• Friday, April 26, 2024

Results for "Arvind Kejriwal"

Comment: North-south splits in India make BJP’s majority hard to…

ALTHOUGH almost everyone says prime minister Narendra Modi will be elected for a third term with a huge majority in India’s general election, currently in full swing, it’s wiser to wait until the results are officially declared on June 4. There are so many differences between the north and the…

India elections 2024: What we learned this week

THE first of India's almost one billion voters cast ballots on Friday (19) in the country's multi-day election, as prime minister Narendra Modi seeks a rare third term on the back of issues such as growth, welfare and Hindu nationalism. Friday's vote covered 166 million voters in 102 constituencies across…

No relief for Kejriwal, India’s top court issues notice to…

India's top court on Monday did not grant any relief to Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, regarding his recent arrest. Instead, the Supreme Court has asked the probe agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) to respond by April 24 to Kejriwal’s challenge against his detention, which is connected to a…

Indian court rejects plea challenging Kejriwal’s arrest

An Indian court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal against the arrest of Delhi chief minister and key opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal in a graft case. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the financial crime probe agency Enforcement Directorate (ED). "The court is of the view that the arrest of…

Parties use deepfake videos of dead leaders ahead of India…

Death has not extinguished the decades-long rivalry between two Indian leaders: both have now seemingly risen from the grave, in digital form, to rally their supporters ahead of national elections. As India goes to a staggered general election from April 19, political parties are harnessing powerful artificial intelligence tools to…

Indian opposition leader sent to jail until April 15 in…

AN Indian court sent Delhi chief minister and key opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal to jail until April 15 in a liquor graft case on Monday (1), local media reported, less than three weeks before the country begins voting in national elections. India's financial crime-fighting agency had arrested Kejriwal in connection…

India’s opposition parties hold joint protest rally

Indian opposition parties united on Sunday to hold a 'Loktantra Bachao' (save democracy) rally against the arrest of a prominent leader weeks before a national election, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party of rigging the vote and harassing them with large tax demands. "Narendra Modi is trying match-fixing…

Hope people are able to vote freely in India: UN…

A SPOKESPERSON for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he hopes that in India people's "political and civil rights are protected" and everyone can vote freely during the forthcoming general elections that will kick off from April 19. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric made these remarks on Thursday (28) while he was…

India summons US envoy after remarks on Kejriwal arrest

India on Wednesday summoned a top United States diplomat after Washington said it was "closely watching" events following the jailing of a senior opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal weeks ahead of parliamentary elections. The US State Department had urged India to ensure a "fair, transparent, and timely legal process" for Kejriwal,…

Modi’s party acting out of panic, says India’s opposition

VARIOUS constituents of the INDIA bloc condemned Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest on Thursday (21) and claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is scared of the outcome of the upcoming polls and acting out of panic to create problems for the opposition. Soon after Kejriwal's arrest by…

Delhi chief minister’s arrest sparks nationwide protests

DOZENS of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members were apprehended in New Delhi, with scattered demonstrations breaking out across India in opposition to the arrest of the party's prominent figure on corruption charges, just ahead of the upcoming general elections. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was taken into custody by India's…

Delhi chief minister opposed to Modi arrested in graft case

THE top politician in India's capital New Delhi was arrested Thursday (21) in a graft probe his supporters say is aimed at sidelining opponents to prime minister Narendra Modi ahead of national elections. Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi's chief minister and a key leader in an opposition alliance challenging Modi in next…

India’s Congress party says its bank accounts frozen by tax…

India's main opposition Congress party said on Friday its bank accounts with Rs 2.1 billion (£20 million) in deposits had been frozen by the income tax department in connection with a dispute, just months before general elections. The party called the action "a deep assault on India's democracy", adding that…

Dussehra 2023: Kangana Ranaut performs Ravana Dahan at Red Fort

On the occasion of Dussehra 2023, actor Kangana Ranaut, attended Delhi's largest Ramlila, organised annually at the historic Red Fort grounds for its iconic celebrations where she was given the honour to perform the Ravan Dahan. Apart from Kangana, CM Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena were also present…

