Glimpses from around India that will make you smile and cry.
The UP government had issued a string of directives last year after alleged incidents of spitting and mixing urine in eatables were reported.
Flms belonging to genres as diverse as comedy, drama, romance, crime, and history get ready for release in theatres.
This would be a 100 per cent jump over 2024, when the state had logged tourist inflow of 650 million
Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck took a dip in the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.
BJP strategists are missing something somewhere, and they have not acknowledged it, to be able to repair it in good time, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating the assets and finances of Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, the alleged mastermind of an illegal religious-conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh. The ED has written to various authorities and banks to gather information and is expected to seek custodial remand for questioning.
The incident occurred at the Avsaaneshwar temple in the Haidergarh area during the holy month of Shravan on Monday when devotees had gathered at the temple for 'jalabhishek' (offering water as a ritual). The electric current spread through the tin shed as the wire fell, triggering panic and a stampede in the temple premises.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday slammed his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath over the language row, calling his remarks "political black comedy." Stalin said his state was not opposing a language, but its "imposition and chauvinism." He also claimed that Tamil Nadu's voice on the two language policy and fair delimitation "is echoing nationwideand the BJP is clearly rattled." Stalin was reacting to Yogi's reported allegations that the DMK government was indulging in divisive tactics by using language issue. BJP state president K Annamalai hit back at Stalin, claiming the DMK leader owns private schools that teach three languages but opposes the same policy for government school students in Tamil Nadu.
Uttar Pradesh Women Welfare Minister Baby Rani Maurya has proposed renaming the Mughal-era Shahjahan Garden in Agra after the Malwa Kingdom queen Ahilyabai Holkar, citing her contributions to women's empowerment. The proposal has sparked debate, with opposition parties criticizing it as a tactic to divert attention from pressing issues. The UP government has already renamed Allahabad as Prayagraj and Faizabad as Ayodhya.
'If the Mahagathbandhan ignores Mukesh Sahni's demands as it did in 2020, he will be left with no option but to join hands with the BJP.'
Ahead of the impending assembly polls, the rising crime graph and poor law and order situation have led to demands being revived to adopt UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'bulldozer' and police encounter policy in Bihar to deal with criminals.
'This is not just about Modi saying it, every Indian should say this -- if we want India to become the third-largest economy, every political party and every leader, keeping aside their hesitations, must work in the nation's interest and awaken the spirit of Swadeshi among the people'
What piques the narrative is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah decide on crucial matters, they play it close to their chest, and revel in springing a surprise.
The BJP announced names of 107 candidates for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is considering fielding Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath from Ayodhya as its senior leaders meet to finalise candidates for the assembly polls starting from February 10.
As Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeks another shot at power in his first ever assembly election from Gorakhpur Urban, also underway is a silent re-branding of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, a radical outfit he established in 2002 when he was a parliamentarian, Sai Manish reports.
'Mr Modi has the power and pre-eminence in the BJP-RSS to choose how long he wants to serve, and he is definitely going to want to contest in 2029.' 'He will only be 79, as old as Donald Trump now, and fitter,' observes Shekhar Gupta.
Yogi said Waqf boards have become a den of selfish interests as well as loot khasot (property grabbing), and have done little for the welfare of Muslims.
UP has progressed steadily: its exports increased from $13 billion in FY15 to $17 billion in FY20, and to around $22 billion in FY25.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violence during protests against the Waqf law, accusing her of remaining silent while "Bengal is burning." He also said that the only treatment for rioters is stick, as "Those who respond only to thrashing don't understand words."
A purported video showing local Bharatiya Janata Party leader Babban Singh Raghuvanshi engaging in obscene acts with a dancer has gone viral and is trending rapidly on social media.
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea challenging the Allahabad high court judgment in a matter pertaining to the alleged hate speech of 2007 involving Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Neither Mohammed Shami nor Mohammed Kaif traveled to the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, is the world's largest spiritual and cultural gathering, attracting devotees from across the globe. It will continue until Mahashivratri on February 26.
Many factors like women, caste combination, education qualification, age and performance of the legislators will be taken into consideration before the formation of the Yogi government 2.0, sources said on Thursday. Several rounds of meetings have taken place within the party after the poll results came out on March 10.
'I represented India across the world, but here, in my own country, I was treated in this bad manner.' 'Everyone in Prayagraj respects me a lot and it is in this same city that I became homeless.'
BJP MP and actor Ravi Kishan has been awarded the Sansad Ratna for his outstanding performance in the Lok Sabha, becoming the first actor-turned-politician to receive the honour.
Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Odisha budgets maintain revenue surpluses despite welfare schemes while Rajasthan and West Bengal face high debt, fiscal deficits and low capital outlay.
"This entire period is highly sensitive in terms of law and order, healthcare, sanitation, education, and disaster management. Hence, all related departments and district administrations must work with coordination and accountability," Adityanath said, according to an official statement.
On May 2, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will step into Bihar and challenge the Nitish-Lalu order in the state.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that if Hindus are safe, then Muslims are also safe in his state.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had in August made a strong pitch for national unity as he cited the turmoil in Bangladesh to warn against the consequences of divisions in society.
Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav engaged in a humorous exchange during a Lok Sabha debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, with Shah taking jabs at Yadav's attempts to highlight internal party dynamics. Yadav, in turn, poked fun at the BJP's leadership selection process and hinted at potential internal divisions within the party.
Before the ceremony, Yogi Adityanath, who led the party to a thumping victory in the just-concluded elections, will be elected as the leader of the legislature party, party sources said.
Seema Haider, who left Pakistan to marry her Indian lover, Sachin Meena, fears deportation after India suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals. Haider, who illegally entered India via Nepal, claims she has adopted Hinduism and is no longer a Pakistani citizen. Her lawyer is hopeful she will be allowed to stay in India.
Days after Anupam Kher slammed Yogi Adityanath and Sadhvi Prachi, the BJP MP from Gorkhapur has called the actor a 'real life villain'.
President Droupadi Murmu will visit the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Monday and take a holy dip at the Sangam, her office said.
Saints and seers gathered at the Triveni Sangam for the 'Amrit Snan' on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Monday cautioned political leaders against misusing Sanatan Dharma and spreading rumours for political gain, and praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over arrangements at the Maha Kumbh.
'Modi's charisma may have weakened as last year's Lok Sabha poll results showed but in the eyes of the Sangh Parivar, it has not waned.' 'Minus a strong BJP government at the Centre for another decade and more, there is apprehension that an anti-Hindutva government could reverse many of the ideological gains that the Modi dispensation has achieved through its three terms,' points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances