What next in Karnataka? The confusion persists
By IANS
Bangalore : The power transfer drama in Karnataka continues its twists and turns. While Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) legislators hope to convince H.D. Kumaraswamy to continue as Karnataka Chief Minister Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may direct its ministers in the coalition government to quit if he reneges on his word to hand over power Oct 3 as agreed in February 2006.
Students’ gherao of Jadavpur VC continues
Kolkata: Agitating students at the Jadavpur University here have gheraoed their vice chancellor and other officials since Friday evening over holding of students' union...
Netanyahu denounces Donald Trump remarks about Muslims
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced on Wednesday statements made by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, ahead of the latter's scheduled...
I miss Somnath, says Buddhadeb
By IANS,
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee says he is trying to bring former party leader Somnath Chatterjee back to the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and has spoken to comrades in Kolkata and Delhi on the issue.
In an interview to Bengali news channel Star Ananda, Bhattacharjee - a member of the CPI-M's top policy making politburo - said he felt pained at losing a leader of the calibre of Chatterjee.
Assam Congress chief Anjan Dutta dies
Guwahati : Anjan Dutta, President of the Assam state unit of the Congress, died on Thursday of a cardiac arrest in New Delhi, doctors...
Underrepresentation and Expectations: Challenges and Hopes for Muslim MPs in India’s 18th Lok Sabha
Md Kaifee Alam, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Despite being a crucial vote bank for many parties, the number of Muslim Members of Parliament (MPs) has consistently remained low over...
India votes again as UPA leadership tussle continues
By IANS,
New Delhi : More than 100 million people voted all over India in round two of one of the country's most intensely fought parliamentary elections even as the Congress and its allies traded barbs over the leadership of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left remaining bitterly anti-Congress.
An estimated 55 percent of the 194 million electorate - of the country's total 714 million voters - exercised their franchise in 140 constituencies in 12 states, from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the south.
Muslim’s role will be crucial in LS poll of 2014
By Abdul Hannan Siwani Nadvi,
Keeping Lok Sabha poll 2014 in minds; political parties are busy in their campaign to grab voter's attention to secure their votes in their favour.
Jayalalithaa seeks special grant from Modi for flood victims
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide additional special sanction to rehabilitate the hundreds...
BJP’s no-confidence motion ‘wastage of time’: Dikshit
By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Tuesday termed the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) no-confidence motion against her government, accusing it of falling on all fronts, a "total waste of time".
The no-confidence motion, moved by BJP leader V.K. Malhotra in the legislative assembly, said the common man was suffering under the rule of Dikshit-led Congress government as it has failed on every issue and is pursuing "anti-people" policies.
Modi’s Bangladesh visit: Focus on trade, connectivity
New Delhi: Boosting trade and connectivity, especially people-to-people, is set to be the focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh on June...
Jharkhand CM winds up special courts, leaders question move
Ranchi : Cutting across party lines, tribal leaders of Jharkhand have questioned Chief Minister Raghubar Das' announcement to do away with the Scheduled Area...
Shutdown impact on Andhra assembly
By IANS,
Hyderabad : The nationwide shutdown had its impact on the Andhra Pradesh assembly Thursday, with the opposition parties forcing its adjournment for the day.
Shutdown called by Congress hits normal life in Odisha
Bhubaneswar : Normal life was paralysed on Saturday in eight KBK districts of Odisha by a dawn-to-dusk shutdown called by the Congress party to...
Modi’s defence of Muslims – a little too late?
By Amulya Ganguli,
If some of the recent statements of the saffron netizens and the actions threatened by Hindutva outfits are noted, then it can...
Left Front partners concerned about price rise, Lalgarh
By IANS,
Kolkata: Constituent parties of the ruling Left Front in West Bengal Sunday expressed concern over the price rise and the ongoing security operation to flush out Maoist rebels from Lalgarh area of the state.
"We raised the price issue in the meeting. We also enquired about the situation in violence-prone Lalgarh in West Midnapore district," Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader and state PWD minister Kshiti Goswami told reporters after the meeting.
