National Politics

Rahul Gandhi playing politics over Agnipath scheme, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, saying he is playing politics over the issue. Shah also alleged that Gandhi and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah have an agenda to release all terrorists after the (Jammu and Kashmir) elections and hold talks with Pakistan. He was addressing his first rally for October 5 Haryana polls in favour of BJP's Loharu candidate J P Dalal. Shah lashed out at the Congress for not implementing the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme and said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who implemented it. "The Agniveer scheme has been implemented. The Congress especially Rahul 'Baba' (Rahul Gandhi) is playing politics," he alleged. He said the Home department and the state police forces in the country gave 20 per cent reservation to the Agniveers. "I want to tell Haryana's youth that 'Hooda and company', whose job is to spread lies, are saying what will happen to Agniveers

E P Jayarajan meets Kerala CM despite differences with party leadership

Amidst reported differences with the party leadership, veteran CPI (M) leader E P Jayarajan on Saturday called on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and held discussions with him at the Kerala House in New Delhi. Both the leaders reached the national capital to pay their last respects to party general secretary Sitaram Yechury who died in a Delhi hospital on Thursday after battling a lung infection. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of media reports that differences have cropped up between him and the party leadership following his removal as LDF convenor recently. Jayarajan has been keeping away from public programmes and party functions for some time. However, he told reporters that there was nothing new in his meeting with Chief Minister Vijayan. Jayarajan said he used to visit the CM whenever time permits, especially when he arrives in New Delhi. "We all are part of a party family. We all have love and respect towards each other," he said in New Delhi. He also accuse

Veteran CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury passes away at 72 after long illness

Sitaram Yechury, veteran politician and General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), died on Thursday at the age of 72 after a prolonged illness. He was hospitalized at Aiims

Indians discovered America before Columbus: MP minister's gaffe goes viral

Madhya Pradesh Minister Inder Singh Parmar has claimed that Indians discovered America before Columbus and built temples in San Diego in the 8th century

Love, respect & humility missing from Indian politics, claims Rahul in US

Love, respect and humility are missing in Indian politics, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said in his address to the Indian American community in Texas, where he also criticised the RSS for believing that India is "one idea". Gandhi made the remarks on Sunday in Dallas during his first interaction with the Indian diaspora after becoming Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha this summer. "RSS believes that India is one idea. We believe that India is a multiplicity of ideas," he said. "Very much like the United States, we believe everybody should be allowed to participate. We believe that everybody should be allowed to dream, (and) everybody should be given space, regardless of their caste, language, religion, tradition, history, he said. This is the fight. The fight crystallised in the election when millions of people in India clearly understood that the Prime Minister of India was attacking the Constitution of India. Because what I am saying to you is the union of states, respect

Bharat Jodo Yatra introduced idea of love in politics: Rahul Gandhi in US

Talking about issues faced by the youth due to unemployment, the Raebareli MP said that the act of production creates jobs. But India organises consumption, which is the reason of worry

J&K's statehood snatched to help two billionaires, says Rahul in Jammu

Gandhi alleged that the government in New Delhi is run by Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and their corporate friends

Haryana polls latest: Jobs issue central; Manish Sisodia leads AAP campaign

The elections in Haryana, originally scheduled for October 1, will now take place in a single phase on October 5. The counting of votes will be done parallel to Jammu & Kashmir on October 8

Rahul Gandhi hints at Bharat Dojo Yatra after sharing martial arts video

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday shared a video on martial arts sessions held at campsites of his east to west Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra earlier this year and said a "Bharat Dojo Yatra" is coming soon. Dojo broadly refers to a training hall or school for martial arts. "During the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, as we journeyed across thousands of kilometers, we had a daily routine of practicing jiu-jitsu every evening at our campsite. What began as a simple way to stay fit quickly evolved into a community activity, bringing together fellow yatris and young martial arts students from the towns where we stayed," Gandhi said on X along with the video of the sessions. "Our goal was to introduce these young minds to the beauty of the 'Gentle Art' a harmonious blend of meditation, Jiu-Jitsu, Aikido, and non-violent conflict resolution techniques," the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said. "We aimed to instill in them the value of transforming violence into gentleness, giving them the