Kangana to be first woman to burn Ravana effigy at…

Actress Kangana Ranaut is going to be the first woman to burn the Ravan effigy at the famous Lav Kush Ramlila, Red Fort ground, Delhi on the occasion of Dussehra 2023. Taking to Instagram, Kangana shared a video and made the announcement. She captioned the video, "In the 50 years…

Parineeti-Raghav wedding: Guests start arriving in Udaipur

Ahead of actress Parineeti Chopra and Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha’s wedding reported to be held in Udaipur city over the weekend, family and friends of the couple were seen arriving in the city on Saturday. Several guests including Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh arrived for the wedding…

Priyanka Chopra wishes Parineeti, Raghav for new beginnings

Actress Priyanka Chopra wished her younger sister and actress Parineeti Chopra and AAP leader Raghav Chadha for their new beginnings. Raghav and Parineeti will tie the knot at The Leela Palace in Udaipur over this weekend. According to certain media reports, there is uncertainty over whether Priyanka Chopra and her…

Parineeti Chopra, Raghav Chadha reach Udaipur for their wedding

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha and actress Parineeti Chopra reached Udaipur on Friday ahead of their wedding over the weekend. Top politicians and film personalities are expected to attend the pre-wedding functions on Saturday and the main ceremony on Sunday at The Leela Palace Udaipur. The 34-year-old actress…

New bill on election commissioners’ appointment sparks row in India

THE Indian government on Thursday (10) introduced a bill to regulate the appointment, conditions of service and term of office of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners, with opposition parties strongly opposing the move. Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in Rajya Sabha, the upper house…

Delhi relief camps go under water as the Yamuna floods…

As the situation in Delhi deteriorates, some of the relief shelters have been inundated, compounding the misery of the evacuees. At a relief camp located in Old Delhi's Yamuna Bazar, all the tents are now submerged, compelling the residents to find alternative, drier grounds. On Thursday (13), the area had…

Delhi river reaches record high in monsoon floods

THE RIVER running through India's capital New Delhi has reached a record high due to monsoon floods, authorities said on Friday (14) as army engineers were deployed to try to contain the waters. The Yamuna river was flowing in an "#EXTREME FLOOD SITUATION", India's central water commission tweeted, having reached…

Documentary film follows Indian journalist Ravish Kumar’s fight to present…

INDIAN filmmaker Vinay Shukla said his award-winning documentary, While We Watched, aims to address a “credibility crisis” in the country’s news media. The documentary follows former NDTV senior journalist Ravish Kumar as he is determined to not become a government mouthpiece or report fake, sensationalised news in order to gain…

Priyanka reaches Delhi to attend Parineeti’s engagement

Preparations are in full swing for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha and actress Parineeti Chopra's engagement ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony, to be held at the Kapurthala House, will be attended by around 150 guests, including family and close friends, a party source said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind…

Know everything about Parineeti Chopra’s engagement

Bollywood actress Parineeeti Chopra and AAP leader Raghav Chadha are all set to get engaged after being rumoured about dating for a long time. Here is everything you need to know about the event. When and Where? The engagement vows will be taking place at the Kapurthala House in New…

India’s CBI arrests Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia over excise…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's premier investigative agency, on Sunday (26) arrested Delhi's deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the now-scrapped excise policy related to the sale of alcohol, a move that could widen the political rift between the country's ruling Bharatiya Janata…

BJP heads for historic win in Gujarat; Congress posts worst…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday headed for a record victory in Gujarat as the counting of votes entered the last leg, giving the ruling party a lead in 100 seats and a win in another 57 seats in the 182-member state assembly. The Congress party was…

Kashmiri Pandits forced to leave their homes, BJP can’t handle…

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed that Kashmiri Pandits were being forced to leave the Valley due to the targeted killings and demanded the Centre put forth an action plan to stop such incidents.Addressing the Aam Aadmi Party's 'Jan Aakrosh Rally at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, he also…

Indian girl hopping to school on one leg won the…

A 10-year-old girl in a non-discrete village in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has caught national attention.Seema lost her one leg - amputated after an accident two years ago - and her labourer parents are too poor to buy her a tricycle. But her disability has not dimmed her…