BSP ahead in Uttar Pradesh
By IANS
New Delhi: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was leading the political pack as counting of the millions of voters cast in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections began Friday.
According to officials, the BSP was leading in 19 of the 55 seats where trends were available. The Samajwadi Party was a close second with 16 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at 13.
The Congress, which had expected to improve upon its 2002 showing, was doing badly, leading only in three seats.
Acid attack victim Adivasi leader to be brought to Delhi
New Delhi: Adivasi school teacher turned politician Soni Sori, who has suffered acid attack in Chhattisgarh, has been referred to Delhi's Apollo Hospital, hospital...
Father-son, maternal uncle-niece in Lok Sabha from Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : Besides giving their verdict against the state's ruling Left Front, people of West Bengal have also sent to the Lok Sabha a father-son duo and a maternal uncle-niece combine.
While Trinamool Congress veteran Sisir Adhikari won from Kanthi, his son Subhendu Adhikari was elected from neighbouring Tamluk - which also includes troubled Nandigram - in East Midnapore district.
Seventy one-year-old Sisir Adikari, a sitting MLA from Egra, defeated Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) candidate and present MP Prasanta Pradhan.
Major developments in history of Telangana
By IANS,
Hyderabad : With the Lok Sabha passing the bill for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh Tuesday, decks have been cleared for formation of Telangana...
Will BJP send Advani, Lalu, Mamata to Pakistan, asks Congress
New Delhi : After BJP leader Giriraj Singh said those opposing Narendra Modi will be sent to Pakistan, the Congress Sunday wondered if the...
Telangana state in 100 days if NDA voted to power: Advani
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani Thursday promised that if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was voted to power in next year's general elections, it would carve out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh within 100 days.
Addressing a massive public meeting here as part of his 'Vijay sankalp yatra', Advani declared the BJP's support to the demand for a separate Telangana and said his party was ready to join hands with other parties fighting for the cause.
New Maharashtra government to take office Saturday
By IANS,
Mumbai : Maharashtra chief minister-elect Ashok Chavan Friday staked formal claim to form the next government with the support of 170 legislators. The new Democratic Front ministry will be sworn-in here Saturday evening.
TDP names 27 candidates for Andhra assembly polls
By IANS,
Hyderabad : A day after finalising seat sharing agreement with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Wednesday released the first list of 27 candidates for the next month's assembly elections.
The main opposition party has retained majority of the sitting legislators or those who lost in 2004 elections.
Former ministers Ashok Gajapati Raju, Kadiam Srihari, T. Srinivas Yadav, K. Vijayarama Rao, Uma Madhava Reddy and Ayanna Patrudu, and former speaker Pratibha Bharati were among the prominent candidates included in the first list.
Rahul Gandhi is now Congress general secretary
By IANS
New Delhi : Amid talk of early elections, India's ruling Congress party Monday named Rahul Gandhi, son of party president Sonia Gandhi, a general secretary and entrusted him with the task of revitalising the party's youth cadre.
The long-awaited promotion to Gandhi came as the communists and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) remained locked in a row over the Indo-US nuclear deal casting a shadow on the government.
Lone voter in this Gir forest polling station
By IANS,
Gandhinagar (Gujarat)/Shimla : Gujarat will have a polling booth for a single voter to enable him cast his vote in the forthcoming state assembly election.
‘Error’ forces polling in four Jharkhand seats to be put off
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Election Commission Monday said that polling in four assembly constituencies in Dumka district of Jharkhand, scheduled to be held in the first phase Nov 27, will now be held on the third phase Dec 8 after it was found that poll officers "inadvertently" supplied the wrong version of the Hindi nomination papers.
The four constituencies are - Sikaripara, Dumka, Jama - all Scheduled Tribes reseerved seats - and Jarmundi, in Dumka district.
Stalin killed Netaji: Subramanian Swamy
Kolkata : Claiming that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose did not die in a plane crash in 1945 but was killed at the instance of...
‘Sharad Yadav to decide future strategy after August 17 meeting’
New Delhi, (IANS): Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav, who has opposed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's alliance with the BJP to form the new government in...
