- Friday, April 19, 2024
Campaigning officially ended on Wednesday evening for the first phase of India's general elections, involving 102 Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) seats across 21 states and Union territories. This initial phase is set for 19 April, with key political figures from both the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA (National Democratic…
India's general elections, set to begin this Friday (April 19), mark a significant democratic exercise as the country hosts the world's largest electoral event. More than 18 million first-time voters, including young individuals like 20-year-old Roushan Kumar from West Bengal, are poised to cast their ballots, with many prioritising employment…
BRITAIN is as racist as it was in the 1970s, and some politicians of colour are making matters worse, anti-racism campaigners have told Eastern Eye. Their comments follow a landmark series on Channel 4, Defiance, which tells the story of how south Asian and black people fought right-wing extremists in…
As India heads to a general election, the streets of Manipur, a tiny state hit by ethnic strife since May last year, are largely quiet. Although Manipur and some other regions will be the first to vote in the seven-phase election starting on Friday, campaign meetings are being held behind…
The first phase of India's general elections, scheduled for April 19, will see prominent political figures including eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers, and an ex-governor contesting across 102 constituencies in 21 states and Union territories. Union road and transport minister Nitin Gadkari is vying for a third consecutive…
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that a recent Indian top court ruling eliminating a controversial political funding mechanism could drive party donations underground into "black money," or illicit finance streams. The Supreme Court of India ruled in February that "electoral bonds" — a system introduced seven years ago…
India's general elections are set to begin in just three days, on April 19. Spanning six weeks, this monumental electoral exercise will involve 968 million eligible voters, making it the largest democratic vote in the world. As the nation prepares for this massive process, the focus is on the logistical…
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 prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised on Sunday to create jobs, boost infrastructure and expand welfare programmes if it wins a third term, seeking to address key voter concerns ahead of next week's elections. The general election will be held in seven stages from April 19…
As India heads towards another general election, prime minister Narendra Modi is confident of not just winning, but improving his party Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) tally in the Lok Sabha - the lower house of the parliament. While replying to Newsweek's written questions, followed up with a 90-minute conversation at…
It is just one week before India goes for general elections, the world's largest polls, and the campaigning is at its peak now. The tussle between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led government and the opposition has intensified with promises, accusations, and controversial statements being made from both sides. Nearly a…
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is expected to retain power in the multi-phase general elections starting this month, but the question is how far he will succeed in wooing the wealthier and better-educated south. After a decade in power, Modi hopes to significantly increase his Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 55…
Indian folk singer Maithili Thakur thought she was successful, with millions following her Hindu devotional tunes on social media - but then Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent her popularity into the stratosphere. With India's marathon general elections set to start on April 19, critics say Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party…
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…
More than half the voters in the Indian city of Rampur are Muslim, but its member of parliament is from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's muscular Hindu-first agenda. It is a situation repeated across Hindu-majority India, where many consider victory for…
INDIA's first Olympic medallist in boxing, Vijender Singh, who took a plunge in politics in April 2019 by joining the Congress, switched to prime minister Narendra Modi's party on Wednesday (3). Addressing a joint press conference with BJP leaders in New Delhi, Singh praised Modi and said that the respect…
India's former prime minister and architect of India's economic reforms Dr Manmohan Singh has exited public life with his retirement from the Rajya Sabha. Soft-spoken, erudite, and modest, Singh (91) exited public life without any fanfare, somewhat akin to how this reluctant politician entered it 33 years ago. The man…
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…
WITH a net worth totalling $33.5 billion, Savitri Jindal of the Jindal Group was ranked as India's wealthiest woman and holds the sole female position among the top 10 richest women globally on Forbes' 2024 list. She is the sixth wealthiest woman and 46th wealthiest person overall on the list.…
INDIA'S half-century-old decision to end a territorial dispute with Sri Lanka over a tiny island has become a hot-button election issue, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party accusing the rival Congress of compromising fishermen's rights. A 1976 agreement barred Indian fishermen from waters around the 285-acre (115-hectare) island Katchatheevu 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…
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…
Elites may usually dislike populist leaders globally, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeing increasing support among educated voters, The Economist has said. In an article titled 'Why India's elites back Narendra Modi', the publication said, "Three factors - class politics, economics, and elite admiration for strongman rule - help…
The shadow of Basanti still looms large and Hema Malini, who references her role as the feisty tonga puller from the 1975 classic Sholay in many of her rallies, says candidly she may never come out of it. The cinema icon and BJP MP is currently seeking a third Lok…
Bollywood actor Govinda, who is known for his excellent comic timing and dance steps, on Thursday joined the ruling Shiv Sena in Mumbai, making a comeback in politics after a 14-year hiatus. The former Congress Lok Sabha MP joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath…
From delivering some path-breaking performances in Bollywood to starting a new journey as a politician, actress Kangana Ranaut is ready to play a new role in her life. Ranaut on Wednesday opened about her new role as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi for the upcoming…
Every woman, irrespective of her background and profession, deserves dignity, actress Kangana Ranaut said on Tuesday as Congress leaders’ comments on Mandi from where she is contesting the Lok Sabha elections snowballed into a massive political row. Ranaut, who makes her political debut as a BJP candidate from Mandi in…
Actors Kangana Ranaut and Arun Govil, who were named as part of the list of 111 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls by the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) on Sunday, expressed happiness and gratitude to the political party for nominating them for the upcoming elections. Ranaut said she is…
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…
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…
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…
NOW that it has been announced that the Indian general election will be held between April 19 and June 1, many books and articles both for and against Narendra Modi will be written about the country’s prime minister. Firmly in the latter category is Christophe Jaffrelot’s Gujarat Under Modi: Laboratory…
India's Supreme Court ordered the State Bank of India (SBI) on Monday to submit all the details of electoral bonds issued under an opaque political funding system, just a month before general elections. SBI was the sole bank authorised to sell and redeem electoral bonds that was introduced in 2017…
INDIA's marathon six-week election will begin on April 19 with nearly a billion people across the world's biggest democracy eligible to cast their votes. Here are the details about how the poll is conducted and what is likely to happen: How do people vote? All Indian citizens aged 18 and…
India will begin voting in seven phases starting April 19 to elect a new parliament, and the results will be announced on June 4. Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday the other phases will be on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June…
Lakshmi Mittal, the UK-based executive chairman of multinational steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal, is among the prominent buyers of the recently scraped electoral bonds for making political donations in India. He bought Rs 350 million worth of bonds in his individual capacity. The Election Commission displayed the data on electoral bonds on…
THOUSANDS of farmers rode buses and trains from across India to gather on Thursday (14) at a rally in the capital, New Delhi, pressing a demand for higher guaranteed prices for their crops, as they faced down police barricades and tough security. The rally, days before general elections are expected…
Behind the doors of a small, nondescript office in the heart of New Delhi lies the headquarters of an electoral trust run by just two men that is the largest-known donor to India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to a Reuters review of public records. The Prudent Electoral Trust…
THE State Bank of India (SBI) told the Supreme Court on Wednesday (13) that 22,217 electoral bonds were purchased and 22,030 redeemed by political parties between April 1, 2019 and February 15 this year. In a compliance affidavit filed in the apex court, the SBI said as per the court's…
INDIA this week implemented the contentious 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), sparking sporadic protests and a war of words between prime minister Narendra Modi's government and opposition groups weeks before national elections are held. Here is a look at the law, its implications and the concerns surrounding it. What is…
JAMMU AND KASHMIR has been transformed and integrated with the rest of India, prime minister Narendra Modi said last Thursday (7), crediting the change to his government’s decision to revoke its special status. Visiting the Kashmir Valley for the first time since 2019 – the year the status was revoked…
Sporadic protests have erupted in India against a citizenship law that has been criticised for discriminating against Muslims, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government implemented the legislation just days before a general election is announced. Protests broke out in the eastern state of Assam and the southern state of Tamil…
India's top court on Monday ordered the state-run bank to publish details of previously anonymous political donations made in the form of controversial electoral bonds - with the disclosures to be made before upcoming national polls. Last month, the Supreme Court outlawed the scheme, under which individuals and companies could…
India’s Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday met with veteran singer Asha Bhosle and unveiled the latter's photobiography 'Best of Asha'. Conceptualised and initiated by Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and MLA Ashish Shelar, 'Best of Asha' is a compilation of photographs of the singer captured by ace photographer…
INDIA’S Assam state has scrapped an 89-year-old law that allowed marriage involving underage Muslims, against opposition from leaders of the minority community, who called the plan an attempt to polarise voters on religious lines ahead of elections. Assam, which has the highest percentage of Muslims among Indian states at 34…
Prime minister of India, Narendra Modi on Tuesday (20) said that the revocation of Article 370 played a crucial role in promoting the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir. He further emphasised his government's commitment to transforming the Valley into a tourist destination capable of competing with Switzerland. Addressing a…
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said the Centre should convene a daylong Parliament session to bring legislation on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, a key demand of protesting farmers. He also urged the Centre to accept the other main demands of the farmers, including farm loan…
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…
In a landmark judgement, the Indian Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the electoral bonds scheme, saying it violates the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to information. Electoral bonds were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in 2018 to make political funding…
A HINDU group closely linked to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is installing Muslims loyal to it in leadership positions at Muslim universities as part of a push to garner Muslim votes ahead of national elections, officials said. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which Modi joined in his youth and…
SHAYARA BANO heaved a sigh of relief last Wednesday (7) at the enactment of a law banning polygamy in her Indian state, the culmination of a years-long effort, including her own case before the nation’s Supreme Court. “I can now say that my battle against age-old Islamic rules on marriage…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will secure a clear majority in general elections this summer, a win that will ensure a comfortable third term for Modi, according to an opinion poll published last Thursday (8). Findings from the “Mood of the Nation Poll”, a survey…
INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi could make labour reforms, cleared by parliament in 2020, a priority if he wins the upcoming general elections as is widely expected, a spokesperson for his party said on Tuesday (13). Opinion polls suggest Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will easily win the next general…
Veteran actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty has been admitted to a hospital in Kolkata. Chakraborty, 73, reportedly expressed uneasiness on his return home from a film shoot and was rushed immediately to the hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. More details regarding his health are awaited. Chakraborty was recently named as a…
THE decision to award India's Bharat Ratna to former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Charan Singh and green revolution pioneer M S Swaminathan has taken the number of recipients of the country’s highest civilian award to 53, five of them within 2024, maximum in a year so far.…
Uttarakhand, a small northern Indian state governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party, is set to pass a bill to replace religion-specific civil laws with a Uniform Civil Code, which could be used as a template by other states. The bill, being debated by Uttarakhand's legislature on Wednesday,…
THREE people were killed in India and dozens more injured after religious clashes sparked by the destruction of a madrassa, officials said Friday (9), the latest in a spate of demolitions targeting Islamic structures. Hindu nationalist groups have been emboldened in their campaign against Muslim religious structures since prime minister…
INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi last month inaugurated one of the holiest Hindu temples and his government has been spending millions of dollars to develop many others, boosting tourism and his appeal among the majority community ahead of elections. Apart from a $6 billion (£4.7bn) makeover of the northern city…
AN INDIAN state where prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power is set to introduce contentious common personal laws that will apply across religions this month, a template other state officials said they will look to follow. Currently, India’s Hindus, Muslims, Christians and large tribal populations…
LAL KRISHNA ADVANI, the BJP stalwart who catapulted the party into national reckoning with his Rath Yatra for Ayodhya's Ram Temple in the early 1990s, has been conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. "I am very happy to share that Shri LK Advani Ji will be conferred…
Makers of the upcoming movie Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra, starring Ranvir Shorey and Manoj Joshi, on Friday, unveiled the film's first teaser. Actor Ranvir Shorey took to X to reveal the teaser. #GodhraTeaser is all yours! Do tell us in comments if it was an Accident or a Conspiracy. #GodhraTeaser…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi's government resisted the temptation of spending trillions of rupees on schemes for the poor in its last budget before an election and instead stuck to the path of fiscal consolidation to attract investors. The lack of social spending largesse is indicative of Modi's confidence in…
Amidst concerns of dwindling support from the UK's largest ethnic minority, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is implementing new strategies to reengage with British Indians. Recent initiatives include recruiting two community outreach volunteers, revitalising the Labour Friends of India group, and arranging a visit to India for senior shadow ministers David…
On Tuesday (23), the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, a city in northern India, witnessed a massive influx of Hindu devotees. Thousands gathered to offer prayers at this newly inaugurated sacred site, just one day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the temple at a site revered as the birthplace…
While Hindu devotees inaugurated a grand temple in Ayodhya dedicated to one of their holiest deities on Monday (22), India's minority Muslims are planning to start the construction of a new mosque in the same city later this year. This initiative is seen as an attempt to create a new…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi led a ceremony on Monday (22) to consecrate a grand new temple to the Hindu god-king Ram, delivering on a campaign promise his political party made more than three decades ago. The construction, begun in 2020, had been a contentious issue as the temple stands…
INDIA's prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a temple Monday (22) that embodies the triumph of his muscular Hindu nationalist politics, galvanising loyalists in an unofficial start to his re-election campaign this year. Modi, in flowing golden-coloured traditional dress, unveiled the black stone idol to the deity Ram in the heart…