Delhi Stadium emptied, athletes sent home early to ensure IAS…

ATHLETES and coaches training at a stadium in India's capital were forced to wrap training earlier than usual to make way for an IAS officer to walk his dog at the facility, according to a media report. For the past few months, people using Thyagraj Stadium in Delhi were asked…

27 killed in fire in New Delhi

At least 27 people died and dozens more were injured in a massive fire in a building in the Indian capital New Delhi on Friday, emergency services said. "The fire has been put out now. The total number of dead is 27. Search operation is on," a fire department official…

Power cuts, forest fires in South Asia heatwave

Power outages compounded the misery of millions of people wilting in a heatwave across India and Pakistan on Friday, with experts blaming climate change for an early onset of roasting summer temperatures. In the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh hundreds of forest fires have broken out in recent weeks,…

Modi promotes brotherhood as India celebrates Holi

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi and other leaders on Friday (18) wished the country on the occasion of Holi. He called on Indians to promote brotherhood as millions celebrated Holi, the festival of colours, amid a sharp dip in Covid-19 cases in the country. The festival saw restricted celebrations last year…

India’s Aam Aadmi Party gets election boost to take on…

AN upstart political party that rules India's capital has swept an election in Punjab state, a Thursday (10) vote-count showed, bolstering its hopes of becoming the main challenger to prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, was…

Modi’s party retains Indian mega-state; AAP sweeps Punjab

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi's party won India's most populous state with a big majority, according to the count on Thursday (10) of a state assembly vote that could offer clues to the national mood before a 2024 general election. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won or was…

Omicron surge: India cancels election rallies

ELECTION rallies were cancelled in India's heartland Thursday (6) as authorities fret over a sudden Covid surge, driven by the Omicron variant, which has seen confirmed infections nearly triple in two days. Teeming crowds have thronged campaign events for next month's poll in Uttar Pradesh -- the country's most populous…

New Covid cases continue to rise in India

INDIA reported more than 27,000 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday (2), with infections sharply rising for a fifth consecutive day. The country's largest cities, including Delhi and the financial capital Mumbai, have seen a recent spike in Covid-19 cases, including those of the Omicron variant, which has triggered a fresh…

India reports 200 Omicron cases

INDIA has recorded 200 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant across 12 states, mostly in the western state of Maharashtra and New Delhi, the health ministry said on Tuesday (21). The country's tally of Omicron cases has nearly doubled within a week, but there have been no deaths reported so…

India resorts to power cuts as utilities grapple with coal…

INDIA has asked power producers to import up to 10 per cent of their coal needs amid fuel shortages and warned states that federal companies will curb their power supplies if they are found selling electricity on power exchanges to cash in on surging prices. India is the world's second…

India allows power plants to blend imported coal with local…

INDIA has allowed power producers to expedite imports of coal to use for up to 10 per cent of blends with the domestic grade to meet increased power demand in a move that could push up already high global prices. Asia's third-largest economy is facing large-scale outages as several power…

Raids on Modi critic Harsh Mander’s premises spark outrage in…

AN official raid on the offices and residence of a noted human rights activist in India critical of its Narendra Modi government has created an outrage in the country. The enforcement directorate (ED), a government agency in India that tackles financial crime, searched the premises of Harsh Mander in Delhi…

Delhi authorities ban firecrackers ahead of Diwali

TO curb air pollution levels, Delhi authorities have ordered a ban on the storage, use and sale of firecrackers in the Indian capital ahead of the Diwali festival. India is among the most polluted countries in the world, and air quality in Delhi and neighbouring northern states normally begins to deteriorate…

Protests as low-caste girl raped, killed in India’s capital

The alleged rape and murder of a nine-year-old, low-caste girl sparked a third day of protests in India's capital on Tuesday (3), in the latest case to spotlight the country's high levels of sexual violence. Hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets in New Delhi, holding banners reading "give…

Narendra Modi faces backlash over income tax raids against India…

THE Narendra Modi government came under fierce criticism on Thursday (22) after India’s tax authorities conducted raids against a popular newspaper and television channel that have been critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. While there was no official remark on…

Modi, Amit Shah have run out of agenda, Aam Aadmi…

THE Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has always been an ambitious outfit. After having done well in its first-ever election in Delhi in 2013, the party of Arvind Kejriwal came to power but thereafter, it failed to keep up the momentum. The party could not stay in power in Delhi for…

