The situation around the entry of women into Sabarimala temple has worsened into a major public relations and law and order challenge for the Kerala government, with fresh criticism from the Kerala High Court and the Congress Party. Kerala State Congress Chief Ramesh Chennithala today said the CPIM was trying to facilitate the growth of […]
Women’s rights activist Trupti Desai has decided to return, but has promised to come back, Malayalam media reported, quoting police sources. The decision comes after protesters at the Cochin International Airport refused to budge even after 14 hours. Desai had been holed up at the airport after the police cautioned her against venturing out in […]
Kadakampally Surendran, the Kerala minister in charge of Devaswom affairs, called the move by Hindu groups to confine Trupti Desai to the Cochin Airport ‘barbaric’ and wondered if it was part of a conspiracy by the Sangh Parivar. He said Desai is close to both the BJP and the Congress in Maharashtra, and that it […]
Bhumata Brigade head and women’s rights activist Trupti Desai has been blocked by protesters at the Cochin International Airport by protesters. The activist reached Cochin at around 4:40 AM, and quickly drew protesters. The number of protesters outside the airport has been increasing as news about Desai’s entry spread and currently number in the hundreds. […]
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has dropped a hint that the Maratha community will get reservation in jobs and education on December 1. Speaking at a rally today, Fadnavis said that people who are preparing for demonstrations to demand reservations for the community should instead prepare for celebrations on Dec 1. “Some say we will […]
Mahindra & Mahindra, the second largest Indian automaker, today announced the launch of Treo, a range of electric three-wheelers priced at Rs 1.36 lakh onwards with a range of 170 km per charge. Unlike other affordable electric vehicles such as bikes, the Treo uses the costly lithium ion battery to reduce weight and increase its […]
Bangalore-based IT services company Mindtree has decided to collaborate with Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IISc), one of India’s top higher education institutes, to design solutions using Artificial Intelligence or AI. It will do so by creating an endowment, Mindtree Associate Professor Chair on Artificial Intelligence, at the institute to encourage research into the application of […]
Supreme Court of India of India has agreed to hear the Sabarimala age-restriction matter once again, prompting the Kerala law minister to say that the state government will maintain status quo at the site. It will take up the matter on January 22, after the current pilgrimage season, for detailed hearing. It is not yet […]
Adding to the headache of the Kerala state government in the Sabarimala matter, Pune-based women’s rights activist Trupti Desai said today that the she is planning to visit the shrine later this month. “The temple will open on 17 November. I will soon write a letter to the SP [of police] and the CM [chief […]
The Bharatiya Janata Party continues to face headwinds in Karnataka, six months after the party made an abortive attempt to capture power in the state despite coming short of majority in the state elections. The state is counting the votes from five by-polls today, including two assembly seats and three Lok Sabha seats. LAST ELECTION […]
Kerala BJP state president Sreedharan Pillai has been shown bragging in a leaked video that the recent agitation by Ayyappa devotees in the temple courtyard was set off by a BJP worker, and that he considers the issue the ‘golden opportunity’ that the party has been waiting for in Kerala. Speaking at a convention of […]
Rehana Fathima, the women’s rights activist who came closer than anyone else towards entering the Dharma Shastha temple Sabarmala has said she was motivated to undertake the controversial pilgrimage by her desire to know more about the worship of Ayyappa. “I am extremely interested in knowing the essence of all religions. That is how I […]
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, today came out strongly against the Supreme Court’s decision four days ago not to conduct an expedited hearing into the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid issue. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had resisted pressure from pro-temple activists on Tuesday to complete the hearing before general elections […]
The much-awaited daily hearing of Ayodhya Ram Mandir hearing has been adjourned to at least January 2019, throwing cold water on hopes that the matter would be settled before elections in May next year. The adjournment was done by a bench headed by the chief justice of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi. “The honorable bench said […]
Construction major Ahluwalia Contracts said it has won a Rs 539 cr order from the government of India-controlled NBCC for the redevelopment of the iconic Charbagh Railway station in Lucknow. With this, said the company, the total inflow of orders in the seven months of this year has been Rs 2,575 cr. Further details, such […]
Sabarimala Chief Priest Kandararu Rajeevaru has said that he will shut the temple and walk out if the Kerala Police continue to force their way into the temple with a woman’s rights activist and a female journalist. “I have discussed this matter with the seniors of the family,” said the priest, “and have arrived at […]
ND Tiwari, the veteran Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh, has passed away at age 92. He has been the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice. He was also the chief minister of Uttarakhand. Tiwari has been surrounded by scandals, especially in his later years. He is also reported to have been party to the decision […]
Riot-like conditions prevailed in Nilakkal and surrounding areas as thousands of Ayyappa devotees and Kerala Police engaged in pitched battle involving stone throwing and lathi charges. The situation worsened after the police moved early morning to dismantle the local pandals put up by devotees, who had used the camp to conduct vehicle checking yesterday. Women […]
Libi CS, a self-proclaimed atheist, was taken away by police today on her way to the holy site of Sabarimala. The woman, a native of Cherthala in Kerala, had announced on Facebook yesterday that she, along with three of her friends, will visit Sabarimala today. “When Rahul Easwar (leader of the agitation) is camping at […]
The Maharashtra cabinet has today given approval for the redevelopment of Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi, at a cost of around Rs 20,000 cr. The latest plan involves the creation of 70,000 flats over an area of 200 acres, including 50 acres that has to be contributed by the Indian Railways. A total of 55,000 families […]
