'Modi knows the people here are opposed to this project, but he is using the might of government to push this port down our throats.'
Farmers protesting the Centre's new agri laws will observe 'Sadbhavna Diwas' on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary on January 30 and hold a day-long fast, farm leaders said on Friday, and asserted that their agitation will gain strength as farmers in large numbers will join them in the days ahead.
The 'ghar wapsi' was marked with celebratory atmosphere at Ghazipur border, where protestors, chiefly members and supporters of the Tikait family-led Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), danced to patriotic and regional tunes hailing the farming community.
The apex court issued notices to the Centre, the Delhi government and the police on pleas seeking removal of protesters from Shaheen Bagh.
A nationwide agitation was held on the call of 'December 8 Kisan Mahaandolan' as protesting farmers vociferously reiterated their demand of repealing the new farm laws, which they have termed as "kala kanoon".
The wrestlers said they are surprised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitates them and clicks pictures with them when they win medals but now he has turned a blind eye to their plight.
The development came a day after the protesting farmers rejected the Centre's offer to start talks as soon as they move to Burari and continued to stay put Singhu and Tikri borders of the national capital.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a tweet said the rights to peaceful assembly and expression should be protected both offline and online.
Opposition parties on Thursday launched a vociferous attack on the Centre over its handling of the farmers' agitation, callings its dialogues with the protestors 'monologues', even as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party defended the new laws asserting that its government is committed to the welfare of peasants and increase their incomes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed those calling agitating Sikh farmers names, saying it won't do the country any good as he went on to appeal to the protesting farmers to withdraw their over two-month-long stir and give the new agriculture reform laws a chance.
"Democracy and dissent go hand in hand," it said, adding that the authorities have to act on their own and cannot hide behind courts in dealing with such a situation.
'The law is neither able nor willing to function the way the legal machinery is envisaged.'
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait exhorted farmers to be ready for a massive nationwide agitation over their demands as a 75-hour sit-in by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha in Lakhimpur Kheri seeking the removal of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra and a law on minimum support price (MSP) entered the second day on Tuesday.
'It will be important strategically and geographically because there is no port in India which is as close to the international shipping route as Vizhinjam.'
We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.
The top court said there may be some spontaneous protests but in case of prolonged dissent or protest, there cannot be continued occupation of public place affecting the rights of others.
This was second time in a month that the TMC supremo had a telephonic interaction with the agitating farmers.
The national capital on Friday witnessed a wave of fresh protests with a car being set on fire during one of the several demonstrations by people in their thousands who took to the streets shouting anti-government slogans over the contentious citizenship law. The epicentre of the protest was the locality around the Jama Masjid where large number of people held a massive protest after the Friday prayers at the mosque defying prohibitory orders and police clampdown.
While the wrestlers braved tough weather conditions, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu demanded custodial interrogation of WFI President.
In days of smart, networked technology and no shame over collateral damage, what will blow up next -- cars, mobile phones, TV sets, refrigerators? And where?, asks Shyam G Menon.
'This confrontation could have been avoided by a less arrogant administration that initially listened, used whatever negotiating skills they had and tried to be more credible,' observes Ramesh Menon.
'Heavy rains are not the primary reason for landslides in Wayanad.' 'There are all sorts of (human) intervention going on in that area.'
'The fact that he hasn't resigned so far shows that he is going to do everything to hold onto power.'
'This government will end after five years, but farmers will not end after five years.' 'This is the source of our confidence.'
The judge said that the trial court rightly decided the petitioners' plea and that no case for exercise of the high court's writ jurisdiction was made out in view of the presence of alternate remedy under the law.
A global trade union for construction workers that has criticized labour conditions in Qatar will inspect soccer stadiums being built for the 2022 World Cup in the Gulf Arab state.
With land acquisition completed and infrastructure work streamlined, India's bullet train dreams are slowly, but finally, inching closer to reality.
'The life of his political career is dependent on success in this constituency.'
A large number of farmers stayed put outside the gates of the district headquarters in Karnal on Wednesday as they remained firm on their demand for action against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who ordered a police lathi-charge on a group of peasants last month.
The law officer said let an impression be not created that the FIR has not been registered despite the court asking for it.
The NSA allows preventive detention of an individual for months if the authorities feel that the individual is a threat to the national security, and law and order. The anti-CAA/NRC protesters have been siting at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh for over a month.
The police on Saturday cracked down on agitators protesting against the Posco plant in Orissa, mostly women and children, at Balitutha, the entry point to the proposed plant site. The police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the preotestors, injuring at least 20 people. The security personnel ordered nearly 1,000 agitators of the Communist Party of India-backed Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, who have been on dharna since January 26, to disperse immediately.
'As long as Amul was coming in with products it was not a problem because it was something value added and with a shelf life.' 'When it gets into the local market by procuring locally, it cuts into the market-share of local cooperatives.'
A "disgruntled" volunteer of Team Anna today attempted self-immolation at the fast site of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev, alleging that he was mistreated by prominent members of India Against Corruption. The volunteer, donning a Team Anna T-shirt and cap and carrying a mega phone, surfaced at the media enclosure of the protest site at Jantar Mantar around 12:15 pm when a close aide of Ramdev was speaking on black money.
'Rhetoric and chest-thumping are running high on India's recent growth record.'
'But will the giant waves developing elsewhere allow us to sail smoothly into fair winds?' asks Debashis Basu.
'India has given assistance that we required, otherwise we would not have been able to survive this far.'
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs will meet on February 4 to decide the Budget session schedule. Venkaiah Naidu says the government is willing to advance the session if the Opposition agrees.
"He is accused of delivering seditious speeches and inciting a particular section of community to indulge in unlawful activities, detrimental to sovereignty and integrity of the nation," the chargesheet said. "In the garb of protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, he exhorted people of a particular community to block the highways leading to the major cities and resort to 'Chakka Jam', thereby disrupting normal life," it said.
'We need a candidate who will do our work and fight with the authorities; someone we can hold accountable.' 'Piyush Goyal is not that candidate.'