Delhi, Mumbai ease lockdown as India Covid numbers fall

Markets and shopping malls in New Delhi will be allowed to reopen from Monday (7) in a further easing of the Covid-19 lockdown, the chief minister said as infections fall in major Indian cities after weeks of restrictions. Delhi Metro will also resume services at 50 per cent capacity, the…

Indian states ease lockdown restrictions as cases fall

SOME of India's states are easing lockdown restrictions as coronavirus infections subside, with the world's second most-populous nation on Saturday (5) logging its lowest daily case count in nearly two months. India saw 120,529 new coronavirus infections emerge over the last 24 hours, while deaths rose by 3,380. The country's…

Indian capital announces tentative easing of lockdown as cases fall

INDIAN authorities Friday (28) announced a tentative easing of the lockdown in the capital New Delhi as coronavirus infections fall in major cities after weeks of restrictions. Rural areas of the country are now seeing the brunt of a surge in cases that has overwhelmed the health care system and…

Vaccine shortage forces Indian state to spend $1.36bn to buy…

By Pooja Shrivastava INDIA’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh (UP), will spend up to $1.36 billion to buy COVID-19 shots for its people. Talks were held early this week with companies such as Pfizer and the local partner of the maker of Russia's Sputnik V, a state official said on…

Calls for shutdown mount amid India’s Covid-19 surge

AFTER India's new coronavirus cases and deaths held close to record highs on Monday (10), there was increased pressure on the government of prime minister Narendra Modi to impose nationwide lockdown. The 366,161 new infections and 3,754 deaths reported by the health ministry, takes India's tally to 22.66 million with…

India’s coronavirus toll tops 200,000 after record surge in cases

INDIA'S toll from the coronavirus surged past 200,000 on Wednesday (28), as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new infections. The second wave of the pandemic has seen at least 300,000 people test positive each day for the past week, overwhelming healthcare facilities…

Narendra Modi says India shaken by coronavirus ‘storm’

Prime minister Narendra Modi urged all citizens to be vaccinated and exercise caution, saying the "storm" of infections had shaken India, as the country set a new global record of the most number of COVID-19 infections in a day. The United States said it was deeply concerned by the massive…

New Delhi extends coronavirus lockdown as India cases hit new…

India's capital New Delhi on Sunday extended its lockdown as the country's Covid-19 crisis grew with infections and deaths hitting record highs. The announcement came as the healthcare system struggled to cope with the huge surge, with reports of severe oxygen and medicine shortages and patients' families pleading for help…

India posts global record of 315,000 daily Covid cases; oxygen…

INDIA recorded the world's highest daily tally of 314,835 new Covid-19 infections on Thursday (22) as a second wave of the pandemic raised new fears about the ability of crumbling health services to cope. The health ministry data on Thursday is the most of any country since the pandemic began,…

India-UK summit on hold again

By Lord Meghnad Desai LIKE a 1950s Bollywood romance, the scheduled meeting between the prime ministers of the UK and India keeps on getting disrupted. Each time they have planned to meet, some ob­stacle has intervened. The UK prime minister was scheduled to attend the Republic Day (January 26 parade)…

India suffers worst day for COVID-19 deaths, hospitals overwhelmed

India, the country currently being hit hardest by the pandemic, on Tuesday (20) reported its worst daily death toll, with large parts of the country now under lockdown amid a fast-rising second wave of infections. The health ministry said 1,761 people had died in the past day, bringing India's toll…

India locks down capital as daily Covid-19 cases near 300,000

INDIA will lock down its capital New Delhi for a week from Monday (19) night to try and control a raging coronavirus outbreak. Infections are skyrocketing in India, however, with hospitals running out of beds and the government forced to reimpose economically painful restrictions again. The Delhi lockdown came after…

Delhi faces hospital beds shortage as coronavirus cases surge

India's capital New Delhi recorded 24,000 coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period and is facing an acute shortage of hospital beds, its chief minister said on Saturday, as the country overall recorded more than 200,000 cases for a third day. "The situation is very critical, worrying. Oxygen is in short…