A grand temple to Hindu god Lord Ram opens on Monday (22) on a site in India millions believe is his birthplace, in a religious spectacle led by prime minister Narendra Modi months before he seeks a rare third term in elections. The construction of the temple is a 35-year-old,…
THE leader of India’s main Congress opposition party, Rahul Gandhi, last Sunday (14) began a new cross-country march from a troubled northeastern state, aiming to generate political momentum to take on prime minister Narendra Modi in general elections due by May. The “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra”, or Unite India Justice…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said Friday (12) he was beginning an 11-day religious fast ahead of a ceremony he will lead to inaugurate a controversial new Hindu temple. Modi is presiding over the January 22 opening of the shrine, built on grounds where a centuries-old mosque once stood before…
Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan, who passed away on Tuesday afternoon, was laid to rest with state honours in Kolkata on Wednesday. He also received a gun salute as part of his final rites. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was in attendance at Rabindra Sadan, where the mortal remains…
INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi’s government is considering doubling the annual payout to landowning female farmers to ₹12,000 (£113), three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, a move likely to appeal to women voters ahead of a general election. The plan is likely to be announced in the…
INDIA’s defence minister Rajnath Singh arrived in London on Monday (8) for a three-day visit focusing on the India-UK defence partnership as well as security and industrial cooperation. Singh has been accompanied by a Ministry of Defence delegation comprising officials from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Service Headquarters,…
INDIAN defence minister Rajnath Singh will discuss bilateral issues with his UK counterpart Grant Shapps during his official visit, the ministry of defence said in a statement. Singh arrived in UK on Monday (8) night. Notably, this marks the first visit of a sitting Indian defence minister to the UK…
INDIA's top court ruled Monday (8) that 11 murderers convicted of a gang rape that drew global outrage but who were released early must return to jail. Bilkis Bano and two of her children were the only survivors among a group of Muslims attacked by a Hindu mob in the…
BILLIONS of voters across south Asia, the UK and the US will go to polls in the next 12 months in what will be a test of democracy, analysits have told Eastern Eye. In the UK, prime minister Rishi Sunak has to call a general election by January 28, 2025,…
BJP leader Arjunamurthy on behalf of the Ayodhya, Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra invited megastar Rajinikanth for the ‘Ayodhya Kumbabhishek’ event on January 22. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Arjunamurthy shared a couple of pictures which he captioned in Tamil. He wrote, “Today's event was the best experience of my life!…
INDIA’S prime minister, Narendra Modi, does not give press interviews, so why did he choose to give one just before Christmas to the Financial Times, of all papers? The FT, a respected newspaper with digital subscribers all over the world, has been sustained in its relentless attacks on the ruling…
SCORES of cow protectors in recent years have been accused of using violence to carry out extra-judicial activities in India, often finding themselves at odds with law enforcement, even as many won acclaim for defending the Hindu faith. Now some of these operatives are transferring their clout into grassroots political…
WORKERS in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya are finalizing a $6 billion (£4.7bn) infrastructure facelift ahead of the opening of a grand Hindu temple that is igniting an economic boom - which some of city’s poor and its Muslim community say is passing them by. City officials expect about…
LIKE many other Muslims, Indian tailor Safi Mohammad plans to send his wife and two sons away before thousands of pilgrims arrive at his hometown of Ayodhya next month for the inauguration of one of Hinduism's most sacred temples. The temple, built on a site Hindus believe to be the…
THOUSANDS of protesters led by opposition parties marched towards billionaire Gautam Adani’s offices in Mumbai last Saturday (16) to voice their opposition to his conglomerate’s $614 million (£483m) redevelopment plans for one of Asia’s largest slums in the city. Protesters carried flags and banners with slogans such as “Remove Adani…
FORMER India fast bowler S Sreesanth last Thursday (7) alleged that ex-teammate Gautam Gambhir called him a “fixer” during a Legends League Cricket (LLC) match. The World Cup-winning players were involved in a heated exchange during an Eliminator match between Indian Capitals and Gujarat Giants. The umpires had to intervene…
INDIA'S Supreme Court upheld on Monday (11) a 2019 decision by the government of prime minister Narendra Modi to revoke special status for the state of Jammu and Kashmir and set a deadline of September 30 next year for state polls to be held. India's only Muslim-majority region, Jammu and…
After a video in which Sunny Deol appeared to be roaming drunk on the streets at night went viral on social media, the actor on Wednesday put rumours to rest by saying that it was from the shoot of his upcoming movie Safar. A section of microblogging site X users…
INDIA'S ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday (3) appeared set to win three of four states in key regional polls, in a big boost for prime minister Narendra Modi ahead of general elections in six months. The heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the southern state…
INDIA’S money laundering investigators on Tuesday (21) said they seized properties worth ₹7.52 billion (£72 million) in a probe linked to a nine-year-old complaint against opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia. The complaint, lodged by an MP from prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)…
AUTHORITIES in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh have banned the distribution and sale of Halal-certified products, including dairy, garments and medicines saying it was illegal. Bakery products, sugar, edible oil and other products which were labelled as 'Halal-certified' by the companies manufacturing them would be banned from distribution…
NAFIS ANSARI, a school principal who is Muslim, was enlisted this year by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a "Modi Mitr", or friend of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. The resident of the central state of Madhya Pradesh promotes the party to neighbours and relatives at events such…
THE enemy is nearly invisible and there are no soldiers, but the Indian capital’s new “Green War Room” is battling air pollution that is cutting lives of residents by over a decade. “It’s a pollution emergency”, said Gopal Rai, environment minister for the rapidly expanding megacity of over 20 million…
TWO of five Indian states due to elect new legislatures this month began voting on Tuesday (7), a big test of prime minister Narendra Modi's chances of winning a third term in a national election due by May. Modi and leaders of the main opposition Congress party headed by Rahul…
POLICE in Kerala opened an investigation against India's deputy minister of Information Technology on Tuesday (31) for allegedly stirring religious hatred on social media after bomb blasts at a Jehovah's Witnesses convention in the southern state. Homemade bombs exploded, killing three people and wounding 50 in the attack last Sunday…
INDIAN opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (31) accused prime minister Narendra Modi's government of trying to hack into senior opposition politicians' mobile phones, after they reported receiving warning messages from Apple. Some of the lawmakers shared screenshots on social media of a notification quoting the iPhone manufacturer as saying:…
THE death toll from a homemade bomb blast during a Christian prayer meeting in India has risen to three, police said Monday (30), as authorities questioned a man claiming responsibility. More than 2,000 people were attending a three-day Jehovah's Witnesses meeting at a convention centre in the southern state of…
THE Hindu temple in Ayodhya will open just months before national elections next year, officials said on Tuesday (24). The holy city in northern India has long been a religious tinderbox, providing the spark for some of the country's worst sectarian violence. Devout Hindus believe that Lord Ram was born…
India's top court on Tuesday (17) declined to legalise same-sex marriages. However, it emphasised the country's responsibility to recognise LGBTQ relationships and safeguard them against discrimination. The government has opposed moves to legally codify same-sex partnerships in the five years since the Supreme Court struck down colonial-era laws banning gay…
Actress Hema Malini, fondly known as Bollywood's Dream Girl, turned 75 today. Marking her special day, she hosted a birthday bash for the members of the film industry. And guess what? The who's who of Bollywood arrived at the party to celebrate Hema Malini's birthday. From Rekha, Anupam Kher, and…
FIVE Indian states will elect new legislatures next month, an independent election panel said on Monday (9), beginning a process of regional polls ahead of national elections due next year. The elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are expected to give an indication of voter mood, especially…
INDIAN police raided the New Delhi office of a news portal and the homes of journalists and writers linked to it on Tuesday (3) as part of an investigation into suspected illegal foreign funding of the media company, two government officials said. Laptops and mobile phones were taken away as…
A BITTER row between India and Canada over the murder of a Sikh separatist is being felt in Punjab, where some Sikhs fear both a backlash from India’s government and a threat to their prospects for a better life in North America. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a plumber who left the…
INDIAN activist Partha Chaudhury is on a war footing as he strides out of the ruling BJP’s regional headquarters in Kolkata armed with passion and pages of voter lists. “We need to meet each and every BJP supporter, and all of this has to be done in less than 300…
ANTI-MUSLIM hate speech incidents in India averaged more than one a day in the first half of 2023 and were seen most in states with upcoming elections, according to a report by Hindutva Watch, a Washington-based group monitoring attacks on minorities. There were 255 documented incidents of hate speech gatherings…
INDIA’S opposition alliance on Thursday (14) decided to boycott shows of 14 television anchors in a move a journalists’ association called “unacceptable”.The media committee of INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) said it will not send its representatives to debates hosted by them.The journalists include Arnab Goswami of Republic TV,…
THE G20 Summit in New Delhi has positioned India as a key player in the global arena, edging closer to becoming the 'leader of the Global South,' according to analysts. The two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday (10), showcased India's leadership as it championed initiatives aimed at countering the ascendancy…
PRIME minister Narendra Modi's placard at the opening of the G20 summit on Saturday (9) referred to India as "Bharat", raising speculation of a change of name for the south Asian nation. India is also called Bharat, Bharata, Hindustan - its pre-colonial names - in Indian languages and these are…
In a new report, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has alleged that mining and oil conglomerate Vedanta conducted a "covert" lobbying effort to undermine significant environmental regulations during the Covid pandemic. Furthermore, the organisation, funded by George Soros, has accused the Indian government of approving these changes…
INDIA’S government is likely to bring a resolution to rename the country as “Bharat”, media reports have said. President Draupadi Murmu’s invite to G20 heads of state for a dinner later this week came in the name of “President of Bharat” instead of the usual ‘President of India’. This triggered…
MINING and oil giant Vedanta ran a "covert" lobbying campaign to weaken key environmental regulations during the Covid pandemic, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) alleged in a new report. The George Soros-funded organisation in a new report said the Indian government approved the changes without public consultation…
ABOUT 80 per cent of Indians have a favourable view of prime minister Narendra Modi and around seven in 10 Indians believe their country has recently become more influential, according to a survey by the PEW Research Center. The survey, released ahead of the G20 Summit, also noted that public…
Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have taken the step of closing a private school following an incident where a teacher instructed her students to slap a Muslim classmate. Neha Public School in Khubbapur village was subjected to closure by officials who cited its failure to meet the…
THE Wrestling Federation of India has been suspended by the sports' world body for not holding elections after its chief was charged with sexual misconduct. India's top wrestlers staged weeks of sit-in protests in the capital New Delhi earlier this year demanding the resignation of WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh.…
Veteran actor and politician Hema Malini on Thursday said like every Indian, she is also happy with the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon, an event she hopes is translated into a feature film. India's Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar south pole at 6.04 pm on…
Superstar Rajinikanth recently faced backlash for touching Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi's feet during his visit to the BJP leader’s residence in Lucknow. On Monday night, the Jailer star arrived back in Chennai and briefly interacted with media persons who were stationed outside the airport. On being asked about…
INDIAN wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who helped lead protests demanding the sport's national chief step down over sexual harassment allegations, has pulled out of next month's Asian Games with a knee injury. Phogat, who won gold in the women's 50kg freestyle in the last edition of the Asian Games, injured herself…
INDIA on Tuesday (15) completed 76 years as an independent country. The historian, Ramachandra Guha, provided a report card in a long article in the Sunday Times (13), headed, “Can India be the next superpower?” Guha, known to be a critic of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, whose Bharatiya…
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday (15) that his government was working to end ethnic clashes in the country's remote northeast that have killed more than 150 people since May. The federal government has deployed security forces to the hilly state bordering Myanmar governed by Modi's Bharatiya Janata…
FROM Indian poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar to English great William Shakespeare, MPs quoted extensively from literature to put across their arguments over the Manipur violence. Opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion against prime minister Narendra Modi’s government over Manipur. The motion was defeated by voice vote on Thursday (10) but…
INDIA’S government defeated a no-confidence motion in parliament on Thursday (10) after a fiery speech by prime minister Narendra Modi at the climax of a three-day debate. Opposition lawmakers - who had brought the motion over months of ethnic violence in Manipur state - walked out of the chamber, prompting…
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…
INDIA will remain an “active and willing partner” to find a “lasting” solution to Russia’s war in Ukraine, the country’s national security advisor said, after attending a peace conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last Sunday (6). Ajit Doval told delegates the responsibility to end the war was in the hands…
INDIA's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi condemned prime minister Narendra Modi's inaction over deadly ethnic conflict in the country's northeast on Wednesday (9), in his first parliamentary speech since his defamation conviction was suspended. Modi's administration is being forced this week to defend its conduct over months of violence in Manipur…
INDIA'S main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was restored to parliament Monday (7) after the Supreme Court last week suspended his defamation conviction over political comments criticising prime minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi is the scion of India's premier political dynasty and his reinstatement was welcomed by other members of the Congress…
LOCAL authorities in India's northern state of Haryana have begun demolishing what they term illegal houses that were allegedly used in an attack on a Hindu procession earlier this week that sparked deadly Hindu-Muslim clashes across the state. The violence erupted in the Nuh district on Monday (31) and quickly…
THE Supreme Court of India on Friday (4) suspended opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case, enabling him to return to parliament and contest national elections due next year. Gandhi was convicted in March in a case brought by a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata…
CHARRED walls, collapsed tin roofs and smashed windows in a burned Kuki community church illustrate how deadly ethnic violence has led to brutal sectarian attacks in India’s troubled Manipur state. At least 120 people have been killed since May in armed clashes between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the…
According to reports on Monday (31), Anita Sheoran, the gold-medal-winning wrestler at the Commonwealth Games and a witness in a sexual harassment case against the current head of India's wrestling federation, has submitted her candidature for the upcoming elections. Sheoran, aged 38, is the sole female candidate in the running…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi laid bare his blueprint for a third term of his government, saying India will become the third largest economy in the world with a faster growth rate than now. Modi government will complete 10 years in office next May and he is seeking a third…
Actor-politician has blamed the "political game" for hatred between India and Pakistan, saying the people of the two countries have "equal love" for each other. At the trailer launch event of his upcoming film Gadar 2 on Wednesday night, the actor said the people of the two nations don't want…