Six new governors appointed
New Delhi : President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday filled up vacancies of governors in four northeastern states while shifting two governors.
According to an Rashtrapati...
UDF’s George resigns from Kerala assembly
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's ruling United Democratic Front's estranged legislator P.C. George on Thursday submitted his resignation from the assembly to Speaker N. Sakthan.
George, 65, a...
Indian diaspora in London mark Republic Day with protests against Hindutva, attacks on Dalits...
By M Ghazali Khan for TwoCircles.net
Instead of hosting and participating in festivities, the UK-based Indian Diaspora marked the Republic Day by organising a protest...
Mayawati, Left, regional parties to hold nationwide stir
By IANS,
New Delhi : The morning after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government won the trust vote in parliament, opposition parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Left and other political formations, Wednesday got together and vowed to launch a national campaign on key issues.
“The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government may have won the trust vote but the way it was saved showed the vote was a murder and defeat of democracy,” said agitated BSP leader Mayawati.
JNU increases grace marks for women, transgenders
New Delhi : The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Friday brought in major changes in the deprivation points system which is used to help...
Look who’s learning Hindi – Chandrababu Naidu
By Mohammed Shafeeq, IANS
Hyderabad : He goes through two Hindi newspapers every day and even has teachers to help him pick up the language. Now that N. Chandrababu Naidu is looking for a larger role in national politics, the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister is dead serious about learning Hindi.
Hailing from southern India, that too from the Rayalaseema region where Telugu is the dominant language and even Urdu is not spoken unlike in state capital Hyderabad, it is not an easy task for him.
Interim railway budget disappointing for Madhya Pradesh: Chouhan
By IANS,
Bhopal : The interim railway budget presented Friday is disappointing for Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
"The proposals like plying a daily Habibganj-Kurla train, running daily train between Bhopal and Lucknow, making the Puri-Jaipur Express bi-weekly, extending the Shatabdi to Indore, starting a third Bina-Itarsi line and adding a coach from Bhopal to the Jabalpur Mumbai-Garib Rath have not been implemented," he said in a statement.
No new taxes proposed in Kashmir budget
By IANS,
Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather Thursday presented "tax-free" and "pro-people" budget for 2014-2015, terming it one which reflected...
Congress to hold farmers’ rally here Sunday
By IANS
New Delhi : Keen to capitalise on budget sops for farmers with elections seemingly round the corner, the Congress party is expecting to put up a grand show at the farmers' rally at the Ramlila ground here Sunday.
The rally has been aptly named Dhanyawad Abhinandan (thanksgiving felicitation) for the loan waiver announced by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Feb 29. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be among those who address the farmers.
Seven Karnataka ministers missing at anniversary bash
By IANS,
Bangalore : Eyebrows were raised when seven cabinet ministers stayed away from the gala function held Sunday to celebrate the completion of the first year of the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka.
Amid conflicting reports, divergent reasons were being given for the conspicuous absence of the ministers at the vikas sankalp utsav, or commitment-to-development festival, organised jointly by the ruling party and the state government at the sprawling National College grounds in upscale Basavangudi.
Foundation laid for Rs.35,200 crore Telangana irrigation project
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a Rs.35,200 crore major lift irrigation project.
A day after the...
LF charges cash-rich opposition with hatching conspiracy
By IANS,
Kolkata : Claiming that the opposition parties in West Bengal were flush with money, state's ruling Left Front (LF) chairman Biman Bose Sunday accused them of hatching a conspiracy to weaken the ruling combine ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
"The anti-Left forces have conspired to create disunity among LF ranks. We have to remain vigilant so that none of the LF parties falls into their trap," Bose told reporters after an LF meeting here.
Congress stands exposed, say Telangana groups
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Pro-Telangana groups have reacted sharply to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's statement on Telangana issue, saying it once again "exposed" the party.
Loud speaking is no indication of strength: PM
By IANS,
Mumbai : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday that loud speaking was no indication of strength and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani could not get away with "false accusations" by repeatedly calling him weak.