Indian states urge Modi to widen vaccinations as second Covid-19…

MANY Indian state leaders have asked prime minister Narendra Modi to open up vaccinations to most of the country's hundreds of millions of adults, following a second surge in infections that has eclipsed the first wave. India breached the grim milestone of 100,000 daily infections for the first time on…

India braces for Covid-19 restrictions as daily infections surge

SOME of India's big cities stare at stricter lockdowns and curbs as daily infections on Saturday (3) hit a six-month high. The second wave of the virus in the country third-worst hit by the pandemic is seeing a surge in number of positive cases being reported in the last month.…

Passenger flights from UK to India resume after 16 days

AFTER 16 days, passenger flights from the UK to India restarted on Friday (8). The flights were suspended due to the emergence of a new coronavirus variant in Britain. The first Air India flight after the suspension landed at the Delhi airport from London with 256 passengers, Gauri Agarwal, founder…

Indian farmers block railway tracks, roads as they protest against…

FARMERS in India launched a national day of action Tuesday(8) against reforms deregulating the agriculture sector by blocking railway tracks and highways across the country. Tens of thousands of farmers have set up barricades on roads into New Delhi since November 26, vowing not to move until the laws are…

India reports over nine million Covid-19 cases; 132,000 deaths

INDIA's coronavirus caseload passed nine million on Friday(20), as hospitals in the capital New Delhi came under increasing pressure and graveyards began to fill up. The world's second-worst-hit country has now also registered more than 132,000 deaths from the disease, according to the latest official figures. India has seen a…

India’s capital suffers most toxic air in a year, heightening…

New Delhi, the capital city with the worst air quality worldwide, suffered its most toxic day in a year on Thursday (5), recording the concentration of poisonous PM2.5 particles at 14 times over the World Health Organisation safe limit. A raging coronavirus epidemic, with more than 400,000 confirmed cases in…

India’s coronavirus cases top 3.2 million

INDIA recorded more than 60,000 cases of Covid-19 for the eighth day in a row on Wednesday (26), as total cases crossed 3.2 million, data from the federal health ministry showed. The world's second-most populous country is third behind the US and Brazil in terms of total caseload, and has…

Delhi coronavirus fears mount as hospital beds run out

Ashwani Jain succumbed to the coronavirus in an ambulance as his family pleaded with several hospitals to take him in, the latest victim of the pandemic sweeping through the Indian capital and exposing a deadly shortage of hospital beds. "They don't care whether we live or die," said his 20-year-old…

People return to places of worship in masks as India…

PEOPLE trickled into temples, mosques and churches in India on Monday (8) as the federal government lifted most restrictions on public places, even as the country added a record number of infections in a single day. After imposing a severe lockdown in March, prime minister Narendra Modi's government is under…

India looks to ease lockdown even as coronavirus infections jump

India's prime minister Narendra Modi said on Monday (11) the country would look to ease a nearly seven-week lockdown aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, despite also reporting its biggest single-day jump in cases. Modi has faced increasing calls to end his government's stringent lockdown of the…

Indian state introduces ‘corona tax’ on alcohol to control crowds

Officials in India's capital imposed a special tax of 70 per cent on retail liquor purchases from Tuesday (5), to deter large gatherings at stores as authorities ease a six-week lockdown imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Taxes on alcohol are a key contributor to the revenue of many…

Police clash with crowds as India eases coronavirus curbs

Indian police fired tear gas at a crowd of protesting migrant workers in Gujarat and launched baton charges against hundreds of people queuing at liquor stores in New Delhi, even as the first steps were being taken to relax a coronavirus lockdown. The world's largest lockdown, in force since March…

‘King of Bollywood’, Will Smith in star-studded India virus benefit

India's "King of Bollywood" superstar Shah Rukh Khan told jokes and sang for his adoring fans on Sunday during an almost five-hour online benefit to raise funds for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Tens of thousands of viewers watched more than 70 of the country's biggest celebrities -- including…

Plasma therapy ‘a ray of hope’ for seriously-ill COVID-19 patients,…

DELHI chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday (24) said that plasma therapy provides a ray of hope to seriously-ill COVID-19 patients. The Indian capital has conducted plasma therapy trial on four COVID-19 patients. Kejriwal said that the test has yielded 'very encouraging' initial results. In the plasma therapy, antibodies from…

