Page 2 - National Politics

Hearing of defamation suit against Bengal CM adjourned till Thursday

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday adjourned till Thursday hearing of a defamation suit by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over alleged comments made by her and some other TMC leaders. The matter will appear for hearing on Thursday after Bose's lawyer makes necessary changes in the application. Claiming that baseless allegations were being made against the governor, Bose's lawyer also prayed for an interim injunction on further statements by the defendants in the defamation suit. Justice Krishna Rao noted that publications referred to in the suit have not been made party in it. The lawyer for Bose sought time to file a fresh application, incorporating necessary changes. Granting permission, the high court said the matter will be taken up for hearing on Thursday. Bose had filed a defamation case against Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the ...

New criminal laws in India replace colonial-era IPC today: Top points

The Delhi Police has already made an arrest under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Monday, which replaces the Indian Penal Code, 1860

NEET uncertainty caused restlessness, anger among people: Mayawati

Uncertainty over medical entrance examination NEET has caused restlessness, anxiety and anger among people, BSP chief Mayawati said on Monday and sought a permanent solution in the matter. Allegations of irregularities, including paper leaks, in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) have led to protests and litigation, with various quarters demanding a complete re-examination. The Union health ministry later postponed NEET-PG, scheduled for June 23, as a "precautionary measure" amid the allegations. "Along with the sanctity of various examinations held from time to time in the country, the uncertainty prevailing at present, especially regarding NEET-UG and PG examinations, has naturally created a wave of restlessness, anxiety and anger among the people, for which it is very important to find a quick and correct permanent solution," Mayawati said in a post in Hindi on X. "The matter of paper leaks in examinations held not only at an all-India level but a

Three new criminal laws will be implemented nationwide from Monday

Some stakeholders have expressed reservations about the "hurried" rollout of the laws

INDIA bloc made mistakes in ticket distribution: Dipankar Bhattacharya

The INDIA bloc's performance in Bihar in the Lok Sabha polls was affected as it made "certain mistakes" there, including in ticket distribution, CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has said. In an interview with PTI editors at the agency's headquarters, the Left party's leader did not rule out the "Nitish Kumar factor" as also being a reason for the bloc's less than expected returns in the polls. Bihar Chief Minister Kumar's Janata Dal (United) was in an alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Congress-Left 'Mahagathbandhan' grouping in Bihar and a constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc, but jumped to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) just before the 2024 general elections. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation general secretary hoped INDIA bloc members the RJD, the Congress and Left parties, including his CPI(ML), will do better in the assembly polls in the state next year. While the BJP and its NDA partners JD(U),

What the tribals fear

Tribal voters are worried about threats to their identity from the UCC and the BJP would do well to keep this in mind

NEET-UG row: Cong protests, Pradhan orders action against NTA. Key updates

The Congress is planning a nation-wide protest demanding justice for students, a day after Rahul Gandhi mocked PM Modi for 'being able to stop Ukraine war' but failing to stop paper leaks

Why PM Narendra Modi should loosen purse strings for his new allies

However deferential Modi's newly vital allies might appear, the fact is that they have plans, projects and constituencies of their own to cultivate

Political controversy: CISF questioning of DMK MP MM Abdulla sparks debate

CISF asks DMK MP to 'explain his purpose of visit' inside Parliament. MP writes to the Vice President. TMC Rajya Sabha MP questions if govt aims to obstruct INDIA MPs from carrying out their duties

Rahul in Raebareli, Priyanka in Wayanad: What it means for the Congress

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi announced that he would represent the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Parliament, vacating the Wayanad seat in Kerala, where Priyanka Gandhi would now fight the bye-election

After Maha CM meets Dy CMs, BJP leaders leave for review meet in Delhi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a late night meeting with Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar after which some state BJP leaders left for Delhi for a review meet, sources said on Tuesday. Details of the meeting were not available. It was convened in the backdrop of the ruling Mahayuti's below par performance in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. "CM Shinde held a meeting with Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar at his official residence 'Varsha'. After Pawar left, Shinde and Fadnavis continued the meeting for some time," a source in the BJP said on Tuesday. BJP's central leadership has called a review meeting with state leaders in connection with the party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls. "It is a routine exercise in the BJP to hold such review meetings with state leaders. (BJP leader) Fadnavis offered to resign some days back after the results were out. He had stated that he wished to work for the party full-time till the state assembly elections. This will