Speaking at a press conference here after BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Arun Jaitley launched a sharp broadside against him, Manmohan Singh said: "If you read my statement, you will get my answer. Weakness or strength does not come from loud speaking. It comes from your capacity to react on time."
Raja arrives in Chennai to massive welcome
By IANS,
Chennai : Former telecom minister A. Raja, a key accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, arrived in Chennai Friday evening to a tumultuous welcome by his supporters.
Omar Abdullah to file nomination papers from Ganderbal
By IANS,
Srinagar : National Conference (NC) president Omar Abdullah is set to file his nomination papers Monday from north Kashmir's Ganderbal constituency, which goes to polls Nov 23 in the second phase of the seven-phase assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah had lost the 2002 assembly elections from Ganderbal to Qazi Muhammad Afzal of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP, after much debate and suspense, once again cleared Qazi’s name as the party’s candidate from the constituency.
Modi whizzes past Bhopal gas tragedy victims
Bhopal : The people affected by the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy could not meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had come to the capital...
Political parties rally behind Pawar
By IANS,
New Delhi : Cutting across the political divide, political parties Thursday unanimously condemned the attack on union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar here.
Rahul to hold rallies in three states Tuesday
New Delhi : Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will hold rallies in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Tuesday, his office said.
Gandhi will first hold...
75 percent of newly elected MPs are graduates
New Delhi: Seventy-five percent of the people elected in the general election have at least a graduation degree, whereas 10 percent are matriculates, according...
Press Council sets up panels to probe scribes killings
New Delhi : Taking suo motu cognizance of the murder of two journalists in Bihar and Jharkhand, the Press Council of India (PCI) on...
Supreme Court denies urgent hearing to Mayawati government’s plea
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to take up as urgent the Uttar Pradesh government's appeal against an Allahabad High Court order to scrap a panel probing alleged irregularities in police recruitment in 2005-06.
A bench of Justice B.N. Agrawal and Justice G.S. Singhvi turned down state counsel Shail Kumar Dwiwedi's plea for an urgent hearing and said the matter brooks no urgency.
The bench said it will hear the matter Feb 2, the date slated by the court's registry.
Modi government hypocrite, promoting crony capitalism: Congress
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday accused the central government of being a "hypocrite" and promoting "crony capitalism".
Addressing a press conference on the eve...
A day on the campaign trail with Azharuddin
By Khalid Akhter, IANS,
Moradabad : On the cricket field, former Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin was not one for too many words, letting his bat do the talking. In his new incarnation as a Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha polls too, Azhar prefers to listen rather than talk.
Having plunged headlong into an election campaign, Azhar, 46, has seen the crowds turn up in huge numbers at his rallies to see one of the country's most successful captains.
Mega welcome planned for Modi in Delhi Saturday
New Delhi : After its mega victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is planning a grand welcome for its prime ministerial candidate...
Manjhi’s self-interest, political hara-kiri, an alarm bell
By Md. Mudassir Alam for TwoCircles.net,
Bihar has witnessed a very chaotic crisis in the recent time, which in turn has directly or indirectly affected the common people of the state. With the resignation of Jitan Ram Manjhi, the self-proclaimed political superman of Bihar from the CM’s post all types of speculations came to an end.
Congress not ending Telangana-Seemandhra war: BJP
By IANS,
New Delhi : BJP leader Arun Jaitley Friday accused the Congress-led UPA government of not taking steps to reconcile differences between representatives of...
Trinamool continues Singur protests, alleges provocation by CPI-M
By IANS,
Kolkata : The opposition Trinamool Congress Wednesday stuck to its stand of protesting at the Nano plant in Singur till 400 acres of land are returned to farmers, notwithstanding automobile giant Tata Motors' pull-out threat from West Bengal.
"Whether they'll shift their product to other facilities or not is an internal matter of the Tatas. We don't want to comment on that. We strongly want the 400 acres to be given back to those who have lost land and for that our movement will continue," senior Trinamool leader Madan Mitra told IANS.