Coronavirus case detected at workers’ quarters in India’s presidential palace

About 500 people entered self-isolation at the Presidential House in the Indian capital on Tuesday (21) after a worker's relative tested positive for coronavirus, officials said, as the number of cases nationwide neared 18,000 despite a strict lockdown. India's 1.3 billion people have been ordered to remain indoors for 40…

India likely to extend lockdown by two weeks

THE nationwide lockdown in India to contain the spread of COVID-19 is likely to be extended beyond April 14 with the government spokesperson on Saturday (11) saying the government is considering a request made by most state chief ministers in this regard during an interaction with prime minister Narendra Modi.…

Major Indian cities make mask-wearing compulsory amid virus fears

Hundreds of millions of people in India, including in its two largest cities, were ordered on Wednesday (8) to wear face masks or coverings amid a nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Residents in the capital New Delhi and financial hub Mumbai, which have a combined…

Asia virus latest: Modi apologises, Australia limits gatherings

Here are the latest developments from Asia related to the novel coronavirus pandemic: - Modi asks Indians for forgiveness - India's prime minister Narendra Modi apologised to citizens for the sweeping 21-day lockdown that has brought the country of 1.3 billion people to a halt, leaving many migrant workers jobless…

Delhi to be locked down from 6 am Monday: Kejriwal

Delhi will be locked down in view of the growing coronavirus threat, from 6 am on March 23, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced at a joint press conference with Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Sunday (22). The lockdown will continue till 12 midnight on March 31, Kejriwal said. During the…

Delhi death toll from riots rises to 38

TENSIONS remained high in India's capital Thursday (27), as thousands of riot police and paramilitaries patrolled streets littered with the debris from days of sectarian riots that have killed 38 people. An uneasy calm has descended over the affected northeast fringes of the Indian capital, punctuated by sporadic outbreaks of…

Modi urges to maintain peace as death toll from Delhi…

AT LEAST 20 people have been killed in the Indian capital during violent clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups over a new citizenship law. Indian PM Modi has urged to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged that the situation has become "alarming" and…

Ten killed, over 130 injured in Delhi riots

TEN people have been killed and more than 130 injured in some of the worst sectarian violence in India's capital in years, as rioters went on the rampage in several parts of the city, setting fire to buildings and vehicles and attacking journalists. Protests against a contentious citizenship law descended on…

Ahead of Trump visit 3 killed in violent clashes in…

A Delhi Police head constable, Ratan Lal, was killed in the stone-pelting after suffering a head injury, on Monday (24) as clashes broke out in northeast Delhi as pro and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters pelted stones at each other. Several police personnel, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Shahdra, Amit…

Melania Trump likely to visit Delhi government school, interact with…

US First Lady Melania Trump is likely to visit a Delhi government school and interact with students on February 25, sources said. US President Donald Trump, accompanied by wife Melania and a high-level delegation, will arrive in Ahmedabad around noon on February 24 for a little less than 36-hour-long trip.…

Kejriwal thanks Lord Hanuman; says ‘Politics of Work’ wins in…

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has retained India's national capital for the third term. As per the latest trends, AAP is all set to sweep the 70-seat Delhi assembly. Five years ago AAP had won 67 seats in Delhi. Retaining a majority since the beginning of the counting, AAP…

‘Confident’ Kejriwal asks supporters not to burst crackers post victory

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged party workers not to burst crackers after victory to prevent air pollution. The counting of votes in Delhi will take place on Tuesday (11). Exit polls have predicted a huge majority for the ruling AAP. Some exit…

On Delhi poll day ‘#AntiWomenKejriwal’ trended on Twitter

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal landed in trouble over a 'sexist' tweet on the election day in Delhi on Saturday (8). On Twitter, he said women should heed their male counterparts' advice while casting their votes. "You must go to vote. Special appeal to all women - Just like you…

Modi’s party seeks to unseat ‘common man’ in Delhi election

A diminutive former tax inspector is in the cross-hairs of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's ruling party as it battles to take back power in Delhi state elections on Saturday (8). Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of the sprawling capital of 20 million since 2015, is standing for re-election -- much…