Cong demands abolition of Agnipath, seeks regular recruitment in army

The Congress on Monday demanded the abolition of the Agnipath scheme and urged the government to start permanent recruitment in the armed forces as before. Addressing a press conference here, party leader Deepender Hooda said for the past few days, there have been reports that a lot of flaws related to the Agnipath scheme are being mentioned in the Army's internal survey and various suggestions have come out. He said different newspapers have published how shortcomings can be rectified in the recruitment scheme. Some things that have come out include extending the duration of Agnipath by four years and instead of retaining 25 per cent in Agnipath, 60-70 per cent Agniveers should be retained besides increasing the training period of Agniveers, added Hooda. "We have always been saying that the Agnipath scheme is not in the interest of the youth as well as the country. Therefore, our demand is that this scheme should be abolished and permanent recruitment should be started in the army,

Akhilesh Yadav targets Modi govt over irregularities in competitive exams

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday lashed out at the Modi government over irregularities in competitive exams and said the ruling dispensation should at least keep matters of the youth free from its "all-round corruption". The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also termed the leaking of question papers of various examinations as a "mental tragedy". "Leaking of papers of various exams, rigging from exam centres to solvers, the work of the exam conducting agency coming under suspicion, manipulation of grace marks in results, getting desired centres, multiple candidates getting selected from the same centre and getting 100 per cent marks are not just problems of exam management. Above all, it is a mental tragedy that is affecting not only the youth appearing for the exam but also their parents," Yadav said in a post on 'X' in Hindi. "If other examinations like police recruitment, ARO, NEET, which have been rigged are cancelled and held again, then who will guarantee that

Categorically refused to be Minister of State again, says BJP MP Kulaste

MP Faggan Singh Kulaste, who did not find a place in Modi 3.0 council of ministers, has said that he had categorically refused to be a junior minister for the fourth time. I was a Minister of State (MoS) three times. It is not good to become MoS for the fourth time. So, I flatly refused. I said it would be fine if I became a cabinet minister. I have nothing to harbour, said the BJP tribal leader who has won from the Mandla Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh seven times. The 65-year-old MP was on Saturday replying to a query about his exclusion from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's council of ministers in the third term of the NDA government. He was at the Niwas area of Mandla where he had gone to thank voters. Kulaste was the MoS for Rural Development in the previous government. He was the MoS for Health and Family Welfare during the first of Modi as PM. Kulaste had served as MoS for Tribal and Parliamentary Affairs when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the PM between 1999 and 2004. He had ...

NC, PDP oppose prosecution sanction against Arundhati Roy under UAPA

The National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have expressed their disapproval of the prosecution sanction against author Arundhati Roy and a former professor in Kashmir under the stringent UAPA for allegedly making provocative speeches at an event in Delhi in 2010. According to officials, the FIR against Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain was registered following the orders of the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi. Expressing disapproval of the move, the National Conference (NC) stressed the need to uphold the fundamental right of every citizen to free speech as guaranteed by Article 19 of the Constitution. "The NC expresses its strong disapproval of the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy and Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act). The use of anti-terror laws to suppress dissent and criminalize speech is deeply concerning," it said in a post on 'X'. "It is also imperative to note

Ajit Pawar-led NCP, BJP engage in verbal war over Organiser's article

The BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP on Thursday indulged in a verbal duel over an article in Organiser, a weekly known to be close to the RSS. The article had criticised the BJP for forming an alliance with the NCP. Speaking to reporters, NCP leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, "To some extent, it (article) may be true. Some have also criticised the BJP for including leaders from the Congress, such as former chief minister Ashok Chavan. Even former Congress leader Milind Deora was inducted by CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and made an RS member." "But who will talk about the result in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP's seats decreased? What about other states where they lost some seats?" he asked. Later, NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel said, "An article in a weekly does not reflect the BJP's stance. It should not be interpreted in that manner." However, NCP youth wing leader Sooraj Chavan lashed out saying the when the BJP performs well, credit is given to the hard

Modi 3.0: BJP likely to push for informal NDA coordination committee

Sources said the preferred format would be for the top BJP leadership in the government to reach out to the alliance leaders on a case-to-case basis

INDIA's joy may be short lived as 7 UP MPs risk losing parliamentary seats

Six elected MP's from the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh have serious criminal charges pending, which, if convicted, will result in their poll victories standing cancelled

Almost 99% of ministers in third Modi govt are crorepatis: Report

28 of the 71 ministers have criminal cases against them, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms

'Will haunt him forever': Sharad Pawar's dig at Modi's 'bhatakti atma' jibe

"By Modi's own words, 'atma' endures forever. So, this 'atma' will keep haunting him," Pawar remarked at a rally on Monday, celebrating the NCP's 25th Foundation Day in Ahmednagar