News for 'democratic India'

SC notice to Centre, EC on fresh plea against freebies

SC notice to Centre, EC on fresh plea against freebies

Rediff.com15 Oct 2024

The petition filed by advocate Srinivasan has also sought a direction to poll panel to take effective steps to restrain political parties from making promises of freebies during the pre-election period.

Desis Rally For Secular India

Desis Rally For Secular India

Rediff.com25 Mar 2024

The Constitution's Preamble says that we Indians have resolved to secure for Indians 'fraternity, assuring the dignity of the individual'. Fraternity can come only when we stand up for each other. The desis of the Boston South Asian Coalition actually attempt to do that, points out Aakar Patel.

'Idiot' Trudeau empowered Khalistani extremists: Former Canada minister

'Idiot' Trudeau empowered Khalistani extremists: Former Canada minister

Rediff.com4 Nov 2024

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is 'sociologically and politically' an 'idiot' who has never truly understood that the vast majority of Sikhs are quite secular in their outlook and want nothing to do with Khalistan, according to a former Canadian minister.

Be a good neighbour, don't stoke fire of hatred: Manipur slams Mizoram CM

Be a good neighbour, don't stoke fire of hatred: Manipur slams Mizoram CM

Rediff.com30 Nov 2024

The Manipur government has accused Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma of stoking hatred and division through "unwarranted comments" and called on him to display "better statesmanship" by being a "good neighbour". In a statement, the Manipur government alleged that Lalduhoma's comments were part of a "greater agenda" to carve out a Kuki-Chin Christian nation from contiguous areas of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh. It also warned against any attempt to "push" illegal Kuki-Chin immigrants from Mizoram into Manipur for land grabbing and the creation of a "Greater Mizoram." The Mizoram government could not be reached immediately for comment.

Parl protest melee: Cong claims Kharge pushed, Rahul manhandled

Parl protest melee: Cong claims Kharge pushed, Rahul manhandled

Rediff.com19 Dec 2024

The Congress said BJP MPs had sticks in their hands and Kharge was threatened and pushed.

Time Services Acted On Modi Diktat!

Time Services Acted On Modi Diktat!

Rediff.com16 Dec 2024

Almost five years later, the three services have still not fully understood that joint/theatre commands are not a discussion point; they are the prime minister's diktat on a military reform measure that is in line with what armed forces around the world have implemented, points out Ajai Shukla.

Bypolls in 15 assembly seats across 4 states on Wednesday

Bypolls in 15 assembly seats across 4 states on Wednesday

Rediff.com20 Nov 2024

Bypolls will be held on Wednesday in 15 assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttarakhand. The bypolls, however, will not have any direct impact on the respective legislative assemblies. The results will be declared on November 23. In Uttar Pradesh, polling will be held in Katehari, Karhal, Meerapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur and Kundarki. Ninety candidates are in the fray in these seats with the maximum of 14 in Ghaziabad. This will be the first electoral test of the INDIA bloc as well as the NDA in the politically-crucial state after the Lok Sabha elections. In Punjab, bypolls will be held in four assembly seats - Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC) and Barnala. The bypolls were necessitated after MLAs representing them were elected to the Lok Sabha. Polling will also be held for the Palakkad seat in Kerala and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

'Girls Will Be Girls Is About Your First Crush'

'Girls Will Be Girls Is About Your First Crush'

Rediff.com7 Dec 2024

'The flutters of excitement of a high-school romance, and then how life changes.'

We Are In An Era Of Puppets And Puppeteers

We Are In An Era Of Puppets And Puppeteers

Rediff.com31 Dec 2024

'As we enter 2025, it must be acknowledged that there is a convergence of capital, influential people (from business and politics) and technology deciding the destiny of others in the name of pride, patriotism, nationalism, nation building, all of it thinly veiled disguises for personal profit and glory,' asserts Shyam G Menon.

'Biased assumptions': India protests Germany's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest

'Biased assumptions': India protests Germany's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest

Rediff.com23 Mar 2024

A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson had "taken note" of Kejriwal's arrest.

INDIA leader will be decided after ....: Vijayan amid Cong-CPM rift

INDIA leader will be decided after ....: Vijayan amid Cong-CPM rift

Rediff.com23 Apr 2024

He said, during a press meet in Kannur, that during the LS polls, alliances were being formed in various states as part of the platform and its result was that the Bharatiya Janata Party was being largely isolated.

'He was always very indulgent towards me, a bit like a father to a wayward son'

'He was always very indulgent towards me, a bit like a father to a wayward son'

Rediff.com2 Jan 2025

'He treated stars and assistants with the same unfailing courtesy.'

68% voting in Jharkhand's 2nd phase, pips 2019 figs

68% voting in Jharkhand's 2nd phase, pips 2019 figs

Rediff.com20 Nov 2024

About 68 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm on Wednesday in 38 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand where voting in the second and final phase ended, officials said.