INDIA'S parliament on Wednesday (26) authorised a no-confidence vote against Narendra Modi's government by an alliance of opposition parties, to force the prime minister to address in detail concerns about ethnic clashes in a northeastern state. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a clear majority of 301 members in the…
INDIA’S principal opposition has outscored prime minister Narendra Modi’s party in terms of the number of wealthy provincial lawmakers, according to a democracy campaign group. A total of 33 members of state legislative assemblies (MLAs) belonging to the Congress are “billionaires” in rupee terms, compared with 24 of the Bharatiya…
INDIAN police have arrested four men accused of parading two women naked in front of a mob in a northeastern state where months of ethnic violence have left at least 120 dead. The suspects were identified from a video clip of the incident in early May that went viral on…
MORE than two dozen Indian opposition parties said on Tuesday (18) they had joined hands to form an alliance called "INDIA" to take on prime minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in parliamentary elections next year. Naming the alliance INDIA is seen as an attempt by the opposition…
NINE months before a general election, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have dusted off a potentially divisive plan to enact a common set of personal laws for all, irrespective of religion. Currently, India's Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and large tribal populations follow their own personal…
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…
A vegetable vendor in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi was taken into custody after a man deployed two bouncers on Sunday (09) at his shop, to prevent buyers from getting aggressive over high tomato prices. The shopkeeper, Raj Narayan, has been arrested and Ajay Fauji, a Samajwadi Party (SP) worker who organised…
VOTING in local polls in India's West Bengal state resumed on Monday (10) at hundreds of election centres after being disrupted by violence that left 10 people dead, officials said. The state election commission reported seven people were killed last Saturday (8) in election-related violence and another three died "in…
A SENIOR US diplomat will travel to India in the coming days and engage with its civil society over free speech and marginalisation of minorities. It comes after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's recent US visit when he denied that abuse of religious minorities existed in his country. Uzra Zeya,…
A HIGH COURT in western India rejected an appeal by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (7) to suspend his conviction in a defamation case. The court decision quashes for now his hope of returning to parliament and contesting national elections due next year. Gandhi can now take his appeal…
INDIAN Police on Wednesday (5) arrested a man accused of urinating on a tribal youth in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district, an official said. On Tuesday (4), an official from the state chief minister’s Office said a case was registered against the accused, identified as Pravesh Shukla, under Indian Penal Code…
The Consulate of India in San Francisco experienced an attack perpetrated by Khalistan supporters, who attempted to set ablaze the diplomatic facility. This marked the second occurrence of such violence within a few months, eliciting a firm rebuke from the US government, which categorised it as a "criminal offense." A…
Indian women wrestlers and their families, aghast at accusations of sexual harassment by a top sports administrator, are pressing for reforms, ranging from guardians accompanying contestants to demands for more women officials in senior ranks of the sport. A trial court admitted this month a case of sexual harassment and…
A WEEKEND article in the Financial Times set out to explain “How India is slowly moving into the American orbit.” The reality is that India is not moving into the American orbit nor America into India’s, but for some decades now the two countries have been drawing closer together. One…
FORMER US president Barack Obama has faced criticism from leaders of India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for his remarks concerning Muslims in India. Obama expressed concerns that India may "start pulling apart" if the rights of minorities were not safeguarded. He made these comments while addressing a question on…
Director Sudipto Sen and producer Vipul Shah, the duo behind The Kerala Story, on Monday announced their next project Bastar. According to the makers, Bastar, based on a "true incident", will hit the screens on April 5, 2024. Shah's Sunshine Pictures, the banner behind the upcoming movie, shared the announcement…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi met with US and Indian technology executives in Washington on Friday (23), the final day of a state visit where he agreed new defence and technology cooperation and addressed challenges posed by China. US president Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for Modi on…
OLYMPIC medallist Sakshi Malik last Saturday (18) said the wrestler, a minor who had accused outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Singh of sexual harassment had changed her statement because “her family was threatened”. Delhi police charged the country’s wrestling federation…
The Ramayana is not for entertainment and filmmakers should avoid coming up with new iterations every few years, says actor Dipika Chikhlia, who became famous for her role as Goddess Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan 36 years ago. Wading into the controversy over Adipurush, the film directed by Om Raut…
Veteran theatre director-actor Aamir Raza Husain, known for his larger-than-life outdoor stage productions, died in New Delhi at the age of 66. Husain was suffering from a heart-related ailment and passed away on Saturday, his son said. "He was hospitalised for two days and had undergone heart surgery, but wasn't…
Rahul Gandhi, a leading figure in India's opposition and a member of the Congress Party, openly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dominance over Indian society during a speech at the National Press Club in Washington on Thursday (01). Gandhi remains optimistic about the opposition's prospects in the forthcoming 2024 elections…
Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah, who can be currently seen playing the character of Mughal emperor Akbar in ZEE5’s historical drama Taj: Divided By Blood and its sequel Taj: Reign of Revenge, has commented on the rising trend of “Muslim hating” in current times, saying hate against the Muslims is…
The Hindi film industry was never the one to roll up its sleeves and tackle issues head-on, says veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, asking whether anyone will make a movie on the protesting wrestlers in the national capital. The 72-year-old actor, a vocal critic of the BJP-led central government and someone…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's new parliament building on Sunday (28), a modern complex which is part of his Hindu nationalist government's grand plan to give a makeover to the British colonial-era architecture in the nation's capital. The inauguration, and the ongoing revamp of the heart of New Delhi…
In a peculiar incident, a government official decided to drain a dam of water after losing his expensive smartphone while attempting to take a selfie at the Kherkatta Dam in Chhattisgarh, central India. Rajesh Vishwas, a food officer, dropped his Samsung S23 phone, worth (Rs 96,000) or (£ 941,44) into…
Indian politician Rahul Gandhi will visit the US in the first week of June and address Indian-Americans on June 4 in New York, sources in the Indian Overseas Congress said Tuesday (16). Gandhi, the former chief of Indian National Congress, is also likely to visit Washington DC and Los Angeles…
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (13) thanked the people of Karnataka on party’s expected victory and said that “market of hate has been shut and shops of love have opened”. He also said that the power of crony capitalism has been defeated by the power of poor people. Speaking…
Authorities in an Indian state want to ban polygamy as part of a bid by the Hindu-nationalist central government to standardise the civil code across the country. Polygamy, the practice of having more than one spouse, is illegal under the Indian Penal Code but Muslim men are allowed to have…
India's main opposition Congress party was set to win elections on Saturday (13) in the southern state of Karnataka defeating the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), TV channels said, a big boost ahead of national elections due next year. The election is the first of five crucial state polls this…
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trailing the main opposition Congress party in elections held on Wednesday (10) in the southern state of Karnataka, but neither seemed set for a clear win, TV exit polls showed. The election in Karnataka, where BJP led the outgoing government, is the first…
Thousands of people who fled deadly rioting and ethnic clashes in northeast India last week were returning home, escorted by security personnel, officials said on Monday (8). Fierce fighting broke out in the state of Manipur bordering Myanmar when members of about 30 tribal groups clashed with a non-tribal group, the ethnic majority Meitei, over the…
A NEW film has sparked a row in India, with students, opposition parties and youth organisations, among others, calling for a stay on it being released. The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, is scheduled to hit the screens on Friday (5) across the country. Produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah,…
Indian cricket star Virat Kohli was fined on Tuesday (2) for the second time in this IPL season after a post-match altercation with former national team-mate Gautam Gambhir. Both were docked their entire match fee, the Indian Premier League said, while Naveen-ul-Haq was fined 50 per cent of his for…
A US government panel renewed calls on Monday (1) to blacklist India over religious freedom, saying that treatment of minorities has continued to worsen under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom offers recommendations but does not set policy and there is little expectation that the…
Delhi Police have booked Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment levelled by seven women wrestlers. Two First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed hours after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi Police, told the Supreme Court that a case would be…
The wrestlers protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment, have found support in Indian film personalities such as Swara Bhasker, Pooja Bhatt, and Onir, who said it was "shameful" to see the athletes struggle for justice. Several national award-winning wrestlers…
An Indian court on Thursday (20) acquitted 69 Hindus, including a former minister from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of the murder of 11 Muslims during communal riots in the western state of Gujarat in 2002. The killings occurred in Ahmedabad on Feb. 28, 2002, a day after a…
A court in Gujarat on Thursday (20) dismissed the plea of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to halt his conviction in a defamation case, causing doubts about his eligibility to run for an upcoming election next year. Last month, Gandhi was found guilty in a case filed by a lawmaker from…
The Surat Sessions Court began hearing on Thursday (13) on a plea made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking a stay on his two-year jail sentence in a defamation case related to his "Modi surname" remark. BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, who filed the complaint, has opposed Gandhi's plea in court,…
India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar has called on Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and discussed possible cooperation in the areas of trade, infrastructure, energy and defence. Jaishankar, who arrived in Uganda on Monday (10), met Museveni at his farm in Rwakitura and conveyed to him the personal greetings of prime…
India's fragmented opposition is setting aside differences to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time in years, potentially posing a significant threat to his dominance in the 2024 national elections - if they can maintain their unity. In response to Rahul Gandhi's conviction, 14 political parties have come…
Humza Yousaf on Monday (27) became the first Muslim to be elected as a national leader in any western democracy, five months after Sunak walked into Downing Street as the UK’s first Asian and Hindu prime minister. A prominent Asian parliamentarian told Eastern Eye on Tuesday (28) that both appointments…
Sushma Swaraj's daughter, Bansuri Swaraj, has been appointed co-convener of Delhi BJP's legal cell, marking her entry into active politics. She practices law in the Supreme Court. The appointment was made by Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, his first in the state unit after taking over as full-time president. Sachdeva…
India’s Surat court which on Thursday (23) sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to a two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case noted that the seriousness of his crime increased because a speech delivered by a member of parliament has a "very wide impact on the public." Convicting Gandhi under…
The opposition leader in India, Rahul Gandhi, has been handed a two-year prison sentence in a criminal defamation case. The conviction comes as a result of comments made during an election rally in 2019, in which Gandhi referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname. Although he has been granted bail…
According to an opinion piece in the highly-regarded Wall Street Journal, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the most critical foreign political party for American national interests and the "linchpin" of the US strategy in the Indo-Pacific, given China's escalating assertiveness in the region. The article, written by prominent American…
Actor-politician Kirron Kher has tested positive for coronavirus. The 70-year-old veteran shared the news in a post on Twitter on Monday evening and urged all those who came in contact with her to get tested. "I have tested positive for Covid. So anyone who has come in contact with me…
The Indian Parliament witnessed uproarious scenes on Monday (20) as the members and allies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party demanded apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the remarks he made 'against Indian democracy' during his recent visit to the United Kingdom. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said only…
Shashi Tharoor, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, on Friday (17), defended Rahul Gandhi's controversial remarks made during his recent trip to the UK. Tharoor stated that Gandhi did not call for foreign intervention in India's democracy, and his comments were not anti-national. The controversy surrounding Gandhi's remarks…
A man who pretended to be a senior official from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office has been arrested by the police, The BBC reported on Friday (17). Kiran Patel was apprehended by security officials during his visit to the Kashmir valley on March (02) and was charged with cheating, impersonation,…
Indian MP Varun Gandhi, a member of prime minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has reportedly turned down an invitation by the Oxford Union to speak at a debate on “whether India is on the right path” under Modi. Varun is the grandson of the late former Indian…
The ideological parent of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has backed the government's stance against same-sex marriage recognition, months after raising hopes with supportive comments on gay rights. The BJP government of prime minister Narendra Modi has opposed same-sex marriage and has urged the Supreme Court to reject challenges…
Gina Raimondo, the US Secretary of Commerce who is on an official visit to India, attended the Holi celebration at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's residence on Wednesday (08). Speaking to ANI, Raimondo expressed her delight in participating in the Holi celebration with the people and said, "It's an honour for…
INDIA’S Congress MP Rahul Gandhi told British parliamentarians that functioning microphones in his country’s Parliament are often “silenced” to quieten the opposition. During an event organised by veteran Indian-origin Labour MP Virendra Sharma in the Grand Committee Room within the House of Commons complex in London on Monday (6), Gandhi…
RAHUL GANDHI, the former president of India’s opposition Congress, said he is not afraid of criticism and asserted the fight in his country is between “courage and cowardice”.During his interaction with the Indian diaspora, organised by the Indian Overseas Congress in London on Sunday (6), he said of the governing…
INDIA'S opposition Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has alleged the structures of the country’s democracy are under "brutal attack" and there is a full-scale assault on its institutions. Gandhi, who is in London as part of a UK tour, told reporters on Saturday (4) that there are conversations ongoing within the…
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…
Filmmaker S S Rajamouli's "Baahubali" films and "RRR" have been blockbuster hits, but the director, who has often been accused of pandering to the majoritarian view, says he distances himself from "either Hindu or pseudo-liberal propaganda". In an interview with the US publication The New Yorker, the filmmaker took on…
The Income Tax department's 'survey' at the BBC office here continued for the third straight day on Thursday (16) as officials gathered financial data from select staffers and made copies of electronic and paper data of the news organisation. The operation that began at the BBC offices in Delhi and…
Reacting to home minister Amit Shah's statement on the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir, JKNC MP Farooq Abdullah said that they (the government) will give a truncated statehood after elections. Union home Minister Amit Shah said that the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will come up…
The UK is “closely monitoring” the situation following the Income Tax surveys at the BBC offices in India, British government sources said. The Income Tax department conducted survey operations at the BBC’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai on Tuesday with the officials describing the action as part of an investigation…