Actors, filmmakers condemn violence at Jawaharlal Nehru University

Bollywood actors Swara Bhasker, Shabana Azmi, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub and Taapsee Pannu, and filmmakers Aparna Sen and Hansal Mehta on Sunday condemned the violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and urged Delhi Police to intervene. Violence broke out at JNU on Sunday night after masked men armed with sticks…

Attack at elite India university injures at least 23

At least 23 people were hurt at a prestigious Indian university on Sunday (5) in what police said were clashes between rival student groups but which an opposition politician blamed on a student organisation linked to prime minister Narendra Modi. Unverified videos on social media appeared to show a group…

Factory owner, manager arrested after New Delhi’s deadliest fire in…

POLICE in New Delhi have arrested the owner and manager of a factory where 43 people died in the Indian capital's deadliest fire in 20 years, a spokesman said on Monday (9). The blaze started early on Sunday (8) morning when more than a hundred workers were sleeping in the…

UK, India scientists collaborate on clean air solutions for Delhi

Atmospheric scientists from the UK and India have partnered to tackle chronic air pollution, which is impacting the health of more than 20 million people in Delhi. The Indian capital, one of the country's most densely populated metropolis, has some of the worst air pollution of any city in the…

Delhi smog hits ’emergency’ levels as Prince Charles visits

The Indian capital's notorious air pollution hit "emergency" levels again Wednesday (14), coinciding with a visit by Britain's Prince Charles. New Delhi has been choked on and off for weeks, as industrial and traffic pollution -- combined with smoke from crop stubble burning -- cast a toxic pall over the…

Taj Mahal gets air purifier as Indian capital chokes

New Delhi banned half the Indian capital's private cars from its roads on Monday as the megacity's 20 million people spluttered with stinging eyes in the worst pollution in three years. As smog levels exceeded those of Beijing by more than three times, authorities also parked a van with an…

Delhi gasps under choking smog

India's capital New Delhi was enveloped in heavy, toxic smog on Sunday - the worst levels in recent years - with hundreds of flights diverted or delayed as politicians blamed each other for failing to tackle the crisis. Every winter, the megacity of 20 million people is blanketed by a…

Pollution forces New Delhi to declare emergency

AUTHORITIES in New Delhi declared a public health emergency on Friday (1) and closed schools and all construction activity until next week as air pollution in the city hit its worst level this year. A thick haze has hung over the Indian capital this week caused by plumes of toxic…

As pollution plagues Delhi, calls grow to shut schools

SOME doctors and residents urged New Delhi authorities to shut schools and cancel outdoor sporting events in the Indian capital as air pollution remained at the most severe level for the second day running on Wednesday (30). Farm fires raging in neighbouring states have sent clouds of smoke floating over…

Free bus ride scheme for women begins in Delhi

The free of cost travel scheme for women in Delhi public buses began on Tuesday (29) with deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia saying it will ensure their safety and increase their role in the national capital's economy. Women will be given pink tickets in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster…

Indian-born Nobel prize-winner comes from “family of economists”

Indian politicians and academics cheered the Nobel economics prize awarded on Monday to Indian-born American Abhijit Banerjee, whose proud mother told visitors crowding into her apartment that he came from "a family of economists". Nirmala Banerjee showed journalists a copy of her son's book Poor Economics as bouquets arrived at…

New Delhi to slash use of cars in November

INDIA'S capital New Delhi will enforce strict restrictions on use of private cars from November 4-15 to curb pollution, its chief minister said on Friday (13), in an effort to help improve air quality that tends to deteriorate sharply in winter months. Private vehicles will only be allowed to use…

Dikshit: The affable politician who gave Delhi its modern look

SHEILA Dikshit was one of the tallest leaders of the Congress who had the distinction of being Delhi's longest serving chief minister and giving the national capital Delhi its modern look. A warm and affable politician, she was a loyalist of the Gandhi family. She was handpicked by Rajiv Gandhi…

New Delhi to offer free public transport for 850,000 women

Almost a million women will enjoy free public transport as part of an attempt to make the Indian capital safer, New Delhi's government said on Monday. The city has been notorious for women's safety since the 2012 gang rape and murder of a female student on a Delhi bus that…