One nation, one election: Kovind panel report placed before Cabinet

One nation, one election: Kovind panel report placed before Cabinet

Rediff.com18 Sep 2024

Simultaneous polls will help save resources, spur development and social cohesion, deepen "foundations of democratic rubric" and help realise the aspirations of "India, that is Bharat", the panel had said.

Terrorists, fundamentalists thrive under Yunus's fascist regime: Hasina

Terrorists, fundamentalists thrive under Yunus's fascist regime: Hasina

Rediff.com10 Dec 2024

Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has launched a scathing attack on the interim administration, accusing Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of running a "fascist regime" that persecutes minorities and allows terrorists to operate freely. Hasina, who is currently in India, made the remarks in a virtual address to overseas Awami League supporters, vowing to bring Yunus and his allies to justice for alleged atrocities. Her comments come ahead of a visit by India's Foreign Secretary to Dhaka, where he is expected to raise concerns about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.

The Elevance of Kamala Harris

The Elevance of Kamala Harris

Rediff.com2 Nov 2024

Kamala has finessed bubblegum conversation about whether she is Black or Indian. Her Irrelevancing-approach, an Irrelevance-code if you will, is Elevated and Elegant -- this is the Elevance of Kamala! asserts economist Dr Anuradha Luther Maitra.

Suhas Subramanyam becomes first Desi to win US House seat from East Coast

Suhas Subramanyam becomes first Desi to win US House seat from East Coast

Rediff.com6 Nov 2024

Running for the US House of Representatives from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia, a Democratic stronghold, Subramanyam defeated Mike Clancy of the Republican Party. He is currently a Virginia State Senator.

Hemant Soren expands cabinet, Cong finally joins govt

Hemant Soren expands cabinet, Cong finally joins govt

Rediff.com5 Dec 2024

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expanded his cabinet on Thursday, inducting 11 new ministers, including six first-timers and two women. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi. The new ministers include six from the JMM and four from the Congress. One minister is from the RJD. The expansion comes after the JMM-led alliance won the recent assembly elections with a comfortable majority. The cabinet expansion is expected to give the government a fresh impetus to push its agenda and accelerate development in the state.

IOC urges nations to sever IBA ties amidst heated feud

IOC urges nations to sever IBA ties amidst heated feud

Rediff.com4 Oct 2024

The IOC has escalated its feud with the International Boxing Association by effectively asking member countries to de-recognize national federations that remain aligned to the suspended body, a directive that the IBA lambasted as "unacceptable gaslighting".

INDIA leaders meet on Wednesday to pick PM face: Uddhav

INDIA leaders meet on Wednesday to pick PM face: Uddhav

Rediff.com5 Jun 2024

Thackeray said leaders of the Congress and other parties are holding talks with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Telegu Desam Party (TDP) head Chandrababu Naidu to explore the possibility of their entry into the bloc.

Rahul breaks silence on 'unexpected' Haryana results

Rahul breaks silence on 'unexpected' Haryana results

Rediff.com9 Oct 2024

Gandhi said the Congress was looking into the results of Haryana assembly polls.

Will UP bypoll results heal BJP's Lok Sabha wounds?

Will UP bypoll results heal BJP's Lok Sabha wounds?

Rediff.com22 Nov 2024

While the results of the bypolls will not directly impact the composition of the 403-member state Assembly, the contest is being seen as a prestige fight between the BJP and opposition parties.

Simultaneous polls bill introduced with 269 votes in favour, 198 against

Simultaneous polls bill introduced with 269 votes in favour, 198 against

Rediff.com17 Dec 2024

Two bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections were introduced in the Lok Sabha after a fiery debate on Tuesday, with the opposition terming the move 'dictatorial' and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal asserting that the legislation would not tamper with the powers enjoyed by states.

RSS chief flags threats from 'Deep State', 'wokeism', 'cultural Marxist'

RSS chief flags threats from 'Deep State', 'wokeism', 'cultural Marxist'

Rediff.com12 Oct 2024

According to Bhagwat, a narrative is being spread in neighbouring Bangladesh, which recently witnessed a massive political upheaval, that India is a threat and they should join Pakistan as a defence against Bharat. Who is spreading such a narrative, he asked.

Day after chaos at Waqf panel meet, JPC member slams BJP MP

Day after chaos at Waqf panel meet, JPC member slams BJP MP

Rediff.com23 Oct 2024

A Raja said panel's chairman Jagdambika Pal has been conducting the panel's meetings in haste, raising doubts that it will not be able to serve justice.

Yogi Goes All Out For Flawless Mahakumbh

Yogi Goes All Out For Flawless Mahakumbh

Rediff.com24 Dec 2024

For Yogi Adityanath the successful management of the fair is a crucial part of building 'Brand UP' and making the state a $1 trillion economy.

What Message Will The J&K Polls Have For India?

What Message Will The J&K Polls Have For India?