Global media watchdogs and human rights bodies on Tuesday criticised the Indian government's income tax survey operations at the BBC's offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, saying the action "smacks of intimidation" and was a "blatant affront" to freedom of expression. The Income Tax officials described the action as part…
Any media organisation functioning in India will have to follow the rules and regulations of the country, the BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said on Tuesday, amid the ongoing 'survey' operations on BBC offices by the IT department. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Bhatia said, "Income Tax department lawfully…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party has "nothing to hide or be afraid of" on the controversy over the Adani group, the home minister said on Tuesday, responding to opposition allegations of favouring the conglomerate attacked by a U.S. short seller. Led by billionaire Gautam Adani, the business house's seven…
Indian tax officers searched the BBC's bureaus in New Delhi and Mumbai on Tuesday, the British broadcaster said, weeks after the government came down hard against a BBC documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. The documentary focused on the Hindu nationalist politician's leadership…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s enormous popularity remains intact despite the biggest political attack on him in years as rivals accuse his government of giving undue favours to the Adani Group, approval ratings showed on Friday. Opposition parties stalled parliament for three days since last week and staged street protests…
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday linked the massive rise in the business fortunes and personal wealth of businessman Gautam Adani to the Modi government coming to power in 2014, as he launched a sharp attack on the BJP dispensation over the Adani issue. His charges in Lok Sabha, the…
In a recent interview, well-known filmmaker Anurag Kashyap opened up about the general perception that he has issues with the ruling Indian party, BJP. “People think I only have an issue with BJP, but that is not the case. When Congress was in power, I was fighting Congress, and now…
The Biden administration is in talks with Indian officials over a possible White House visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year, according to a U.S. official aware of the discussions and another person briefed on the matter. U.S. President Joe Biden is eager to deepen ties with the…
India's rising tide of Hindu nationalism is an affront to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, his great-grandson says, ahead of the 75th anniversary of the revered independence hero's assassination. Gandhi was shot dead at a multi-faith prayer meeting on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a religious zealot angered by…
Congress leader Anil K Antony, the son of former Defence Minister A K Anthony on Wednesday (25) announced his resignation from the party, a day after he criticised the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "This is my personal decision and I do think this is the best course…
Superstar Akshay Kumar on Sunday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for asking BJP workers to refrain from making unnecessary remarks on films. In his address to the BJP national executive meeting on Tuesday, PM Modi suggested party workers refrain from making unnecessary remarks on irrelevant issues such as movies, saying…
The BBC on Friday (20) defended its controversial series on prime minister Narendra Modi as a “rigorously researched” documentary that sought to highlight important issues, a day after the Indian government condemned the programme as a “propaganda piece” lacking objectivity. “The documentary was rigorously researched according to the highest editorial…
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's advice to his party workers to stop commenting on movies comes late as the "mob is out of control now". According to party sources, in his address at the BJP national executive on Monday, PM Modi had suggested party workers…
The Congress Thursday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should break his "silence" on the sexual exploitation allegations against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and asked why resignations of those involved have not come in till now. The opposition party's attack came after…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told Bharatiya Janata Party workers and leaders to refrain from making unnecessary comments on movies. His stern message comes amid controversies around Bollywood films that have been facing strong opposition from some BJP leaders for some time for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments. The…
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday pitched his state as a safe investment destination and also interacted with prominent Bollywood personalities during his visit to Mumbai, where Maharashtra's Opposition parties targeted him over his roadshow. Adityanath assured industrialists of a strong law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh,…
The controversy around Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s highly anticipated film Pathaan refuses to die down. The film has been at the center of controversy ever since the makers dropped its first song “Besharam Rang” a couple of weeks ago. Several right-wing outfits and a few members of the…
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and leaders cutting across the political spectrum on Friday condoled the death of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Hiraben, recalling her simple and compassionate life that was an inspiration for all. Hiraben, Hiraba to many, passed away at an Ahmedabad hospital on Friday…
A seer from Ayodhya has threatened to "burn Shah Rukh Khan alive," in the wake of the controversy triggered by the recently released "Besharam Rang" song, a dance sequence from the superstar's upcoming movie "Pathan" which features Deepika Padukone and Khan. Talking to reporters here on December 19, Jagadguru Paramhans…
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday (17) said he is in the business of entertainment and not predictions as he fielded queries about the success of his controversy-plagued movie "Pathaan", amid calls for its boycott from right-wing groups. The 57-year-old actor hosted an impromptu Twitter session, where he answered…
Former BJP minister Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya on Friday waded into the row over the song 'Besharam Rang' featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone from their upcoming film 'Pathaan'. Speaking to ANI, Jaibhan Singh said, "I support the statement of the Madhya Pradesh government and the seers of Ayodhya that…
The BJP on Friday slammed Pakistan’s Bilawal Bhutto for his objectionable comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the foreign affairs minister of the neighbouring country represents a “morally, intellectually and financially bankrupt” nation which has no credibility due to its support to terrorism. Union minister Anurag Thakur said Bhutto’s…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (14) hailed BAPS leader Pramukh Swami Maharaj as a reformer who devoted his life to selfless service of others and recalled his long association with the late saint, who he said, treated him like a son. Recalling his conversation with Pramukh Swami Maharaj when…
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…
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shazia Ilmi has come out with a strong reaction to the remarks made by Shahi Imam of Ahmedabad's Jama Masjid, Shabbir Ahmed Siddiqui where he objected to giving election tickets to Muslim women and added that this is "weakening" Islam, stoking a fresh controversy. Sharply…
A jewel-encrusted crown kept in the Jewel House of the Tower of London has been removed to be re-sized ahead of King Charles III’s coronation next year. The St. Edward’s Crown, described as the “historic centrepiece” of the country’s Crown Jewels, has been removed from the world-famous tower to allow…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat began voting on Thursday with his party expected to win a seventh straight term, but any unexpected slip could herald a tighter contest in national polls due by 2024. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not lost in the western industrial…
Offering a "total apology" if his remarks on "The Kashmir Files" had been misinterpreted, Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid has said his aim was not to insult the Kashmiri Pandit community or those who had suffered. Lapid, who was the international jury chair at the recent International Film Festival of India…
His hands outstretched, Maganbhai Solanki holds up his moustache and says proudly that it measures almost five feet tip to tip – the carefully tended feature the Independent candidate’s calling card and also a campaign point. The 57-year-old contestant from Himatnagar seat in Sabarkantha district in India's north-western state of…
A day after Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid termed his film a "propaganda", "The Kashmir Files" director Vivek Agnihotri in a cryptic social media post said truth is the most dangerous thing as it can make people lie. Agnihotri's reaction comes after veteran actor Anupam Kher, who starred in "The Kashmir…
Bollywood actor Richa Chadha has issued an apology statement through a tweet after being slammed on social media for posting a tweet on the 2020 Galwan clash, in which several Indian Army soldiers died. Taking to Twitter, Richa wrote, "Even though it can never be my intention in the least,…
Amid uproar over an invitation to fugitive Zakir Naik to take part in the FIFA World Cup in Doha, it is learnt that Qatar has told India through diplomatic channels that Naik was not invited. Earlier Union Minister Hardeep Puri said, "India would convey its views on the matter in…
Following the invitation to controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik by Qatar to FIFA World Cup, India ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Savio Rodrigues on Tuesday appealed to the government, Indian Football Associations and Indians travelling to the host nation to boycott the sporting event. Zakir Naik, who is an…
Issuing his first response on Indian fugitive Zakir Naik's presence at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday (22) said India will raise this issue and decisive action will be taken as well. Puri's remarks came as Zakir Naik has…
Twelve family members of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Rajkot Mohanbhai Kundariya died in the suspension bridge collapse incident in Gujarat’s Morbi on Sunday. The personal assistant of the BJP MP told ANI that 12 members of the family of Kundaria’s sister died in the Morbi bridge collapse incident.…
Over 60 people have lost their lives so far after a cable bridge collapsed on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi on Sunday, state Minister Brijesh Merja said. Hundreds of people fell into a river when a cable bridge in Gujarat's Morbi collapsed with several critically injured, officials said. Ambulances…
Several British Indian organisations have collectively urged prime minister Liz Truss to ensure security for the Hindu community which is “living in a state of fear” following the recent violence in the country. Some 180 entities, including the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Sanstha UK, said the Hindus “feel like a community…
The Conservatives bagged a decisive victory in a Leicester council by-election on Thursday (13) as they snatched a seat from the Labour, who were pushed to the third spot in a place which was hit by the recent civil unrest. Sanjay Modhwadia won the North Evington seat for the Tories…
A lawmaker in western Indian state of Goa has warned that the tourist hotspot will face a loss of Rs 500 crore (£55m) if visa conditions to UK tourists are not relaxed. Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and legislator Vijai Sardesai has urged the BJP government at the centre and…
National award-winning Tamil director Vetrimaaran has sparked controversy by claiming that Raja Raja Cholan wasn't a Hindu king. Now, Kamal Haasan has backed the director's statement which has opened floodgates for controversial debates regarding the king's identity. It all started at an event Vetrimaaran attended where he raised a few…
After BJP spokesperson Malavika Avinash slammed Adipurush director Om Raut for "misrepresentation" of Ramayana, the Madhya Pradesh Home Minister issued a statement echoing similar sentiments. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra slammed the filmmaker and expressed his objection to the portrayal of the Hindu religion in the film. He also…
An Indian state has launched a campaign to Indianise the greeting on the telephone. The Maharashtra government passed a resolution that appealed to its employees to say ‘Vande Mataram’ instead of ‘hello’ while receiving official or personal phone calls.However, the government clarified that it was not mandatory to use the…
A film crew entered the premises of Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Punjab province of Pakistan while wearing shoes and shot a movie without permission that has outraged the Sikh community in the country, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed, sharing a video of the incident. "Blasphemous actions continue…
THE 1990s were a time of hope in India. One of my jobs at the Daily Telegraph was to travel regularly to India and do surveys of the Indian economy. While I would do the journalistic interviews, an accompanying colleague from advertising would try to persuade captains of industry to…
I AM old enough to remember the day of independence in 1947. I was young and excited, though barely able to understand what it meant. On the night of August 14, in the words of India’s first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (‘as the world slept’), I failed to stay…
A COALITION, comprising prime minister Narendra Modi's party has lost power in Bihar, the third most populous state in India after its partner pulled out on Tuesday (9). Bihar sends the fourth most number of elected lawmakers to parliament and is considered politically very important in the Hindi-speaking belt of…
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the BJP on Wednesday over the showering of flower petals on Kanwariyas in Uttar Pradesh, saying this warmth is not for Muslims, whose houses are bulldozed. Talking to reporters in the Parliament complex, the Hyderabad MP said all communities should be treated equally.…
THE Supreme Court on Tuesday (19) granted protection to suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma from arrest in multiple FIRs. The SC was hearing a plea moved by her seeking a stay on her possible arrest and clubbing nine cases filed against her across India in alleged hate…
The BJP on Saturday alleged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi was the "driving force" behind the "conspiracy" to implicate then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 riots case in the state. In a press conference, party spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that the late Ahmed Patel, who was Gandhi's…
After his derogatory remarks on Hindu gods and beliefs, the son of Ajmer Sharif Dargah Khadim Sayed Sarwar Chishti's son, Syed Aadil Chishti, issued an apology stating that he didn't intend to hurt anyone's religious belief or sentiments. In a video, Syed Aadil Chishti is seen apologising for his remarks…
BRITISH Sikh MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, best known as Tan Dhesi, has met US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in London. Last week, Tan Dhesi shared a picture of their meeting on Twitter. "When first hijab wearing woman elected to US Congress @IlhanMN meets first ever turbaned Sikh elected to any European…
Opposition parties slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday over the unveiling of a cast of the national emblem atop the new Parliament building, hurling a slew of accusations ranging from the absence of opposition leaders, conducting a religious ceremony on Parliament premises and "subverting" the principle of constitutional separation…
Amid the ongoing Kaali poster row in the country, filmmaker Leena Manimekalai struck another stir as she referred to Goddess Kali as 'queer' and called her a free spirit who spits on patriarchy. Taking on a micro-blogging site she wrote that Kali dismantles Hindutva. "My Kaali is queer. She is…
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announced that the religious conversion of Hindus in the state stopped within 100 days of his government assuming office. A program was held today at Panaji in Goa on 100 Days of Action wherein Sawant released a booklet on the works done by…
India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been left with no Muslim parliamentarians following the exit of union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. His resignation followed the expiry of his term as a member of the Rajya Sabha or the Upper House of Parliament. Naqvi, who headed…
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday stirred a controversy by saying that she has every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess, as every person has the right to worship God and goddess in his or her own way. While the BJP…
The British Parliament has awarded the ‘Indian of the World’ award to Amruta Fadnavis, the wife of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Amruta’s visit to the UK coincided with the culmination of the political upheaval in Maharashtra – with Eknath Shinde becoming the chief minister and her husband Devendra…
The gruesome murder of a Hindu shopkeeper, Kanhaiya Lal, by two men in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district on Tuesday sent a shockwave across India. If reports are to be believed, the shopkeeper was beheaded over a social media post that he had shared in support of BJP leader Nupur Sharma, who…
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received 94,281 applications under the Agnipath recruitment scheme within four days of the registration process getting underway on Friday. After the scheme was unveiled on June 14, violent protests against it rocked several states for nearly a week and several opposition parties have been…
There was no delay on part of the Gujarat government in requisitioning the Army to deal with post-Godhra 2002 Gujarat riots, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said and noted that former Punjab DGP KPS Gill had termed the state government's action as "prompt and neutral". He also attacked Congress over…
NDA's Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu was seen sweeping the floor at Shiv temple in Rairangpur, Odisha before offering prayers on Wednesday (22) morning. After NDA announced Murmu as their Presidential candidate, the Centre provided a round-the-clock Z+ category security cover for her. If elected, the 64-year-old leader from Odisha will…
