As cracks began to appear in their ongoing agitation against the agri laws, farmer unions on Wednesday cancelled their planned march to Parliament on February 1 when the Budget would be presented.
Dominic Xavier asks if Umar Khalid's arrest is part of a fresh campaign to crush all dissent against the Modi government
Farmer unions Monday announced a countrywide 'chakka jam' on February 6 when they would block national and state highways for three hours in protest against the internet ban in areas near their agitation sites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, and other issues.
"The killing of two BJP workers in Lakhimpur Kheri after a convoy of cars mowed down four farmers is a reaction to an action. I do not consider those involved in the killings as culprits," Tikait said in reply to a question asked during a press conference in New Delhi.
What some of our leaders were up to on Monday and Tuesday.
'Walking is the loudest statement.' 'When someone says, I control everything and no one can oppose me, there are thousands of people on the streets saying no, we oppose you -- this is a very bold statement.'
They also took strong objection to Delhi legislator Naresh Balyan being appointed as Haryana affairs in-charge.
Tharoor's social media post condoling Musharraf's demise evoked a sharp response from the Bharatiya Janata Party which accused the Congress of "Pakistan parasti (worshipping)".
A clash broke out when the police tried to disperse volunteers of Yogendra Yadav led Swaraj Abhiyan at Jantar Mantar, leaving nine persons, including three policemen injured.
'We don't want anyone to remain in the party who keeps damaging the party.'
Taking a jibe at the AAP, BJP's Shazia Ilmi said the party lacks internal democracy.
Yogendra Yadav and Suhas Palshikar on Friday resigned as advisors of NCERT text book council in the wake of the row over the cartoon of B R Ambedkar in school text books. "Yogendra Yadav, who was the chief advisor of the Textbook Development Committee, and Suhas Palshikar who was the member of the committee have resigned," sources in the human resource development ministry said.
'The government is running a 'beti darao', not a 'beti bachao' drive'
As the Kejriwal empire spreads, will he be able to keep the momentum going? And will it be at the cost of greater centralisation of authority in the party, asks Aditi Phadnis.
'Having taken much time off, and come back and worked again, and then gone back... I'm really blessed to have the kind of work that I'm still doing.'
Scores of protesting farmers from Punjab and Haryana on Saturday took out protest marches against the Centre's three farm laws even as police used a water cannon to disperse cultivators as they broke barricades at the Chandigarh-Mohali border.
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.
Tharoor's remarks came after several BJP leaders accused the Congress of 'Pakistan parasti (worship)' and Union minister Jyoritiraditya Scindia asked if this was part of the 'Haath Se Haath Jodo Abhiyan' with enemies.
Ousted Aam Aadmi Party leader Prashant Bhushan has indicated he might form a new political party after he and Yogendra Yadav were expelled from the national executive.
Did the rebels script the scuffle? Or is camp Kejirwal too ashamed to admit it flawed? We ask our readers to vote below.
Thousands of students from universities and colleges across Delhi staged a massive protest in New Delhi on Thursday.
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.
He appealed to farmers to be ready as the call for 'Delhi march' can be given at any time.
Referring to Modi, Adityanath and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as 'outsiders', the farmer leader said he has no objection if they become prime ministers after winning polls from Uttarakhand or Gujarat.
For this dispensation, ideas are dangerous. Those who propagate liberalism and democratic traditions are even more dangerous, observes Rashme Sehgal.
Stating that the Aam Aadmi Party has reduced itself to a "tamasha", veteran social activist Medha Patkar on Saturday resigned from the party as its internal turbulence reached a flashpoint with the ouster of founding members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from a key panel of the fledgling outfit.
Urging all farmers across India to send one member of their family at Delhi borders to participate in the protest, Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav on Friday said the agitation against the three farm laws is not over.
A farmer union leader alleged that the National Investigation Agency is filing cases against those who are part of the protest or supporting it.
A day ahead of a meeting called by dissidents Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday spelled out its warning to party members that its top-decision making panels would determine what action would be taken against those found accepting the rebel camp's invitation.
The BJP leadership knows it can't boast of governance in the state as the Bommai government has little to show. So, the game plan is to project Modi, who will reiterate how important it is for a state to have the same party ruling in power at the Centre, observes Ramesh Menon.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday dismissed reports of crisis within the Aam Aadmi Party, saying everything is 'fine'.
Interacting with civil society members at the Bharat Jodo Yatra Conclave at the Constitution Club in New Delhi, Gandhi said the yatra is like tapasya for him, according to sources.
Khan had made inflammatory statements on December 12 last year during the protest near Bab e Syed Gate outside the Aligarh Muslim University in front of more than 600 students. The official also alleged that the Gorakhpur doctor had made objectionable comments against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
'The government is scared of this Congress yatra, that is why various orders and letters are being issued'
AAP will have to learn to be patient as such electoral changes do not happen in a hurry, asserts Ramesh Menon.
Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra on Saturday appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) formed in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
Nearly 350 Aaam Aadmi Party volunteers and leaders from Maharashtra quit on Monday in protest against the 'murder of democracy' in the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, showing their support to expelled leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav.
In a sign of reconciliation between warring factions of the Aam Aadmi Party, senior leaders from the Arvind Kejriwal camp met Yogendra Yadav late Monday night and held discussions over several contentious issues, hours after the Delhi Chief Minister's return from Bengaluru.
The AAP on Monday expelled rebel leaders Prashant Bhusan, Yogendra Yadav and two others for anti-party activities and "gross indiscipline".
The party sent the suspension notices to Uttar Pradesh leaders Rakesh Sinha and Vishal Sharma Lathe for openly coming out in support of Yadav and Bhushan.