Krushna Abhishek roots for Modi as PM
Mumbai : Stand-up comedian and actor Krushna Abhishek has his choice clear when it comes to the post of prime minister. He wants Narendra...
Kejriwal, Mamata slam Centre for acting against cooperative federalism
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday came together to slam central interference in state...
How ‘security from Muslims’ became a BJP poll plank in UP
Activists said this is a way to make minority and disenfranchised groups across Uttar Pradesh look like a threat to Hindus of the state.
Zeyad...
Varied sizes jeopardize credibility of currency notes: Congress
New Delhi, (IANS): The Congress on Tuesday said variations in the sizes, designs and features in same series of new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000...
Kerala opposition demands Vijayan’s prosecution
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Leader of Opposition in Kerala assembly Oommen Chandy Saturday asked Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to overlook the state advocate general's opinion and give a nod to prosecute Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the SNC Lavalin corruption case.
Advocate General C.P. Prasad reportedly submitted a sealed letter to the chief minister's office earlier in the day, saying the government need not give the sanction for Vijayan's prosecution as the charges against him were not clear.
Pranab didn’t write to Mamata on Lalgarh remarks: Trinamool
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Trinamool Congress Friday denied reports that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had written to party chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks on Maoist leader Azad's killing during her rally in West Bengal's Lalgarh Monday.
"It is a figment of imagination. Somebody writing a letter...I am not aware of it," Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi said in response to questions over reports on some TV channels that Mukherjee had written to Banerjee over her remarks at the rally.
Bengal pays tribute to Swami Vivekananda
Kolkata : Ceremonial processions and exhibitions on the life and work of Swami Vivekananda were held across West Bengal to mark the monk's 153rd...
Nearly 48,000 Indians register for UAE Modi reception
Abu Dhabi: Nearly 48,000 Indians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have so far registered for the public reception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,...
18 trains delayed as fog covers Delhi
New Delhi: At least 18 Delhi-bound trains were running late as the national capital witnessed a foggy Thursday morning, the Northern Railway said.
According to...
Communication with BJP broken: Uddhav
Mumbai : Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Monday admitted to a virtual breakdown in communication with the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national leadership.
He...
Congress leader gets bail in immoral trafficking case
By IANS,
Manjeri (Kerala) : A general secretary of the Congress party in Kerala, Rajmohan Unnithan, was granted bail Monday, a day after he was held on charges of immoral trafficking for being found in the company of a woman under suspicious circumstances.
Unnithan and the woman, who is said to be a former Seva Dal worker, were first caught by locals Sunday night at a house in Manjeri in northern Kerala's Malappuram district. The woman hails from Kollam, Unnithan's hometown.
PDP-BJP alliance: Mufti Sayeed faces a balancing act
By Sheikh Qayoom,
Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed will need more than over 50 years of experience as a mature politician to keep the ruling PDP-BJP alliance on an even keel as controversies rattle the coalition even before it starts delivering on promises of peace and development.
PM to attend Art of Living event; AoL can deposit fine till Friday
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday will attend inaugural function of the three-day World Culture Festival being organised by Sri Sri...
Kashmir injured battle medicine shortage
Srinagar : Demonstrators injured in street protests and warded in hospitals are battling shortages of key medicines, families and volunteers said here. Authorities, however,...
“पुलिस ने मेरे साथ अप्राकृतिक यौन संबध बनाने के लिए दबाव डाला ” झारखंड...
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Congress leader killed in his Ghaziabad home
By IANS,
Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) : A Congress leader was shot dead in his home by unidentified assailants here Thursday morning.
Pintu Tyagi, a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), was killed by armed men who rang the bell of his home in RDC colony of this town, adjoining New Delhi and shot him when he came out. They fired three shots at him, police said.
Tyagi had contested the assembly elections on a Congress ticket from Muradnagar but lost.
Comply with our order to appoint Lokayukta, SC tells UP
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for not appointing a Lokayukta despite its earlier order, and observed...
Come clear on funding scam: Javadekar to AAP
New Delhi : Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said Tuesday the AAP needed to come clear as to why it accepted funds from "dubious...