CONTROVERSIES are not new to him but he remains unfazed even when they tend to take the most sinister form. Geert Wilders is never known for mincing words and often they are hard-hitting, so much so that he often ends up receiving life threats. But the Party for Freedom leader…
"No one is Queen Victoria or Prince in this country that they won't be probed, law is equal for all. Everyone is probed for corruption...The public knows about the involvement of a family and Rahul Gandhi's role in misusing the country's money through the National Herald scam. It is natural…
FORMER Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday (17) alleged that prime minister Narendra Modi does not understand what the people of the country want as he cannot hear anything except the voice of his "friends". He said this a day after the government raised the upper age limit to 23…
The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) in Gujarat on Thursday withdrew its announcement about naming a road in the state capital for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Hiraba Modi Hiraba, who lives with the prime minister's younger brother Pankaj Modi at Raysan village on the outskirts of Gandhinagar, is set to…
China on Monday waded into the furore over the controversial remarks by two now-suspended BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad, expressing the hope that the incident can be properly managed. China, which faces serious allegations of a mass crackdown on Uygur Muslims in the volatile Xinjiang province, said it believes that…
INDIA has always set an example of truth, non-violence and brotherhood before the world and hate and unrest "is not our way", former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said amid reports of violence during protests at various places against controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad. Protests erupted in several parts of the…
Several incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the country over the controversial remarks of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Wading into the ongoing controversy, renowned Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen tweeted if "Prophet Muhammad was alive today, he would have been shocked to see the…
Protests broke out in some states on Friday including outside Delhi's Jama Masjid over the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by two now-suspended BJP functionaries with demonstrators in Jharkhand injuring a few policemen while authorities in Jammu imposed a curfew in a few areas and parts of Kashmir observed a…
Bhartiya Janata Party MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on Friday came out in support of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma saying "if telling the truth is rebellion, then I am also a rebel". Thakur took to Twitter to extend her support to Sharma. He wrote, "If telling the truth is rebellion,…
Veteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah has spoken about the film industry’s silence on the BJP leader’s remarks about Prophet Mohammed. With particular emphasis on the three Khans of Bollywood – Salman, Shah Rukh, and Aamir, Shah said in an interview that the biggest stars in the country have too much…
Iran is satisfied with the efforts made by the Indian government in dealing with those responsible for comments on Prophet Muhammed, the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said.Abdollahian, who is on his first visit to India since he assumed office last year, raised the issue of the controversial…
Central agencies are "seriously" looking into the threat letter sent by terror outfit Al-Qaeda regarding suicide attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat to "fight for the honour of the Prophet", said top agency sources.Alerts have been issued across Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat through law enforcement agencies…
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad made by ousted BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, has not made any impact on the ruling NDA at the Centre as she was not a government functionary and asserted good relations will continue with the Gulf countries that…
AMID the growing backlash that India faced from the Gulf countries over the controversial remarks that a leader of its ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly made on Prophet Muhammad, #BoycottQatarAirways started trending on Twitter on Monday (6) with many people targeting the Gulf country's carrier. There were also people…
THE All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the ouster of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal from the party's primary membership was done to please the leaders of foreign countries. Speaking at the press conference in Hyderabad in Telangana, Owaisi said,…
"Divided internally, India becomes weak externally. BJP's shameful bigotry has not only isolated us, but also damaged India's standing globally," Gandhi wrote on Twitter. His remarks came in the wake of international outrage over controversial remarks made by two BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad, after which they were suspended and…
Pakistan said on Monday that it has summoned the Indian charge d'affaires to convey its categorical rejection and condemnation of the controversial remarks by two BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammed.The Indian diplomat was told that these remarks are totally unacceptable and have not only deeply hurt the sentiments of the…
India on Monday hit out at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its criticism of the country in the wake of the alleged derogatory remarks made against Prophet Mohammed by two BJP functionaries.External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India categorically rejects the OIC Secretariat's "unwarranted and narrow-minded comments"…
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…
The Uttar Pradesh Police Saturday booked 500 people for rioting and violence in Kanpur that left 40 injured, official said, as an uneasy calm prevailed in the affected areas this morning. Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and order) Anand Prakash Tiwari said 18 people have been arrested so far over…
ASSERTING that an era of cultural revival began in India in 2014, when prime minister Narendra Modi led the BJP to power, home minister Amit Shah has said this journey will take the country to heights of glory it enjoyed earlier. In a brief speech after watching Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Samrat…
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the government over the killing of a Hindu woman teacher in Kulgam, saying Kashmiri Pandits are protesting but the BJP is busy celebrating eight years of the Modi government. "In Kashmir, 15 security personnel have been martyred and 18 civilians have been killed…
Former Congress leader Hardik Patel will join the BJP on June 2 in the presence of Gujarat party president C R Paatil, a state party spokesperson said on Tuesday. After Patidar quota agitation leader Patel recently resigned from the Congress, there were speculations that he may join the ruling BJP.…
THE All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has said that "India belongs to Dravidians and Adivasis", and not to him, or Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, NCP head Sharad Pawar and prime minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a rally in Bhiwandi town here in Maharashtra on Saturday (28) evening, the…
INDIA's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (24) questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's meeting with former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. BJP’s Kapil Mishra slammed Gandhi and raised questions over the meaning of the meeting. Earlier, Corbyn was criticised for his ‘anti-semantic’ views and he has been a vocal…
INDIA's Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi has said that democracy in India is a global public good and a central anchor for the planet. "If that cracks, it is going to cause a problem for the planet," Gandhi said at the 'Ideas for India' conference in London on Friday (20).…
INDIA's Supreme Court overturned a local order to ban large Muslim prayer gatherings in a high-profile mosque in north India after a survey team said it found relics of the Hindu god Shiva and other Hindu symbols there. The top court on Tuesday (17) in an interim order stated Muslims'…
INDIA's Supreme Court on Wednesday (11) suspended a colonial-era sedition law that activists say is often used by prime minister Narendra Modi's government to target free speech and dissent. Modi's critics say that the law, which was once used by Britain to target independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, has been abused…
INDIA's prime minister will on Sunday (24) hold his first public event in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir since New Delhi imposed a sweeping security clampdown there more than two years ago. Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government has sought to quell a long-running insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir and…
IN A strong message to China, Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh has said that if harmed, his country “will not spare anyone”.He asserted that India under prime minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a powerful country and is headed to be among the top three economies of the world.Singh, in…
HARDLINE Hindu groups are demanding restrictions on wearing the hijab in classrooms in more Indian states after a court upheld a ban on the traditional Islamic head-scarf in Karnataka state, worrying Muslim students who had protested against the ban. The Karnataka High Court decision on Tuesday (15), backing the southern…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday praised filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files, a film based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s. He said the film is "bringing the truth in its correct form" and history has to be presented in…
AN INDIAN court upheld on Tuesday (15) a ban on wearing the hijab in classrooms in the southern state of Karnataka, a ruling that could set a precedent for the rest of the country which has a big Muslim minority.The ban last month by the state sparked protests by some…
TOP officials of India's ruling Hindu nationalist party and an army of its supporters bombarded voters with disinformation as key states went to the polls, specialists say. The five state votes held over several weeks starting February 10 set the stage for the next general election in 2024, and the…
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…
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…
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party was set for a resounding victory but a reduced majority at elections in the country's most populous state Uttar Pradesh, exit polls forecast Monday. Exit polls are not always reliable in India, but an average of four indicated that the Bharatiya Janata…
A regional Indian party has claimed it will unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in provincial elections in Uttar Pradesh state, the most crucial test for Modi before a general election in two years. The Hindu nationalist BJP has maintained it will retain power in the bellwether…
Prime minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Sunday (27) and asserted that ensuring the safety of Indian students and evacuating them is the government's top priority, official sources said. It was also decided at the meeting to further enhance cooperation with the neighbouring countries…
INDIA's Modi government's plan to redevelop the Gandhi ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, at a cost of £117 million has attracted criticism, according to a media report. Descendants of Gandhi, historians, scholars, Gandhian institutions and lifelong ashram residents have accused the government of attempting to co-opt and politicise Gandhi’s legacy, the…
UN rights experts have called for an end to "misogynistic and sectarian" online attacks against a female Muslim Indian journalist, asking the authorities to investigate the harassment. Rana Ayyub, a fierce critic of prime minister Narendra Modi and the Hindu nationalist government of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been…
AN INDIAN delegation of 17 people led by Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (23). The delegation was accompanied by UAE Federal National Council Member Ayesha Mohammed Al Mulla. “The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is an ideal example of…
AN Indian court sentenced 38 people to death on Friday (18) over a string of bomb blasts in 2008 that killed dozens in the city of Ahmedabad, in one of the country's biggest mass death sentences. Coordinated attacks in western Gujarat state's commercial hub in 2008 killed 56, launching shrapnel…
If ever there was a persona perfectly in tune with his songs, it must be Bappi Lahiri, the man who introduced disco to Hindi films, his young-at-heart, popular music as unmindful of disapproving purists as he may have been of those who raised eyebrows at his gold chains and dark…
A state in southern India re-opened some schools on Monday (14) that had been closed following protests last week over female students not being allowed to wear hijabs, or head-to-toe burqas, in class. The issue, widely seen by India's Muslim minority community as a bid to sideline it by authorities…
Facing a choice between her schooling and her religious beliefs, A.H. Almas says she had no choice at all. The 18-year-old Muslim pupil at the Women's Pre-University College in Udupi in majority-Hindu India has been wearing the Islamic headscarf since she was a child. But in December, authorities banned her…
INDIA's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh began voting on Thursday (10) in the first of a series of local elections that will be a key test of the popularity of prime minister Narendra Modi and his ruling party. With a population almost as big as that of Brazil, keeping…
HINDU hardliner Yogi Adityanath, who is seeking re-election as chief minister of India's most populous state, touted his record on fighting crime and putting law and order above religion and caste in a rare interview with Western media. The 49-year-old monk from prime minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party…
AN arms dealer wanted in India on money laundering and tax evasion charges is pursuing a separate legal battle of his own in France over an alleged unpaid cut from a large Indian defence contract dating back more than 10 years, according to a report.Sanjay Bhandari, 59, has filed a…
UTTAR PRADESH, India's most populous state and a key battleground for prime minister Narendra Modi and opposition groups, will hold elections in seven phases starting from Feb. 10, chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra said on Saturday (8). The outcome of the election in the northern state, currently ruled by Modi's…
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…
INDIAN tax officials have seized nearly £26 million in banknotes stashed in buildings belonging to a perfume tycoon in Uttar Pradesh, The Times reported. The haul recovered from the businessman also included 23kg of gold, 250kg of silver and drums of sandalwood oil worth £750,000. The businessman was identified as…
INDIA has moved to cut off foreign funding to a charity founded by Mother Teresa. The Missionaries of Charity was founded in 1950 by the late Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who devoted most of her life to helping the poor in Kolkata. She won the Nobel Peace Prize and…
HARDLINE Hindu vigilante groups disrupted Christmas mass in parts of India, including in prime minister Narendra Modi's core territory ahead of local elections in the coming months, media reported on Monday (27). The disruption of Christmas celebrations at the weekend and last week included the vandalising of a life-size statue…
THE United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has added Durga Puja, one of India’s major festivals, to its ‘Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ in a first of its kind move in Asia. In a tweet, the world body wrote, “Celebrations of city of joy -…
INDIA'S Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday (13) removed a controversial comprehension passage and the accompanying quotations from the English examination paper of Standard 10 and decided to award full marks for it to the students. The board took the decision following an outrage over it allegedly promoting…
Indian farmers formally ended year-long mass protests on Thursday (9) after prime minister Narendra Modi abandoned his push for agricultural reforms, defusing one of the biggest challenges faced by his government. Thousands of people have been camped on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi since last year to campaign…
British telecommunications giant Vodafone said Friday it had offered to settle a multi-billion-dollar tax dispute with India, after the government scrapped a law that saw it claim huge sums from multinational firms. The legislation, introduced in 2012, allowed New Delhi to claim back taxes from foreign companies that had bought…
NEW research has revealed that British Indians, who, along with most other ethnic minorities, have long been core Labour party voters, are defecting in sizeable numbers, reported The Guardian. The report, based on a recent survey, added that a shift in the diaspora’s voting patterns would be significant in UK.…
INDIA'S parliament voted on Monday (29) to scrap agricultural reform laws that sparked a year of huge protests by farmers, after a surprise U-turn by prime minister Narendra Modi. Thousands of farmers have been camped out on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi since last year - one of…
DOZENS of Sikh devotees from India offered prayers at the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan on Thursday (18) after the visa-free Kartarpur corridor reopened for pilgrims after a gap of 20 months. The more than four-km long Kartarpur corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur, the final resting place…
HINDU hardliners attacked and set fire to the house of a former Indian overseas minister, police mentioned, within the newest incident of spiritual violence that critics say has been infected beneath prime minister Narendra Modi. Salman Khurshid, a Muslim from the primary opposition Congress party, has written a book in…
Four-time National Film Award-winning actor Kangana Ranaut triggered a firestorm on Thursday for declaring that India attained freedom in 2014, when the Modi-led government came to power, and describing the country's Independence in 1947 as alms. The Panga (2020) actor, known for her provocative and often inflammatory statements, was once…