Aam Aadmi Party supremo dials Akhilesh to discuss post-results strategy

DELHI chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal talked to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav over the phone on Tuesday (21) to discuss the strategy to be followed after the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll results on Thursday (23). Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh told…

Delhi leader Kejriwal defies slaps and shoes to step up…

He has been smeared with chilli powder and slapped, but Delhi's chief minister will still be leading the fight against prime minister Narendra Modi in Sunday's penultimate round of the Indian election. Fifty-nine seats are up for grabs across the country on the sixth voting day of the marathon ballot.…

‘Love vs. hate’ in penultimate Indian election round

Tens of millions voted on Sunday (12) in the penultimate round of India's increasingly bad-tempered election, with all eyes on the coveted capital New Delhi after an ugly campaign of slaps and savage pamphlets. India's almost-seven week election, the biggest on Earth with prime minister Narendra Modi seeking a new…

Delhi election candidate breaks down over vicious pamphlet

An Oxford-educated candidate contesting India's election broke down on Thursday (9) after a savage anonymous pamphlet accused her of being a prostitute and of having sex with a fellow teacher. An emotional Atishi Marlena, a candidate at national level in Sunday's vote, told a news conference that the accusations were…

Modi rocks Delhi as India election moves to capital

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi fired up a big, raucous rally in a hot Delhi late Wednesday (8) as India’s almost seven-week election approaches its conclusion later this month. “When work is done with good intentions, it also yields results. Inflation used to be on a rise, it is now under…

Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is seeking votes for Modi,…

Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday (7) launched a scathing attack on India prime minister Narendra Modi, alleging that his nationalism was fake. Speaking at a poll rally in favour of his ally Jannayak Janata Party's Dushyant Chautala here, Kejriwal projected JJP-AAP as a viable…

Rahul Gandhi will be solely responsible if the BJP comes…

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be the only person responsible if the BJP comes back to power, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has said as he slammed the Gandhi scion days after both the parties failed to form an alliance in Delhi for the Lok Sabha elections. He was speaking…

Rahul Gandhi: Kejriwal doing U-turn on alliance talks

CONGRESS president Rahul Gandhi on Monday (15) accused AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of doing an "U-turn" on the alliance talks between the two parties and said the doors of the Congress are open, but time is running out. However, Kejriwal claimed that the talks are still on and accused Gandhi…

Deadly political calculations: Why India isn’t fixing its toxic smog…

As pollution levels surged to "severe" and "hazardous" levels in New Delhi this week, there was little sign that residents of India's teeming capital were doing much to protect themselves. The smog, which is expected to worsen in the next few days, exposed people to as much as 24 times…

India May Halt Use Of Private Vehicles In New Delhi…

India may halt the use of private vehicles in the capital New Delhi if air pollution, which has reached severe levels in recent days, gets worse, a senior environmental official said on Tuesday (30). Toxic smog has started to envelope vast swathes of northern India, including New Delhi, as it…

India marks 69th Republic Day with grand parade

Marching contingents, strategic defence weaponry and colourful tableaux were on display as India celebrated its 69th Republic Day with a grand parade watched by thousands of people along with ten ASEAN leaders who attended the event as chief guests, in a historic first. Signifying India's fast growing strategic ties with…

Biographical film on Arvind Kejriwal to hit cinemas on Nov…

A documentary on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who left bureaucracy to become a social activist and then plunged into the rough-and-tumble of politics, will hit theatres on November 17. Global media giant Vice has acquired the biographical film, "An Insignificant Man", for a world-wide release. Vice has announced it…

Indian Prime Minister releases his degrees in ‘fake graduation’ row

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forced on Monday to produce his college degrees, days after bitter political rivals accused him of lying about graduating from university. At a press conference in the capital, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and ruling party chief Amit Shah released copies of Modi’s Bachelor of…

Taj Mansingh to finally go under hammer, Le Meridien licence…

Two years after the Centre cleared the decks for its auction, Taj Mansingh Hotel will finally go under the hammer, the NDMC on Thursday decided, as it also cancelled Le Meridien Hotel’s licence over dues of Rs 523 crore (£62.8 million). The two decisions were pending since long as the…