Support pours in for Kashmir from Kargil and other districts of Jammu
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: A day after the All-Party delegation completed its two-day visit to Kashmir, the situation in the Valley...
Bengal speaker disqualifies MLA for defecting, another quits
By IANS,
Kolkata : On a day of dramatic developments, West Bengal legislator Sudip Bandopadhyay, who had quit the Congress to join the Trinamool Congress, resigned his seat to protest the assembly speaker disqualifying another legislator, Somen Mitra, under the Anti-Defection Act.
Mitra had left the Congress to float a new outfit, Pragatisheel Indira Congress, last year.
Speaker H.A. Halim gave his verdict on a petition filed by Congress legislative party leader Manas Bhuinya, who sought the disqualification of both Mitra and Bandopadhyay.
Jayalalitha heads to the capital to lobby for Kalam
By IANS
New Delhi : Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha arrives in the capital Friday to strengthen her United National Progressive Alliance's (UNPA) efforts to mobilise support for a second term for President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Plenty of music in Gujarat elections
By Rajeev Khanna
Ahmedabad, Dec 12 (IANS) Campaigning in the Gujarat elections might be getting shriller as the second phase of polling is set for Sunday, but there's lots of music to the voters' ears.
Both the main parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, have given enough assignments to experts in mixing popular numbers from Bollywood.
Modi hiding behind smokescreen, says Father Prakash
By IANS
Ahmedabad : "It is a smokescreen," was how Father Cedric Prakash, director of non-governmental organisation Prashant and critic of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, described the Gujarat government's decision to withdraw the anti-conversion bill.
Talking to IANS here Monday, Father Prakash said the Modi government in a typical fashion has resorted to smokescreen by proclaiming that it has withdrawn the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (amendment) Bill, 2006.
Shoot Goa temple desecrators: Congress
By IANS,
Panaji : The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has advocated shoot-at-sight orders in order to curb the rising incidents of desecration of religious structures in the state.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and the home minister were present at the GPCC executive committee meeting, which took place Friday evening, after yet another series of temple desecrations in South Goa.
India-Saudi ties growing stronger: Envoy
New Delhi: India-Saudi Arabia ties are going strong and their bilateral energy cooperation is at a high level, the kingdom's envoy, Saud bin Mohammed...
Even Mamata knows only one who can do things is me: Modi
Kolkata : Lending his voice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's lament about the lack of banking facilities in rural areas, Prime Minister...
HC gives ex-minister Bharti two-day protection against arrest
New Delhi: In a relief to former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti, booked in a domestic violence case on his wife's complaint, the Delhi...
Opposition slogans drown out Sushma’s statement on Pakistan
New Delhi : A statement in the Rajya Sabha by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on her Pakistan visit was drowned out in an...
Congress releases second list for Seemandhra
Hyderabad : The Congress Wednesday released its second list of candidates for the assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Seemandhra.
The party announced candidates for...
Voter apathy marks Hyderabad civic polls
By IANS,
Hyderabad: Voter apathy marked polling in the Hyderabad civic polls Monday, the first test of strength for political parties after the April-May elections to the state assembly and the Lok Sabha.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections also come in the changed political scenario following the Sep 2 death of then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash.
Jhargram, Asansol and Kalimpong to be new Bengal districts
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that Jhargram, Kalimpong and Asansol will be given the status of new districts.
"Our...
Delhi assembly passes amendment to scrap ‘No Detention Policy’
New Delhi : The Delhi assembly on Tuesday passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Delhi Amendment) Bill for scrapping the...
91 candidates with criminal cases in Delhi polls: study
By IANS,
New Delhi : As many as 91 candidates with pending criminal cases will be contesting the Delhi assembly polls this time, says a study conducted by Delhi Election Watch (DEW).
“There are 91 candidates, who have pending criminal cases against them, who are contesting assembly elections this time,” Anil Bairwal of DEW said at a press conference here.
DEW is part of a nationwide campaign called National Election Watch (NEW), which is a group of NGOs across the country.
