Labelled as the semi-final before the big Lok Sabha poll, assembly elections in five states will set the tone for summer of 2019.
Modi also pitched for a social movement to ensure the safety of women and girls.
The Maoist insurgency is a blatantly illegal and no-holds-barred war against the Indian State, against the idea and existence of Indian democracy, and that includes the poor tribals and farmers for whose cause the Maoists claim to fight. It is not only ignorant but also extremely dangerous to romanticise the Naxal cause, says Harsh V Pant
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.
She also said that the founding fathers of the country would have never imagined that the Constitution and democracy will be in danger 75 years after the Independence as "bad thinking is now dominating, freedom of expression is in danger and democratic institutions are being ruined".
Without strong storage facilities, bumper harvest has resulted in price crash
Nearly 55,000 members of Dalit and tribal communities from villages across India have embarked on a Jan Satyagraha march to demand their land rights.
The Congress president questioned the government over unfulfilled promises and questioned the Rafale deal.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday began his 10-kilometre 'padyatra' (foot march) in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district to reach out to farmers and tribals affected by land acquisition for various projects.
Claiming that the Trinamool Congress is not perturbed over desertions by some leaders, she said politics is a solemn ideology and philosophy and one cannot change these everyday like clothes.
BJP national president Amit Shah asserted that the last 15 years rule of the BJP is a model of an ideal state. "Raman Singh government has successfully tried to contain the Naxal and made the state an education hub. This manifesto is for Naya Chhattisgarh.
Gandhi accused Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik of being remote-controlled by Modi
'Anybody and everybody who opposes this government for whatever reasons will be branded a terrorist and charged in such a manner that all human rights will be taken away.'
The Congress VP attacked the PM and said that the party would not let the BJP proceed on the land bill.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his maiden Independence Day address, had made several promises to the nation.
Rahul Gandhi and young leaders close to him are planning to connect with party workers on the ground and are preparing to embark on a nationwide yatra, reports Archis Mohan.
Likening the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens with demonetisation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said these exercises are "tax" on the poor, who will suffer the same way they did after the note ban in November 2016. "Poor people will have to go to officers and show their documents and give bribe. They will have to give bribe if there is a slight mistake in their names. Crores of rupees will be pulled out of the pockets of the poor and will be given to the same 15 people. This is the truth. It is an attack on the people," he said.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party tom-tomming about development of roads in states ruled by it, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said mere creation of infrastructure has no meaning until the needy have access to education and health-care.
Veteran doctor and educationist from Karnataka Belle Monappa Hegde and archaeology legend B B Lal were also given the Padma Vibhushan awards.
'I hope that by seeing us in such huge numbers the government will get scared and agree to our demands.'
'Outside the core voter base of upper caste Hindus, there is a large section unhappy with the performance of the BJP.'
PM has asked the Reserve Bank to prepare a 20-year road map for financial inclusion
Party sources in the party said the Padyatra could begin either from Vidarbha in Maharasthra or some district including Medak from Telangana -- the two regions which have been in the news for farmer suicides.
Full list of the rejigged Union Council of Ministers
Unlike the 2012 manifesto, the BJP has chosen not to make any extravagant promises.
'Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called us for a meeting in March 2016 and we submitted the same charter of demands that we are submitting now.' 'He gave us wishy-washy assurances.' 'We thought he was the new chief minister and we believed him, but later we found out that nothing is moving on the ground.' 'This time we want a written assurance and a concrete timetable for implementation.' 'We will not leave Mumbai, come what may.'
The results, while bringing the Congress back to power in this state, also end the rule of the 66-year-old BJP stalwart, who has earned several monikers during his 15-year-long tenure -- Doctor saheb being a trained Ayurvedic medical practitioner, chaur wale baba for his popular rice scheme and the 'Mobile Wale Baba' for giving free smartphones to 50 lakh women and students.
Congress's Devti Karma won the bypoll for the seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribes, by a margin of 11,192 votes, a poll official said.
"It is very dangerous in the 21st century to exclude people," said the Congress president.
Rediff.com does a quick checklist on what the two manifestos have to say on hot-button issues of the day.
Wipro chief Azim Premji and veteran actor A K Hangal are among the 10 senior citizens who will receive the Harmony Silver Award this year for their contribution to society.
Congress party's general secretary Rahul Gandhi kicked off his Discover India journey on Friday from tribal Nuapada district of Orissa, as part of the Congress strategy to reach out to the 'last man in society'. Sans any road show, the much-hyped four-day tour of Orissa began with a visit to a watershed programme at Nangalbod village where Rahul interacted with farmers, women and members of self help groups. Gandhi is scheduled to criss-cross 13 of the 30 districts.
The Prime Minister stressed on achieving financial inclusion.
The winners for the year 2019 are from fields as diverse as agriculture, sports, handicrafts, afforestation and wildlife conservation, armed forces and education.
Modi said the National Democratic Alliance government wouldn't have been able to do any development work in the country without the support of the people.
The Maoist-infested state needs a visionary leader and Hemant Soren is definitely not one, opines Aditi Phadnis
The new land Acquisition Bill has many implications.
A researcher from Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University found that the main income of Irula tribe of southeast India comes from catching rats.