Rediff.com5 Aug 2024

'With all outlets of public expression virtually choked for the last five years, suppressed anger and frustration is looking for an opening via the ballot box.' 'There is no escape from the inevitability of the 'Engineer Rashid' factor surfacing in a big enough way to upset everyone's applecart,' alerts Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the veteran commentator on Kashmir affairs.

B'desh crisis: 'India should not focus only on one person and party'

B'desh crisis: 'India should not focus only on one person and party'

Rediff.com18 Aug 2024

'We should be mindful that the religious minority community in one country is the majority in another (and) so treatment of the minority community in our respective countries will be an important variable in our relationship'

INDIA VOTES: First Phase: How Many Women Candidates?

INDIA VOTES: First Phase: How Many Women Candidates?

Rediff.com18 Apr 2024

8.25 per cent or 134 candidates are women candidates in the first phase.

J'khand to vote in final phase on Wednesday; fate of Soren to be sealed

J'khand to vote in final phase on Wednesday; fate of Soren to be sealed

Rediff.com20 Nov 2024

The final round of voting for the Jharkhand Assembly elections is taking place on Wednesday, with the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition seeking to retain power while the BJP-led NDA aims to take control. The election will decide the fate of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife, and several other candidates. Key issues during the campaign included alleged infiltration from Bangladesh, corruption, and Hindutva.

Hemant Soren to take oath as Jharkhand CM on Nov 28

Hemant Soren to take oath as Jharkhand CM on Nov 28

Rediff.com24 Nov 2024

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren on Sunday met Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and staked claim to form the government, soon after leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader.

Ajmer dargah row as politicians, community leaders weigh in

Ajmer dargah row as politicians, community leaders weigh in

Rediff.com28 Nov 2024

A local court in Ajmer has issued notices to the dargah committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey of India on a plea seeking to declare the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti a temple. The petition, filed in September, has sparked a heated debate, with politicians and community leaders weighing in on the potentially volatile issue. The dargah committee has declined to comment, but the Anjuman Syed Zadgan, a body representing the caretakers of the dargah, described the petition as a deliberate attempt to fracture society along communal lines. The petition comes just days after four people were killed in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, following a local court ordering survey of a Mughal-era shrine. The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which fixed August 15, 1947, as the cut-off date for status quo on the character of religious places, is at the centre of much of the debate. Several politicians, including Union minister Giriraj Singh and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, have weighed in on the issue. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has called the civil court's decision to entertain the petition unwarranted and has asked the Supreme Court to immediately intervene.

Women centric schemes proved to be game-changer in 2 states?

Women centric schemes proved to be game-changer in 2 states?

Rediff.com23 Nov 2024

Women-centric schemes could have proved a game-changer in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand, as both states witnessed a surge in women voters in the recently held assembly polls as well as return of the ruling alliances with a thumping majority.

Development, good governance win, lies suffer defeat: Modi on Maha win

Development, good governance win, lies suffer defeat: Modi on Maha win

Rediff.com24 Nov 2024

The Congress has tried to inflict capital punishment on true secularism, he claimed, asserting that the Waqf law has no place in the Constitution.

Bypoll boost for NDA in Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya; jolt in Bengal

Bypoll boost for NDA in Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya; jolt in Bengal

Rediff.com23 Nov 2024

The juggernaut of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, which triumphed in three of the four east and north-eastern states that went for assembly bypolls on Saturday, was halted yet again in West Bengal where Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress registered a six-on-six clean sweep.

INDIA to decide on Wednesday on approaching Nitish, Naidu

INDIA to decide on Wednesday on approaching Nitish, Naidu

Rediff.com5 Jun 2024

"We are going to have a meeting with our partners tomorrow. These questions will be raised and answered there," Gandhi told a press conference in New Delhi when asked if the Congress and its allies will approach parties that are part of the National Democratic Alliance to try and form a government.

2024: The Year Of Shift In Politics

2024: The Year Of Shift In Politics

Rediff.com31 Dec 2024

Much drama is likely to continue in the coming year, within the Sangh Parivar as well as involving the Opposition parties and, of course the BJP's allies, predicts Modi biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.

What Modi May Say In I-Day Address

What Modi May Say In I-Day Address

Rediff.com14 Aug 2024

'Given our turbulent neighbourhood, the prime minister is likely to emphasise on democratic dividend as the reason behind India's continuous prosperity.'

'Had liberalisation not taken place, I may have gone back to the US'

'Had liberalisation not taken place, I may have gone back to the US'

Rediff.com10 Oct 2024

An exclusive excerpt from The Tatas: How A Family Built A Business And A Nation.

'If Trump Loses, 100% He'll Throw A Tantrum'

'If Trump Loses, 100% He'll Throw A Tantrum'

Rediff.com1 Nov 2024

'Accusations would be flung about his votes being stolen. He'll say dead people were voting from the grave.' Payal Singh Mohanka reports on the mood ahead of the US presidential election.