Journalists’ murder attack on freedom of press: IWPC
New Delhi : The Indian Women's Press Corps on Saturday condemned the brutal murder of two journalists in Bihar and Jharkhand, terming it a...
Parliament adjourned sine die, Ram temple issue rocks Rajya Sabha
New Delhi : Parliament's winter session ended on Wednesday with both the houses adjourned sine die amid opposition uproar over various issues including the...
Maoists kill CPI-M leader in West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Dayal Mahato was shot dead by Maoists in Jamberia area of West Bengal's West Midnapore district, police said Sunday.
"We have recovered the body of Dayal Mahato. He was kidnapped by the Maoists yesterday (Saturday). He was shot dead," said Manoj Verma, superintendent of police of West Midnapore district.
NSA spied upon BJP
Washington : The Bharatiya Janata Party was one of the six political parties across the world which a US court in 2010 authorised the...
RJD-LJP leaders blame Nitish Govt for deletion of Muslim names from voter lists
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Chidambaram apprises Advani of threat alert
By IANS,
New Delhi : Home Minister P. Chidambaram called on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani at his residence Thursday to brief him on intelligence alerts about political leaders being targeted by terrorist groups during campaigning.
"It was basically a briefing on the safety measures that needed to be taken while campaigning," Advani's personal secretary Deepak Chopra told IANS.
Don’t depend on state for central forces: Congress
Kolkata : The Congress Tuesday said election observers should not depend on the state government for central forces and accused the Trinamool Congress of...
Sonia on two-day visit to Rae Bareli
By IANS,
Lucknow : Congress president Sonia Gandhi will Monday begin a two-day visit to her Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
Gandhi would...
Dalit student suicide: Committee rules out caste angle, blames deteriorating performance
The report notes that apart from the statement of Darshan Solanki’s sister, there is no particular evidence of direct caste-based discrimination experienced by...
BJP calls for shutdown in Kerala district
By IANS
Palakkad (Kerala) : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called a 24-hour shutdown in Palakkad district of Kerala Wednesday to protest police action against five workers of the party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in two murder cases.
The shutdown will begin midnight Tuesday.
The five people are accused in the murder of two Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) workers in Malampuzha in the district last October.
They have been booked under the Prevention of Anti-social Activities Act. Two of them have been given bail.
Jaitley in Asian Development Bank board
New Delhi : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been appointed as India’s representative on the board of governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB),...
Is Secular Junta Dal playing communal card in JNU?
By Mahmood Asim, TwoCircles.net,
In recent by polls Nitish Kumar’s Janta Dal (U) toil hard and did what was totally unpredictable to go into alliance with RJD in order to foster democracy and prevent communal forces coming into power in Bihar. And they really did it well in winning over BJP. But Janta Dal student organization named Chatra Janta Dal seems hand in glove with communal forces in recent election of JNUSU scheduled to be held on 12 September.
The MIM narrative: For or against Muslims?
By Raoof Mir,
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) registered its first impressive debut performance in a region outside its area of influence i.e. Hyderabad...
ABVP, Bajrang Dal ‘purify’ statue garlanded by JNU leader Kanhaiya
Patna : A group of ABVP and Bajrang Dal activists in Bihar's Begusarai district washed the statue of renowned poet Dinkar with 'gangajal' on...
Ready to concede power, not self-respect: Karunanidhi
By IANS
Chennai : Irked over accusations made by some Congress leaders of being soft towards the banned Tamil Tigers, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Sunday said he would rather demit office than lose his self-respect.
Karunanidhi chose to speak his mind during a wedding function of an aide at the DMK headquarters here, which was also attended by several Congress leaders.
Kanpur violence: Details in FIRs, eye-witness accounts allege police bias
While no one in the violence-hit area denies that stone-pelting happened during the protest. However, there are claims and counterclaims with regard to instigation.
TCN...