J&K polls: Omar Abdullah to contest elections from Ganderbal constituency

Omar represented Ganderbal from 2009 to 2014 when he was the chief minister (CM) of the NC-Congress coalition government

Champai says experienced humiliation as J'khand CM, hints at quitting JMM

JMM leader Champai Soren on Sunday said he experienced "bitter humiliation" as chief minister and three options are open to him, including floating a new outfit. His comment hinting that he may quit the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) came shortly after he reached Delhi amid speculation about a potential switch to the BJP as party supremo and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren accused the saffron party of "poaching" MLAs and "dividing society". BJP leader Babulal Marandi said in reaction to Champai Soren's post that this is "just the beginning of the downfall of JMM, which has deviated from its ideology". In a statement, Champai Soren alleged that all his government programmes in the first week of July, when he was the chief minister, were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge. He said he kept quiet as he was not greedy for power but his self-respect was hurt. "After so much humiliation, I was forced to look for an alternative path," Champai Soren said i

Karunanidhi a towering figure in Indian politics, society, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed late DMK President and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M Karunanidhi as a "towering figure" in Indian politics, literature and society. The late leader's efforts to promote the Tamil language and culture are still remembered by the people, Modi said in a message to Karunanidhi's son and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. Stalin shared on his 'X' handle, Modi's message for the release of a commemorative coin on the occasion of Karunanidhi's centenary on Sunday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The CM thanked Modi. "I wholeheartedly thank Hon'ble Prime Minister Thiru. @narendramodi avl. for his kind wishes and support for the grand success of the Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar Centenary Commemorative Coin release ceremony," Stalin said. In his message, the PM said Karunanidhi "was a towering figure in Indian politics, literature and society." "He was always passionate about the development of Tamil Nadu, as well as national progress."

Ex-J'khand CM Champai leaves for Delhi amid speculations of him joining BJP

JMM leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren left for Delhi on Sunday amid speculations of him likely to join the BJP, sources said. A close associate of Soren claimed that the former chief minister left for the national capital from Kolkata on Sunday. He refused to divulge further details. Soon after landing in Delhi, Soren told reporters that he hasn't met any BJP leader and he is in the national capital on a "personal" visit. Some media reports had on Friday claimed that Soren could join the saffron party ahead of the Jharkhand assembly elections. But, Soren had on Saturday said he had no idea about the speculations. "I don't know anything about such speculations and reports... I am where I am..." he had told reporters here before leaving for Jamshedpur. When BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Amar Bauri was asked about speculations of Soren joining the BJP, he said, "I have no official confirmation. I am getting information only through the media.

'Vetri' for Kamala Harris: Ancestral village in TN awaits her triumph

Prayers, posters, and political hopes - Shine Jacob discovers how Thulasendrapuram is rooting for her presidential bid in US

Delhi's new political economy

No city in India is changing as much as Delhi. Migrants continue to be its backbone as before

'Divider in-chief Rahul Gandhi': BJP defends Anurag Thakur on caste row

Anurag Thakur triggered a row on Tuesday during his Lok Sabha speech by apparently targeting Rahul Gandhi by making veiled references to his caste

Amit Shah appeals to OBCs in Haryana to ensure 'full majority' BJP govt

Addressing a 'Backward Classes Samman Sammelan' in Haryana's Mahendragarh, Shah harped on Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's OBC identity

An activist's restless dialogue

Patriarchy, misogyny, and many other social ills that confronted IAS-turned activist Aruna Roy are recorded with painful honesty, in all their nuance, in her memoir

Where play meets politics

Gender rights at Olympics emerge as the next frontier where sports and politics are set to collide

Impact on southern politics from GOP's move to field Priyanka in Wayanad

While Priyanka's win from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat appears assured, her entry into Kerala politics may have wider ramifications, explains SHINE JACOB