A left-wing Indian opposition party has launched a perfume with what it calls the "fragrance of brotherhood, love and socialism" that will "end hatred". The product was unveiled by the Samajwadi Party in the hopes of wooing voters in elections in early 2022 in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.…
A day after French journal Mediapart made fresh claims that the Rafale manufacturer paid £6.4 million to a middleman between 2007 to 2012, a slugfest broke about between Congress and BJP. Referring to the claims, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (9) asked his party colleagues not to be afraid…
Dozens of people, many from Hindu right-wing groups, were arrested Friday in India for disrupting Muslim prayer gatherings, local media reported, in the latest sign of growing sectarian tensions in the country. Hindu groups have been pressuring authorities for weeks in the northern city of Gurgaon on the outskirts of…
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will meet Pope Francis in Rome for the first time this weekend when he visits for the G20 summit, officials said Thursday, in what could be a thorny encounter. Activists say that religious minorities in Hindu-majority India have faced increased levels of discrimination and violence…
THE government has extended the term of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das by three years till December 2024. Das was appointed the RBI's 25th governor on December 11, 2018, for three years after the abrupt resignation of his predecessor Urjit Patel. An official order said the government…
Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar on Thursday said that he fails to understand how a section of people took offence over the name of clothing brand FabIndia’s latest collection 'Jashn-e-Riwaaz' as the Urdu phrase simply meant “a celebration of tradition”. The brand was accused of “defacing” the Hindu festival…
Bajrang Dal activists went on a rampage on the sets of award-winning filmmaker Prakash Jha’s streaming show Ashram 3, in Bhopal on Sunday. They threw ink on Jha and vandalised the sets of his upcoming series, police said. Reportedly, the members of the right-wing group stated that Ashram, starring Bobby…
VETERAN actor Arvind Trivedi, known for his performance as Raavan in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, passed away on Tuesday (5) due to a heart attack. Kaustubh Trivedi, the actor’s nephew, said, "He had a lot of age-related health issues and was not keeping well. He was in the hospital earlier and…
FARMERS in India have vowed to intensify their months-long protest against laws aimed at liberalising agriculture as tension flared a day after eight people were killed in clashes between growers and ruling party supporters. Four of the eight were killed when a car linked to a senior ruling party official…
RULING BJP on Tuesday (5) registered a landslide victory in Gujarat's Gandhinagar municipal corporation (GMC) elections by winning 41 seats out of 44. Following the victory of the party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude towards the people saying that it has reaffirmed the deep-rooted bond between the people of Gujarat…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates his 71st birthday on Friday (17). Many Bollywood celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Abhishek Bachchan, and others took social media to wish the Prime Minister of India. Akshay Kumar tweeted, “आप ने मुझे हमेशा बहुत अपनेपन से हौसला और आशीर्वाद दिया है। मैं आप…
AS Bhupendra Patel took charge as the chief minister of Gujarat from Vijay Rupani, there was speculation as to what led to the change of guard in the western Indian state. The perceived “mismanagement” of Covid-19 by the Rupani government and his differences with other leaders of the ruling Bharatiya…
THE BJP legislature party meeting in Gandhinagar on Sunday (12) elected Bhupendra Patel,59, as the new chief minister of India's Gujarat. Here are the details about the senior leader who became the chief minister in one of the key states in India A first-time MLA and member of the Patidar…
SENIOR BJP leader Bhupendra Patel will become the next chief minister of Gujarat. He will succeed Vijay Rupani who resigned on Saturday (11) in a surprise move. Patel along with Rupani and state BJP president CR Paatil handed over the government formation claim to governor Acharya Devvrat on Sunday evening.…
VIJAY Rupani resigned as the chief minister of India’s state of Gujarat on Saturday (11), more than a year before the state goes to the polls. Elections are due in December 2022 to elect 182 members of the Gujarat assembly where prime minister Narendra Modi’s party BJP has been in…
THE author of a new book on Narendra Modi has warned that India's transformation to an “ethnic democracy”, in which religious minorities are relegated to second class citizenship, may reach the “point of no return”. Christophe Jaffrelot, a Frenchman who is professor of politics and sociology at King’s college London, has…
A BRITISH Sikh MP is among those who have criticised the revamp of the Jallianwala Bagh memorial in India. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, as it is known in India, saw British troops fire on thousands of unarmed men, women and children in the northern city of Amritsar on the afternoon…
Vilified by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's party for its high COVID-19 cases, Kerala's apparent poor record may actually hold crucial lessons for the country in containing the outbreak as authorities brace for a possible third wave of infections. The opposition-ruled, densely populated southern state is currently reporting the most…
INDIA'S national security challenges are increasing and becoming “complex” in view of the changing geopolitical situation across the globe, the country's defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (19) said and pitched for a strong, capable and completely “self-reliant” domestic defence industry. Singh said this amid growing concerns in India and…
ONE of the founders of the UK-based Overseas Friends of the BJP, Lalubhai (Dhirubhai) Parekh, passed away on Monday (26). Parekh was also a leader of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and a former president of the National Congress of Gujarati Organizations and a trustee. A native of Rajkot, Gujarat,…
PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi, Indian home minister Amit Shah, minority minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan and chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan were among those who condoled the demise of former head of Sivagiri Mutt, Swami Prakashananda. One of the oldest spiritual leaders of the southern state of…
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…
UK prime minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Keir Starmer clashed in the House of Commons over a controversial by-election leaflet, which had been branded “divisive” and “anti-India” by Indian diaspora groups in Britain. During a heated debate over the issue of racism at the prime minister’s Questions (PMQs) session…
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas is undoubtedly one of the best films made in Bollywood. The movie starred Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles. On Monday, Devdas completed 19 years of its release. So, Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit revisited the film by…
Recruitment ad for India-based journalist sparks anger and support in equal measure THE New York Times, one of the world’s most influential newspapers whose motto since 1896 has been to publish “all the news that’s fit to print”, itself made headlines last week when it was accused of being biased…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi effected a major cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday (7) whereby some prominent names were brought into the government at the expense of some big names. Former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane and heavyweight leader from the central Indian state of…
ALL eyes were set on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (7) over an impending cabinet reshuffle in his government. This will be the first reshuffle since Modi took oath as the prime minister for the second time in 2019 and the final decision was expected to come around…
PRIME minister Narendra Modi is likely to make the first cabinet reshuffle in his second term in office soon and the exercise could see the induction of more ministers, sources said on Monday (5). According to the sources, the central cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place keeping in mind…
MOST Indians consider themselves and the country to be religiously tolerant but are against interfaith marriage, a survey conducted by Pew Research Center revealed. The survey report is based on a face-to-face survey of 29,999 Indian adults fielded between late 2019 and early 2020. It covered nearly all Indian states…
MORE THAN a dozen ground and mid-level members of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have said that they are disillusioned with the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated the country. Besides, six state lawmakers in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, have written letters criticising the…
AN INVESTIGATION has been launched in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand following media reports that private labs faked Covid-19 tests. Private labs were hired by the Uttarakhand government to screen visitors for the virus ahead of the Kumbh mela Hindu festival. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Uttarakhand…
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…
RASHTRIYA Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary on Sunday (13) said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) alleged “apathy” towards protesting farmers will make it pay in next year’s key Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. He said "artificial" issues like love jihad and cow terror will not save the saffron…
THE Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has recently joined hands with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections and both parties described the move as “historic”. This is not the first time that the two outfits have come together to fight an election. In the 1996 Lok…
WITH problems multiplying for India’s century-old Congress party, senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal has said that the party must bring widespread reforms across all levels of its organisation to prove that it is still a viable political alternative to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sibal has…
THEY both are promising economies and with mammoth populations on either side of the border, these two neighbours can aspire to be world beaters in decades to come. But in reality, India and China have been more at odds than in unity. From border to political to geostrategic, the two…
Indian-Americans, who constitute the second-largest immigrant group in the US, regularly encounter discrimination and polarisation, according to a survey released on Wednesday. The report, Social Realities of Indian Americans: Results from the 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey draws on the Indian-American Attitudes Survey (IAAS) - a collaboration between the Carnegie…
Veteran actress and BJP MP, Kirron Kher, is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. In April, her husband Anupam Kher had informed everyone about her illness. Recently, Kirron Kher’s son, Sikander Kher, was doing an Insta live, and the former made an appearance to say thank you to her fans for…
by LAUREN CODLING AN AUTHOR has reflected upon her eight-year journey across India’s disputed land borders, meeting individuals affected by the divisions. Described as the “first true people’s history of modern India”, Midnight’s Borders explores the untold stories of those affected by the country’s many contested borders. From Pakistan to…
INDIA's official tally of daily infections of coronavirus fell to the lowest in nearly six weeks in the past 24 hours, offering hope that a devastating second wave is ebbing, but government leaders said shortages of vaccines were a big concern. Barely three per cent of the country's 1.3 billion…
Indian police said on Monday they visited a Twitter office to serve notice to its country managing director about an investigation into the social media giant's tagging of a post by a ruling party spokesman as "manipulated media". Leaders of prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party last week shared…
INDIAN villagers are rejecting Covid-19 vaccine amid rumours of infertility and heart attacks. They are shunning the coronavirus vaccine because of the growing belief that it is deadly or will prevent them from having children, reported The Times. These fears reflect the slow pace of the country's vaccination campaign as…
As the deadly second wave of Covid-19 grips the western state of Gujarat, the obituary columns of local newspapers in the state are becoming longer with each passing day. The Saurashtra Bhaskars daily's Bhavnagar edition on Thursday (6) set aside eight of its 16 pages for obituary notices. The burgeoning…
By Amit Roy INDIA has just held assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the union territory of Pondicherry. But the key battleground was West Bengal, where the prime minister Narendra Modi and his home minister, Amit Shah, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were determined to topple…
By Rithika Siddhartha INDIA’S coronavirus caseload topped 20 million on Tuesday (4) with some cities expected to reach the peak of the second wave in the next few days. More than 350,000 new cases were reported in India on Tuesday, a fall from the high of 402,000 last week as…
India prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party suffered a setback on Sunday (2) when it lost a fiercely contested state poll. Over the past month India held its biggest democratic exercise in two years, with 175 million people eligible to vote in five regional elections. But the marathon polls…
THE Prince of Wales has urged people to back his charity drive to help India as the country’s health system buckles with record Covid-19 infections. The British Asian Trust, which Prince Charles founded in 2007, has launched an Oxygen for India emergency appeal to raise funds for oxygen concentrators. Together…
The Indian High Commission in London on Saturday (24) issued an open appeal through social media for help to meet the rising demand for oxygen and medical supplies in India's devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It listed the required items as refillable oxygen cylinders, concentrators and the drug…
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,…
One of the things you can do as a professional web designer is to learn about different file formats for documents so you can easily create documents on the web that are search engine friendly. Search engines work very well with PDF documents because this is one of the most…
After last year’s exposé, we challenge the judiciary to prove it is not institutionally racist By Barnie Choudhury The judiciary is 20 years behind the Met Police in accepting it is institutionally racist. That is the damning accusation from named and anonymous south Asian, black and white judges. In a…
Two people died as the second phase of voting in a violence-marred Indian state election kicked off on Thursday, officials said, with crowds of opponents clashing on the streets despite a ban on large gatherings. Prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party and the firebrand leader of West…
A senior Mumbai police officer filed a complaint in the Supreme Court on Monday (22) accusing a state government minister of corruption, the latest development in a bizarre case that has transfixed the media for weeks. Param Bir Singh, the former head of police in Mumbai, filed a petition seeking…
RAM Swaroop Sharma, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, was found dead in his official residence in New Delhi on Wednesday (17), police said. His body was found hanging from his room's ceiling fan after the police broke open the door after getting a call from…
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly kept his cards close to his chest amid mounting speculation that he might take the political plunge ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, saying he will see "where it goes" amid the "opportunities" coming his way. Ganguly, who is still resting at his Kolkata residence…
A crowd of up to 800,000 turned out for a state election rally by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (8), as he sought to unseat one of his fiercest critics in a campaign hit by violence. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been seeking to expand its power…
Twitter said on Wednesday (10) it had blocked some accounts in India over comments on mass farmers' protests in New Delhi, but the social media giant refused to shut down others despite the threat of criminal action by the government. Indian officials last week demanded that Twitter block hundreds of…
India's top court on Friday granted interim bail to a stand-up comedian who was jailed for more than a month over allegations of insulting Hindu deities during a show, court officials said. The comedian, Munawar Faruqui, 30, was arrested early last month following a complaint by the son of a…
The cast and crew of a popular streaming series starring Bollywood megastar Saif Ali Khan have apologised after ruling politicians called the show insensitive to Hindus. The Amazon Prime drama Tandav -- loosely compared to the US series House of Cards -- drew criticism from members of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya…
By Amit Roy INDIAN democracy, for all its faults, seems much more mature than America’s, where it is work in progress. A true test of a democracy is whether the loser is willing to step down without claiming, “I waz robbed.” The world was impressed with the gracious manner in…
INDIAN farmers burnt copies of the government's new agricultural laws on Wednesday(13), pressing on with their protest against the reforms despite a decision by the Supreme Court to postpone implementation while their grievances are heard. Tens of thousands of farmers have been camped on the outskirts of the capital, New…
INDIA's ruling party has urged the government to put more money in the pockets of middle-income families in the next budget and cut the costs of raw material for small and medium-sized businesses, a party spokesman said on Thursday(31). After the coronavirus impact shrank the economy in the last two…