Shiv Sena names candidates for legislative council
By IANS
Mumbai : The Shiv Sena Monday announced the candidature of Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) general secretary Kiran Pawaskar for a seat in the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
Another sitting member of the party, firebrand leader Neelam Gorhe has been re-nominated.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has nominated Gurunath Kulkarni, Fauzia Khan, Jitendra Awhad, Ram Pandagle and Ramesh Shendge. One seat has been given to its ally, the Republican Party of India, according to NCP sources here.
MIM completes 50 years in Andhra Pradesh Assembly
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Five killed during second phase of West Bengal polls
By IANS,
Kolkata : Five people were killed Wednesday in political clashes during the second round of the three-phase elections to local executive bodies in West Bengal.
The districts that went to polls Wednesday are North and South 24-Parganas, Nadia, Howrah and Hoogly.
"Three Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) supporters and a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activist died in a clash between two groups at Basanti town in South 24-Parganas," West Bengal Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia told IANS Wednesday evening.
Former Gujarat MP fined for power theft
By IANS
Ahmedabad : Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament K.D. Jeswani has been booked for power theft and a Rs.90,000 fine slapped on him.
The Madhya Gujarat Vij Corporation Company Ltd (MGVCL) vigilance cell had carried out a raid at the Kheda MP's house on Nana-Kumbhnath Road in Nadiad town on March 31.
The squad, on suspicion that the meter had been tampered with, took it for testing at the government laboratory in Nadiad. The report stated that seals of the meter were broken and replaced after making it run slow, according to a MGVCL source.
Manipur governor Syed Ahmed laid to rest with state honours
Mumbai: Manipur Governor Syed Ahmed, who passed away on Sunday, was laid to rest with full state honours at the Rehmatabad cemetery in Byculla...
Three Tamil Nadu police officers transferred by poll panel
By IANS,
Madurai (Tamil Nadu) : Three senior Tamil Nadu police officials were transferred on the directions of the state Election Commission following reports of violence during the run-up to the Tirumangalam assembly by-poll, an official said Thursday. The ruling DMK has charged the poll panel of working in collusion with the opposition AIADMK.
Kashmir assembly adjourned sine die amid noisy scenes
By IANS
Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir's legislative assembly was adjourned sine die Wednesday, abruptly cutting short by 10 days its budget session, amid noisy scenes by the opposition members against "widespread corruption" in the coalition government.
MCD has been mismanaged by BJP for three years: Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has mismanaged the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for the past three years and has not done anything for the poor as the party had promised, Congress leader Jai Kishan Sharma alleged Tuesday.
"There was no development in any field...from public health, medical relief to sanitation. The civic body will only be remembered for it's financial mismanagement," Sharma, leader of opposition, told reporters here.
He accused the BJP of being "anti-poor".
‘Modi government has done commendable work in two months’
Hyderabad : Asserting that the Narendra Modi government has done commendable work since it assumed office two months ago, union Urban Development Minister M....
Owaisi asks government to spell out its stand on RSS chief’s statement
Hyderabad: Asserting that reservations to other backward classes (OBCs) can't be discontinued at all, MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday asked the Narendra Modi...
Congress backs government on gas price, slams AAP
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Monday backed the government on its decision to hike natural gas price from $4.2 to $8.4 million British...
With Gandhi as guide, Gates goes to a Dalit village
By IANS,
Kande Rao ka Purwa (Uttar Pradesh), May 11 (IANS) After showing Bill Gates a glimpse of the development he had initiated in the social and the health sectors in the Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies represented by him and his mother and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi took the Microsoft chief to experience life in a Dalit village in Pratapgarh district Tuesday evening.
Congress plays down Jagan’s decision to resume yatra
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Congress Wednesday sought to play down party MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy's decision to resume his 'Odarpu’ yatra' despite reservations on the part of the central leadership.
"I am sure the honourable MP knows what the party line is. It is not an issue we are worried about," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said here.
Asked if disciplinary action would be taken against Jaganmohan Reddy, Natarajan said she was not aware of any such move.
BJP protests fuel price hike in Odisha
Bhubaneswar : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday staged demonstrations in Odisha against the hike in petrol and diesel prices in the state.
Party leaders...