increasing pressure on India with regard to the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, notes former RAW officer Jayadeva Ranade.