An Indian state ruled by prime minister Narendra Modi's BJP party on Wednesday (30) passed a law abolishing all Islamic schools, saying they provided sub-standard education. Opposition politicians criticised the move and said it reflected the government's anti-Muslim attitude in the Hindu-majority country. More than 700 of the schools, known as…
In India's most populous state, the Hindu nationalist BJP government is on a mission against "love jihad", the conspiracy theory that Muslims are luring Hindu brides with the aim of conversion and eventually national domination. While interfaith marriage remains rare in the Hindu-majority nation, this zealous drive in Uttar Pradesh…
An Indian state has criminalised 'forced' religious conversions by marriage, a first of its kind move in the country. India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh this week has approved a decree laying out prison terms for anyone compelling others to convert their faith or luring them into these conversions through marriage.…
AN Indian state has asked police to investigate after a member of the country's ruling party objected to scenes in the Netflix series A Suitable Boy, in which a Hindu girl kisses a Muslim boy against the backdrop of a Hindu temple. The series is based on an English novel…
By Dinesh Sharma LAST weekend, Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr was declared the 46th president-elect of the United States. The third time may have been the ‘luck of the Irish’ for Biden, whose ancestors hailed from County Louth. His great, great, great grandfather moved to America during the Irish famine almost…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi's coalition retained power in Bihar state, results showed on Wednesday(11), in what was a referendum on Modi's handling of Covid-19 and which may boost his chances in three more state elections next year. Modi's coalition won a fourth straight term in Bihar, the third-most populous…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) is likely to make gains in Bihar assembly elections. The fight in Bihar is down to two coalitions led by regional rivals - one of them is the incumbent Janata Dal (United) or JD-U, the BJP's partner. The alliance, led by Chief…
ONE of India's top TV news anchors, Arnab Goswami, was arrested by police in Mumbai on Wednesday(4) for alleged abetment of suicide in a case registered in 2018, his channel said in a statement. According to local media, the case related to the suicide of an interior designer who said…
Indian security forces killed the chief of the largest militant group in Kashmir in a gun battle on Sunday (1), as the disputed region is riven by violence more than a year after New Delhi withdrew its semi-autonomy. The killing takes the number of militants killed in the Muslim-majority region…
Famous Gujarati film musician, singer and former parliamentarian Mahesh Kanodia died at his residence in Gandhinagar on Sunday following a prolonged illness, his family said. He was 83. “The ace singer, who enthralled the audience through his performances together with his younger brother and Gujarati film superstar Naresh Kanodia, died…
FORMER Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel, 92, who recovered from Covid-19 infection recently, died in Ahmedabad on Thursday(29) after prolonged illness, family sources said. Hospital authorities said Patel died due to cardiac arrest. He was rushed to the hospital after his pulse and oxygen level dropped on Thursday morning, his…
Millions of Indians turned out to cast ballots in a state election on Wednesday in the world's biggest vote since the coronavirus emerged, with booths packed out and many ignoring government advice on wearing masks and social distancing. Some 70 million people are eligible to vote in Bihar, an impoverished…
MILLIONS of Indians turned out to cast ballots in a state election Wednesday(28) in the world's biggest vote since the coronavirus emerged, with booths packed out and many ignoring government advice on wearing masks and social distancing. Some 70 million people are eligible to vote in Bihar, an impoverished eastern…
By Pramod Thomas A subsidiary of India's Tata Group pulled a jewellery advertisement of a Hindu-Muslim family celebrating a baby shower after social media criticism, with some posting "Love Jihad". Love Jihad or Romeo Jihad is an conspiracy theory alleging that Muslim men target women belonging to non-Muslim communities for…
UK-based academic Dr Edward Anderson has sparked a 'food war' on Twitter by calling South Indian staple food 'Idli' boring. On Tuesday(6) while responding to a tweet by food delivery app Zomato India which asked about 'one dish you could never understand why people like soo much' Dr Anderson said:…
By Amit Roy JASWANT SINGH, who died on September 27, aged 82, was a founder of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served variously as India’s finance, external affairs and defence minister. But most obituaries recalled he was expelled from the BJP for writing a book that was sympathetic to…
OVER 80 Indian diaspora organisations in the UK have called for disbanding a new "fringe" Conservative group on Kashmir. The protest followed the revival of a so-called "Conservative Friends of Kashmir" group, announced on social media last week by seven Tory MPs representing constituencies with a significant Pakistani diaspora population.…
AN Indian court on Wednesday(30) acquitted all the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case, including ruling party veterans L K Advani and MM Joshi, 28 years ago. A special CBI court in Lucknow passed the verdict citing a lack of evidence. The demolition of the disputed structure in…
Eight Indian lawmakers were suspended from parliament on Monday (21) for "unruly behaviour" after opposition to contentious new farming legislation sparked some of the most chaotic scenes in recent years. MPs in the upper house had on Sunday torn up copies of the legislation, broke microphones, hurled copies of the…
US president Donald Trump greeted prime minister Narendra Modi on his 70th birthday, praising him as a "great leader and loyal friend". Prime minister Modi, born on September 17 in 1950, turned 70 on Thursday. "I would like to extend best wishes and a very happy 70th birthday to the…
India's minister for food processing resigned on Thursday (17) over her opposition to planned laws to allow farmers to sell produce directly to bulk buyers and make contract farming easier, saying the legislation will hurt millions of the country's farmers. "Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister,"…
Facebook does not profit from hate speech, the tech giant's India chief said on Wednesday (16), rejecting allegations the Silicon Valley firm failed to act on the issue over business concerns. India is the biggest market for the US-based company and its messaging service WhatsApp in terms of users, and…
At least 17 members of the Indian parliament have tested positive for the coronavirus, government officials said on Tuesday, underlining the widening spread of infections set to cross five million cases soon. The lawmakers were screened ahead of the re-opening of parliament on Monday after six months. MPs cleared by…
Delhi summoned Facebook's India chief on Saturday to answer allegations that the social media giant failed to remove dangerous content in its biggest market globally. India is the US-based firm and its messaging service WhatsApp's biggest market in terms of users, and the company is under pressure worldwide over the…
CIVIL RIGHTS groups in India have said that Facebook has failed to address dangerous content in the country and demanded that the head of public policy there be removed. A letter addressed to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and his second-in-command Sheryl Sandberg wanted the social network's India policy chief Ankhi…
INDIA's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has asked supporters in the US to not use its name in the presidential polls, stressing that the India-US ties enjoy bipartisan support America. The unambiguous directive to the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA from the party's foreign affairs department head Vijay Chauthaiwale was apparently aimed…
India's information technology minister accused Facebook on Tuesday (1) of censoring content from people supportive of right-wing ideology in the latest salvo at the social media giant over content regulation in its biggest user market. In a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, reviewed by Reuters, IT Minister Ravi Shankar…
Muslim Bollywood star Aamir Khan has long been a hate figure for India's Hindu far-right, but now they have a new line of attack - his massive popularity in China. Khan, 55, is a brand ambassador for Chinese smartphone maker Vivo, and is also major draw on the mainland with…
INDIAN politician and BJP MP Varun Gandhi described himself as a 'centre-left thinking person' in his new book and claimed that his writings prove the 'consistently progressive liberal record' of himself. In his recently launched book- India, Tomorrow: Conversations with the Next Generation of Political Leaders-Gandhi reveals that he is…
Social media giant Facebook admitted it has to do better to curb hate speech as it battled a storm over how it handled comments by a member of India's ruling party who called Muslims traitors. "We've made progress on tackling hate speech on our platform, but we need to do…
Facebook is in the eye of a political storm in India after claims it failed to take action against hate speech posts by a Hindu nationalist lawmaker out of fear for its business interests. India is US-based Facebook and its messaging service WhatsApp's biggest market in terms of users, and…
By Lord Meghnad Desai ON SATURDAY (15), India’s prime minister Narendra Modi will unfurl the tricolour at the Red Fort in New Delhi to celebrate the country’s 74th Independence Day. It will be a great contrast to last year when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – under Modi’s…
In 2001, Farhan Akhtar made his directorial debut with the film Dil Chahta Hai. The movie starred Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Dimple Kapadia, and Sonali Kulkarni. Today, Dil Chahta Hai completes 19 years of its release and Farhan took to Twitter to thank the audience…
EIGHT Covid-19 patients died in a fire that broke out in the intensive care ward of a private hospital in India's western city of Ahmedabad early on Thursday (, officials said as they launched a probe into the incident. Police stopped angry relatives from entering the Shrey Hospital in Gujarat state's…
Modi calls launch a historic moment Muslim group says land wrongly taken for temple INDIAN prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (5) said that the wait of centuries is over as he kick-started the construction of the Hindu temple in Ayodhya. "The whole country is thrilled, the wait of centuries…
THE holy site Ayodhya in Northern India has been the spark for some of India's worst sectarian violence. Here is a look at the history of the three-acre patch of land in the holy northern town of Ayodhya and why it has long been an explosive source of contention between…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (5) started the construction for a Hindu temple on a site in northern India where a 16th century mosque was demolished by supporters of his Hindu nationalist party in 1992. The events in Ayodhya sparked communal riots in several parts of India. About…
INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kicked off the construction of a Lord Ram temple in the north Indian city of Ayodhya on a spot where a mosque was demolished nearly three decades ago. The event fulfils a long-standing promise by Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party, and marks the…
NARENDRA MODI will on Wednesday (5) lay the foundation for a temple at a flashpoint holy site exactly a year after imposing direct rule on Muslim-majority Kashmir -- twin triumphs for his Hindu nationalist government. The site of Ayodhya and divided Kashmir have been two of the most divisive communal…
INDIAN politician and former Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh was cremated at the Chhatarpur crematorium in New Delhi in the presence of family members and relatives on Monday (3). The 64-year-old 'kingmaker' politician died in a Singapore hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for kidney-related ailments, on Saturday (1). Daughters…
A Bihar court on Wednesday (8) dismissed a petition seeking registration of cases against Bollywood bigwigs like Salman Khan, Ekta Kapoor, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Karan Johar for allegedly abetting actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide, citing jurisdictional limitations. Chief judicial magistrate of Muzaffarpur Mukesh Kumar dismissed the petition filed by…
THE first Air India flight from the UK, scheduled as part of the "Vande Bharat Mission" to repatriate Indians stranded overseas due to the coronavirus lockdown, took off from London's Heathrow Airport on Saturday (9). About 250 Indian students and tourists were seen queuing with their luggage at the airport…
OTT platforms are attracting established actors like never before. Over the past couple of years, we have seen several big names from Bollywood taking a plunge into the digital world. After Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Karisma Kapoor, among others, it seems the next star to make a transition…
Leading Muslim figures have united in a video urging all Muslims to stay at home this Ramadan. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has already infected 129,044 people in the UK and claimed 17, 337 lives. Muslims have been urged to protect the NHS by adhering to the lockdown rules which have…
WHEN Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor was tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday (20), it sent panic waves among Indian parliamentarians. At the latest count, four Indian politicians are already under self-isolation. Reports state that the number may go up and even the president of India likely to be quarantined. The…
A West Midlands-based pharmacy chain has been lambasted on social media for allegedly charging three times more than the normal price for a bottle of Calpol. Councillor for Bromford and Hodge Hill in Birmingham Majid Mahmood on Wednesday night posted on Twitter a photo that showed bottles of the liquid paracetamol…
An activist with India's ruling party has been arrested after a volunteer fell ill from drinking cow urine at a party to combat the novel coronavirus, police said on Wednesday (18), as interest grows in home remedies amid the pandemic. Narayan Chatterjee, a Bharatiya Janata Party activist, was arrested by…
WITH the coronavirus outbreak spiralling into a pandemic, the humble ‘namaste’ is trending as a respectful and safe greeting option. Prince Charles was recently spotted offering namaste during the Prince’s Trust Awards event at the London Palladium, and through the Commonwealth Day service in Buckingham Palace. A video of the Prince…
INDIAN National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (12) said Jyotiraditya Scindia forgot his ideology as he was apprehensive about his political future. He added that Scindia would not get respect in the BJP. Talking about Scindia's move to the BJP ending his long association with the Congress, Gandhi said there is…
A day after announcing his resignation from the Congress party, Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the ruling BJP on Wednesday (11) in presence of party president JP Nadda. The BJP on Wednesday named Jyotiraditya Scindia as its Rajya Sabha, upper house of Indian parliament, candidate from Madhya Pradesh soon after he joined the party. He criticised…
LONG-TERM Congress leader and former minister Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the party's primary membership on Tuesday (10), moments after meeting prime minister Narendra Modi. He shared the resignation letter dated March 9, 2020, on social media. pic.twitter.com/DWSKdYO0jG — Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) March 10, 2020 Soon after his resignation, 22…
INDIAN health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday (4) said that 28 positive cases of coronavirus have been detected so far in India. Out of the total 28 COVID-19 cases in India, one person was from Delhi, six of his relatives in Agra, 16 Italians and their Indian driver, one in…
INDIAN police have arrested over 514 people for deadly Hindu-Muslim violence that broke out in the capital, the government said. Police said the toll from days of blood-letting stood at 47, but local media, citing unnamed sources, said it was likely to be more than 47 as the full extent…
The US president Donald Trump, who is on a two-day visit to India, has said on Monday (24) that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is a living proof that Indians can achieve anything they want. He was speaking to a gathering of over 100,000 people at the Motera Stadium in…
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan can breathe life into any character which she portrays on screen. She is able to essay sharp and shrewd antagonists just as convincingly as highly righteous characters. The actress, who has played villainous characters in a couple of movies before, returns to play a negative character again.…
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India has asked to omit the word "Bangladesh" from pro-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ad films produced and directed by Sanghamitra Choudhury. In a letter earlier this week, the Board asked Choudhury to either ‘cut’ or ‘replace’ Bangladesh from the films. The filmmaker…
INDIA on Thursday (13) renamed two important institutions in honour of the late external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. The Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, a cultural centre reflecting India's connect with its diaspora, was renamed Sushma Swaraj Bhavan and the Foreign Service Institute, where diplomats are trained, was renamed the Sushma Swaraj…
The family of a former Kashmir chief minister went to India's Supreme Court on Monday (10) in a bid to overturn his detention under a law allowing incarceration for up to two years without charge. The case was launched as it was revealed that the police case against Omar Abdullah…
The body of Shubanso Pul, son of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul, was recently found in a one-bedroom apartment in Brighton. Investigators are probing if the 20-year-old law student at University of Sussex had committed suicide. Officers had to break open his room, which was locked from inside.…
Indian National Congress, the oldest political party in India, has lost its 'face' in the national capital following its poor performance in Delhi elections on Tuesday (11). The grand-old party failed to get a single representative to Delhi assembly. Congress repeated its 2015 performance and was reduced to zero seats.…
