"It is high time India traded dynasty for meritocracy. This would require fundamental reforms, from imposing legally mandated term limits to requiring meaningful internal party elections, together with a concerted effort to educate and empower the electorate to choose leaders based on merit," Tharoor said.
Manu Bhaker, who created history by winning two medals at the Paris Olympic Games, shared a heartfelt video on Instagram playing the violin to the tune of the national anthem.
'I dreaded meeting him these days because every time he'd say: We have to fight this government, even if it means going to jail.' 'He'd been in jails run by the British, he'd also been in jails in independent India, now he was ready to go to jail under this government.'
The Congress claimed that dynastic politics exists across party lines and also hailed the Nehru-Gandhi family's leadership.
Trump, who had expected to receive the prize for his efforts to "end seven wars," also linked the conflict in Ukraine to his broader peacemaking claims.
A private school in Kerala declared a two-day holiday following a dispute with parents over a student's hijab. The school alleges outside interference, while the parents claim discrimination.
The United States on Saturday rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party's allegations that organisations funded by the US State Department and elements in the American 'deep state' were behind attempts to destabilise India through targeted attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business tycoon Gautam Adani.
'Raj Thackeray is working at the behest of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.'
Freedom At Midnight is a bold attempt to revisit the whole discourse about Partition, its causes, and the predicament under which the Congress leaders accepted it. It perfectly captures the extremely confused and complicated situation to which it seemed the only viable solution, observes Utkarsh Mishra.
Comedian Kunal Kamra continues to face backlash for his jokes targeting Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The Legislative Council admitted a breach of privilege notice against him, while a state minister demanded his arrest. The controversy stems from Kamra's stand-up performance where he made satirical remarks about Shinde, leading to protests and vandalism by Shiv Sena supporters. The comedian has been summoned by the police and faces legal trouble, with even Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw justifying the action, emphasizing the need to uphold legal safeguards. Amid the controversy, Kamra lashed out at the mainstream media, calling it a "miscommunication arm" of the ruling party.
The opposition on Saturday termed the absence of female journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi "unacceptable" and an "insult to women", and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the "emptiness" of his slogans on Nari Shakti.
'For us, it's not always about chasing revenue. It's about sustaining happiness and energy, because that's what drives long-term growth.'
"We were surprised. It looks strange to us. But nonetheless, what I say is that these are actions which yet again highlight the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech," the external affairs ministry spokesman said.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has called for more stringent laws to curb vulgar content on social media platforms. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, the Information and Broadcasting Minister suggested that the Parliamentary Standing Committee should address the issue and emphasized the need for consensus on stricter legislation. Vaishnaw highlighted the lack of editorial checks on social media, leading to uncontrolled dissemination of vulgar content. He argued that while social media platforms provide a platform for press freedom, they require stricter regulations to address the proliferation of inappropriate content.
'There have been multiple cases of people being shot for pulling into someone's driveway because they made a wrong turn or ringing the wrong bell because they made a mistake.' 'That is also the pathway to fascism.' 'The way you divide people is to make them fear each other. Then a strong man can come in and say, "I will protect you".'
In May, 40 Rohingyas were blindfolded and flown to the Andaman and Nicobar islands and then thrown into the sea and made to swim to an island in Myanmar. And after the Pahalgam attack, at least 300 Muslims were 'pushed back' to Bangladesh from Assam.
'You don't have to lose your identity to be part of Congress. You can be who you are, as long as you believe in the core principle of strong citizenry and nation-building through that concept'
Hindi Diwas was observed across India with leaders emphasizing Hindi's role as a unifying factor and the need to enrich all Indian languages. Events were held in India and abroad to promote the language.
The Congress party launched a scathing attack on the RSS on its 100th anniversary, citing excerpts from a book claiming Mahatma Gandhi described the Sangh as a "communal body with a totalitarian outlook." The party also referenced Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's criticism of the RSS.
So, when to start, when to stop, how much to apply in terms of time, space and resources, and how much, what is the definition of calibrated action, all these things were something "we kept discussing at every time," Gen Dwivedi recalled.