LIQUOR baron Vijay Mallya on Tuesday (11) appeared before the Royal Courts of Justice in London for his appeal against extradition to India, where his lawyer claimed “multiple errors” in a magistrates’ court order favouring the Indian government. The former Kingfisher Airlines boss, who remains on bail since his arrest…
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…
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…
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya is expected to return to court on Tuesday as the UK High Court begins hearing his appeal against being extradited to India to face fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs 9,000 crores (£1 billion). The Royal Courts of Justice in London will hear the…
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…
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…
By Nadeem Badshah BRITISH Pakistanis have dismissed fears that a new film highlighting “disappearances” in Kashmir will spark tensions in the UK and have praised the director for highlighting human rights. No Fathers in Kashmir, directed by Ashwin Kumar, was released in cinemas in January and is about a…
The protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) near Jamia Millia University in New Delhi turned violent on Thursday (January 30) when a man, identified as Rambhakt Gopal, opened fire at protesters. A student at the University was injured following gunshots. The shooter was later detained. The injured student has…
India prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (28) said the government has brought the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to correct "historical injustice" and to fulfil the BJP's "old promise" to religious minorities living in neighbouring countries. Speaking at the Annual prime minister's National Cadet Corps (NCC) Rally 2020 in New Delhi,…
British politicians Bob Blackman and Barry Gardiner have been awarded the Padma Shri – India's fourth highest civilian award. Blackman, the Conservative Party MP Harrow East, is chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Hindus and long-time supporter of India and prime minister Narendra Modi. He said…
A couple of days ago, we had informed our readers that acclaimed filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar, known for helming women-oriented films Parineeta (2005) and Mardaani (2014), was in talks with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for his next directorial outing. Sarkar has now confirmed that the Devdas (2002) actress has been finalized to…
Pakistan is not prepared to pay any price for peace with India and certainly not without resolving the Kashmir issue in a just manner, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said. Addressing the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think-tank, Qureshi reiterated Pakistan's demand that US President Donald Trump…
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's ruling party on Friday (17) slammed editorial policies of billionaire Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post, even as his e-commerce firm Amazon announced plans to create a million jobs in the country by 2025. Vijay Chauthaiwale, the chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) foreign affairs department,…
A DAY after the world's richest person Jeff Bezos announced fresh $1 billion investment in India, Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday (15) said his firm Amazon was not doing a favour to the country by the investments and questioned how the online retailing major could incur…
by LAUREN CODLING A LEADING psychiatrist has warned that political disagreements between families on social media could have a detrimental effect on their mental health. The trend of users taking to social media to express thoughts on a “number of sensitive issues” has increased, Dr Vidya Narayanan, a researcher at…
Hundreds of Hindu activists affiliated to India's ruling party rallied on Monday (13) to protest a planned Jesus statue that will rival Rio de Janeiro's Christ The Redeemer for size. Prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has long been accused of intolerance towards other religions and of wanting…
Indian police baton-charged protesters on Sunday (12) to stop them reaching prime minister Narendra Modi's cavalcade as nationwide protests against a bitterly disputed citizenship law entered a second month. Tens of thousands staged protests through the night in the eastern city of Kolkata to denounce Modi's weekend visit to the…
Bollywood's top actress was snapped praying in a temple on Friday (10) ahead of the release of her new film as a storm continued to rage over her attendance at a recent student protest. The presence of Deepika Padukone, 34, at the demonstration in New Delhi on Tuesday broke with…
One woman reported a rape every 15 minutes on average in India in 2018, according to government data released on Thursday (9), underlining its dismal reputation as one of the worst places in the world to be female. The highly publicised gang rape and murder of a woman in a…
Deepika Padukone is currently busy with the promotions of her upcoming film Chhapaak. The film is slated to release on 10th January 2020, and recently when Deepika was in Delhi for the promotions, she visited JNU to join the protest against the attack at the university. Well, Deepika’s presence at…
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…
After dropping out of school aged 12, transgender woman Guddi Kinnar resorted to dancing at weddings and other religious ceremonies to earn money, acutely aware that her lack of education was a major obstacle to obtaining a regular job. To ensure other youngsters don't end up in the same predicament,…
Huge protests in India against a citizenship law seen by many as anti-Muslim have wrong-footed prime minister Narendra Modi and sent his Hindu nationalist party scrambling to douse the anger. In Modi's biggest challenge since taking office in 2014, hundreds of thousands have rallied against the law offering citizenship to…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party lost control of another state on Monday, adding to a string of electoral losses since last December amid protests that mark the biggest challenge to the Hindu-nationalist leader. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conceded defeat in the eastern state of Jharkhand, with an alliance…
Six more protesters died in India Friday in fresh clashes between police and demonstrators, taking the death toll to 15 in more than a week of unrest triggered by a citizenship law seen as anti-Muslim. The law -- which makes it easier for persecuted minorities from three neighbouring countries to…
A COURT sentenced a former lawmaker from India's ruling party to life imprisonment for raping a teenager, his lawyer said on Friday (20), the highest-ranking Indian politician to get such a significant jail term in recent years. Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator in the northern state…
by BARNIE CHOUDHURY Former BBC journalist I LOVE general election night, and to be more precise, I love being in the thick of it. So, I was super-excited to be at an election count for the first time in 15 years last Thursday (12). It was Leicester, my home city,…
A former ruling party lawmaker was convicted on Monday (16) of raping a teenager in a high-profile case that underscored India's rampant sexual violence and the impunity enjoyed by the elite. Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a powerful four-time state legislator for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was found guilty of raping…
BRITAIN'S Asian diaspora on Friday (13) hailed the impressive victory of prime minister Boris Johnson in the historic General Election, which saw unprecedented activism by the community members against the Opposition Labour Party's perceived anti-India stance. Britain’s first December election in nearly a century was called by prime minister Johnson…
Two people were killed and several wounded Thursday (12) when police in northeast India opened fire on a large crowd demonstrating against the country's new citizenship bill. Federal authorities deployed thousands of paramilitaries and blocked mobile internet access in the region, while local police who joined them in opposing protesters…
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi was not complicit in deadly religious riots that broke out in 2002 in one of the bloodiest episodes in independent India, according to a judge-led commission report released Wednesday (11). Modi was the chief minister of the western state of Gujarat when nearly 1,000 people…
by BARONESS SHAMI CHAKRABARTI HARROW is my home and where I was raised. It felt special going back there during a general election campaign over the weekend. I was lucky enough to visit the Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, one of the religious hubs at the heart of the Harrow…
Protestors in northeast India clashed with police, set fire to tyres and cut down trees to block roads on Tuesday in a shutdown across the region hours after lawmakers approved the government's new citizenship bill. The legislation, set to go before the upper house on Wednesday, will fast-track citizenship claims…
India's lower house passed controversial legislation early Tuesday (9) that will grant citizenship to religious minorities from neighbouring countries, but not Muslims, amid raucous scenes in parliament and protests in the country's northeast. The Citizenship Amendment Bill provides that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians fleeing persecution in Muslim-majority…
With just days to go before the UK General Election on Thursday (12), the new Parliament set to be voted in is expected to be the most diverse in Britain's history based on projections and what experts believe has been a late surge in diversity from the country's main political…
A 23-year-old rape victim was set ablaze by a gang of men, including the alleged rapist, as she made her way to court in the northern India on Thursday, police said, stirring public outrage and shame over the scourge of crimes against women. During the past week, thousands of Indians…
INDIA'S cabinet approved a bill on Wednesday (4) to give citizenship to religious minorities persecuted in neighbouring Muslim countries, the first time that the country is seeking to grant nationality on the basis of religion. Last month, Amit Shah, India's federal home (interior) minister, told parliament that non-Muslim minorities -…
INDIA’S top court Supreme Court on Monday (2) said it will hear after the winter break the pleas challenging practices of polygamy and 'nikah halala' among Muslims. The issue was mentioned before a bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant which said…
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's party made an unexpected comeback to power on Saturday (23) in wealthy Maharashtra state, home to the country's financial capital, after prolonged backroom negotiations saw presidential rule lifted after days of uncertainty. President Ram Nath Kovind imposed direct rule on India's richest state last week…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi's party made an unexpected comeback to power Saturday (23) in wealthy Maharashtra state, home to the country's financial capital, after prolonged backroom negotiations saw presidential rule lifted after days of uncertainty. President Ram Nath Kovind imposed direct rule on India's richest state last week after…
AMID a growth slowdown and unemployment issues, India's politics will be increasingly shaped by the economic insecurity of its vast youth population, the Economist Intelligence Unit said in a research note on Friday (22). The issue of unemployment and underemployment has been an unavoidable topic in India's politics and slower…
MUMBAI was plunged into political uncertainty on Tuesday (12) after India's president imposed direct rule on Maharashtra state after weeks of deadlock over who would form its government following fiercely fought elections. India has been battling an economic slowdown and the political stalemate is a setback for Mumbai, which…
INDIA'S top court handed a huge victory to prime minister Narendra Modi's party on Saturday (9) by awarding Hindus control of a bitterly disputed holy site that has sparked deadly sectarian violence in the past. Authorities stepped up security nationwide ahead of the decision and Modi called for calm, fearing…
INDIA'S top court cleared the way on Saturday (9) for a Hindu temple to be constructed at a hotly disputed holy site, in a huge victory for Hindu nationalists under prime minister Narendra Modi. The Supreme Court ruled that the site in Ayodhya in northern India, where Hindu mobs destroyed…
by AMIT ROY A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT MEP (Member of the European Parliament), who has just returned from a trip to Kashmir, appears to have rejected negative portrayal of the policies of India’s prime minister Narendra Modi. Bill Newton Dunn, who represents the East Midlands, told the BBC’s Today programme that…
In the Indian town of Ayodhya, minority Muslims are feeling under siege as they await a Supreme Court ruling on a centuries-old religious dispute that has cast a shadow over their relations with the majority Hindu community. After a tangle of legal cases, the Supreme Court in August decided to…
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…
PAYING glowing tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on National Unity Day, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (31) defended the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the special status provision only bred terrorism in the erstwhile state. He also hailed India’s unity in diversity, calling it…
HISTORY will be created on Thursday (31) when Jammu and Kashmir, which has been part of the Union of India since 1947, will cease to be a state and will be bifurcated into two union territories. Indian administrative service (IAS) officers Girish Chandra Murmu and R K Mathur, who have…
Prime minister Narendra Modi's party faced mixed fortunes in two Indian state elections, with his party on course to see reduced majorities as a grinding economic slowdown weighed on voters. An official count of tens of millions of ballots was underway Thursday in western Maharashtra state, which is home to…
Sourav Ganguly was one of the most astute captains ever and his move to take over the world's richest cricket body could be just another step to becoming one of India's future leaders. The 47-year-old took over Wednesday as head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI),…
India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to sweep two state polls next week, the first since prime minister Narendra Modi's landslide win in a parliamentary election in May, a leading pollster said. The BJP is set to comfortably win elections in the western state of Maharashtra and the…
The end, perhaps, is now nigh in the epic legal dispute over a religious site that has sparked thousands of deaths, with India's top court wrapping up hearings on Wednesday. Judges are now expected to rule on the ownership of the area claimed by both Hindus and Muslims in Ayodhya…
Authorities have tightened security restrictions in the northern Indian flashpoint city of Ayodhya ahead of a crucial Supreme Court ruling over the disputed site fiercely contested between Hindus and Muslims. Hindus and Muslims have for decades been bitterly divided over the 16th-century Babri mosque in Ayodhya, a city in Uttar…
BRITISH opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has sparked a war of words in India between the prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress after he claimed that human rights situation in Kashmir was discussed during a meeting with "UK representatives from the Indian Congress…
TWO Indian states will go to the polls in October, the election commissioner said on Saturday (21), in a test of prime minister Narendra Modi's popularity after he won a clear mandate in a general election in May. The state assembly elections come after economic growth slipped to a six-year…
Indian police on Friday (20) arrested a former minister from prime minister Narendra Modi's party after he was accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman. Swami Chinmayanand, 73, a former internal affairs minister, is the second senior member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to face sex charges in recent months.…
ONE of Britain's most outspoken MPs on the Kashmir issue Bob Blackman has called on Pakistan to leave Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, asserting that India has a sovereign right over the entire region. Addressing a UK-based Kashmiri Pandit gathering organised here on Saturday (14), the Conservative Party MP countered the Pakistani government's…
Nobel Peace Prize winner and Pakistani education rights activist Malala Yousafzai has urged the UN to work towards peace in Kashmir and help children in the Valley to go back to school. Taking to Twitter, Malala, 22, said she was deeply concerned about reports that Kashmiri students "have not been…
India's home affairs minister on Sunday (8) said his government "will not allow a single illegal immigrant to stay", as he visited Assam state where a controversial citizenship register sparked uproar from the almost two million people excluded. The register, feared to be a cover for the ruling Bharatiya Janata…
A controversial citizenship list in northeast India that has left almost two million people facing statelessness has been slammed by its political backers as those excluded from it face an uncertain future. Prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, which runs Assam state where the National Register of Citizens (NRC)…
ALMOST two million people in northeast India were left facing statelessness on Saturday (31) after the state of Assam published a citizenship list aimed at weeding out "foreign infiltrators", in a process the central government wants to replicate nationwide. A total of 31.1 million people were included in a National…
Actor and BJP MP Sunny Deol says he doesn't pay attention to people's reaction about his fledgling political career because he believes in quietly doing his work. Deol, who was elected as MP from Gurdaspur after defeating Congress' Sunil Jakhar by 82,459 votes in the Lok Sabha polls this year,…
SECURITY was tightened in the Indian state of Assam on Friday (30) before the release of a ‘citizens register’ expected to leave millions deemed "foreign infiltrators" facing detention camps and even deportation. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) for the state is due out on Saturday (31), in a move…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi has said Jammu and Kashmir's special status was revoked to end its "isolation" which allowed some of the youth to be "misguided, get radicalised and take to violence and terrorism". Defending his government's moves, Modi said it was India's "internal steps" which was taken in…