Ritika Sajdeh, wife of India cricket star Rohit Sharma, has stepped into the heart of a raging debate - publicly condemning the Supreme Court's order to clear Delhi-NCR's streets of stray dogs, calling them 'a heartbeat, not a menace.'
'The law under the guise of security represents a grave and unnecessary expansion of State power at the cost of fundamental rights,' asserts Aakar Patel.
Commercial and prohibited speeches are not covered under fundamental rights, the Supreme Court on Monday said as it asked five social media influencers, including India's Got Latent host Samay Raina, to display their unconditional apology in their podcasts or shows for ridiculing persons with disabilities and rare genetic disorders.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking action against Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for his claims about his wife's recovery from stage 4 cancer, emphasizing the right to free speech. The court stated that Sidhu's claims were merely opinions and could be countered by others through free speech, not legal action. The petitioner argued that Sidhu's claims about the efficacy of certain dietary remedies could mislead the public, but the court asserted that if Sidhu's wife, a doctor herself, felt better with a specific diet, it was her prerogative. The court further suggested that the petitioner focus on issues like alcohol and cigarette consumption if truly concerned about public interest.
'The world does not know that the families of these journalists were threatened and one by one they too have been killed.'
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju clarifies that tribal communities in the northeast and other areas will be exempt from the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to preserve their traditional way of life.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticized the BJP for its allegations that elements in the American "deep state" were behind attempts to destabilize India, saying this "attack-dog" behavior is an embarrassment to India. Tharoor's comments come after the US rejected the BJP's allegations, describing them as "disappointing" and asserting that the US government is a champion of media freedom. The BJP had alleged that the US deep state colluded with the media portal OCCRP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to "damage" India's image.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the anticipatory bail plea of a cartoonist accused of uploading objectionable cartoons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS workers on social media. The Madhya Pradesh High Court had previously refused to grant him relief, observing it was a gross misuse of freedom of speech.
The Supreme Court on Monday said the right of freedom of speech and expression was being 'abused' while hearing the plea of a cartoonist accused of sharing alleged objectionable cartoons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers on social media.
A Hindu temple and two Asian-run restaurants in Melbourne were defaced with racist graffiti, sparking concern within the community.
Adityanath also remembered and paid tribute to those who worked to restore democracy during the Emergency period, which lasted till 1977.
Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy appeals to MPs to vote with conscience in the upcoming vice presidential polls, urging them to prioritize the spirit of India and parliamentary traditions over party loyalty.
India and Japan have unveiled a comprehensive framework to boost their defence cooperation in response to security challenges, particularly concerning China's increasing military presence in the East and South China Seas.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday (local time) issued a firm response to United States President Donald Trump's announcement of a 50 per cent tariff on Brazil by invoking the country's 'Economic Reciprocity Law', while asserting Brazil's sovereignty and rejecting 'any form of tutelage' in what he described as Trump's attempts to interfere in the country's internal judicial affairs.
The move comes a few days after the Yunus-led government dropped the portrait of the country's founding father and deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's father Mujibur Rahman from new currency notes.
'When you miss India, you'll hear it before you see it. That's really where the idea started.' 'If you ever go to your terrace at night in India, you'll hear sounds from everywhere.' 'That feeling of hearing home in your head when you're far away... that's the soul of the show.'
A Delhi court has set aside an order asking four journalists to take down alleged defamatory content against Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), saying the effect of removal of the articles by an ad interim ex parte order was 'sweeping' and it had the 'effect of decreeing the suit itself without a trial'.
The Congress party stated that Rahul Gandhi's lawyer raised the issue of a threat to his life without his consent and will withdraw the statement in court. The lawyer filed an application stating Gandhi could face harm from followers of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Nathuram Godse's ideology.
'I feel like as long as I prepare as well as possible, I tick all the boxes ... and then just let my reactions do the talking. Just try and keep it simple, see ball hit ball.'
The Allahabad High Court has ruled that merely expressing support for Pakistan, without any disrespect towards India, does not constitute an offence under section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
