Nation

New Delhi:In a landmark judgment, the Madras High Court has struck down the Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision denying FCRA registration to a charitable trust on the grounds that it was “religious” in nature. The court clarified that the Bhagavad Gita is not a religious scripture limited to any single faith and that teaching Gita, Vedanta, Sanskrit, or Yoga does not classify a trust as a religious organization. Case Background The Arsha Vidya Parampara Trust, established in 2017, promotes education in Vedanta, Sanskrit, and Yoga, and works on preserving ancient manuscripts. The trust applied for FCRA registration in 2021. Despite fulfilling the requirements, the Ministry rejected the application in September 2025, citing the trust as “religious” and therefore ineligible. Court’s O...

New Delhi:Following the Delhi Assembly elections, political parties have submitted their financial disclosures to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The report reveals a stark contrast in the bank balances of major parties. According to the data, the ruling BJP holds over ₹6,900 crore in its central and Delhi headquarters accounts, while the Congress has a mere ₹53 crore. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), despite a modest electoral performance, maintains over ₹580 crore in its bank account. Key Highlights of Party Finances Congress received ₹517 crore in donations during 2024–25, with a significant portion coming from contributions exceeding ₹20,000 from individuals. BJP’s bank deposits of ₹6,900 crore put it far ahead of all other parties. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) holds ₹9....

New Delhi:Tensions between India and Bangladesh have escalated as attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh continue. In a show of defiance, the Bangladeshi government suspended all consular and visa services at its High Commission in Delhi on Monday, citing “compelling reasons.” The move comes amid ongoing protests and diplomatic unrest. Despite Bangladesh’s actions, India is maintaining a measured and humanitarian approach. The Indian government has kept visa centers operational for medical applicants, ensuring that urgent needs are addressed even as security concerns persist. Background of the Controversy Bangladesh claimed that protests near its High Commission in Delhi posed a threat to the High Commissioner and his family. India strongly rejected this assertion, pointing out that Bang...

New Delhi:In a historic move set to transform India’s energy landscape, the SHANTI Bill has been passed by Parliament and approved by the President, allowing private companies to establish nuclear power plants in India. The legislation aims to achieve 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, while keeping strategic resources like thorium under strict government control. Currently, India’s nuclear power contributes only 8.75 GW, roughly 3% of the total electricity generation, with over 60% of electricity still derived from coal. India holds about 25% of the world’s thorium reserves. What’s New in Nuclear Energy? Until now, nuclear power generation was restricted to the central government and its entities. The SHANTI Bill allows private Indian firms such as Adani, L&T, and Tata Power...

New Delhi:Severe cold and dense fog have wreaked havoc in Delhi and North India, disrupting daily life and transport networks. On Monday, around 19 trains arriving in Delhi were delayed, with some running 2 to 10 hours behind schedule. Long-distance trains faced the worst delays—Train 22425 from Ayodhya Cantt arrived nearly 10 hours late, while Train 12419 from Lucknow was delayed by 5 hours. Rajdhani Express 12453 reached the capital about 8 hours late. Ghaziyabad also reported multiple train delays. Flights Affected Air travel was equally impacted due to low visibility. 14 flights were canceled, including 6 departures from Delhi and 8 incoming flights. Among these, one international flight each in departures and arrivals was affected. Most cancellations occurred before 8 AM, when v...

Berlin, Germany:Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has raised serious concerns about the fairness of elections in India, alleging that the BJP has taken control of key institutional structures. Speaking at a dialogue program titled “Politics is the Art of Listening” at the Hertie School in Berlin, Gandhi claimed that intelligence agencies, the CBI, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have been turned into tools for political purposes. A video of the session was uploaded on Gandhi’s YouTube channel on Monday. He said, “We are questioning the integrity of elections in India… there is a coordinated attack on our democratic framework.” He also highlighted anomalies such as the appearance of a Brazilian model’s name in 22 places in Haryana’s voter list. Allegations Against BJP Gan...

New Delhi:Following rainfall and snowfall in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, northern India is experiencing a sharp drop in temperatures. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of dense fog and cold wave conditions, affecting Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh, with Bihar, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh also likely to face severe cold. Northern States Shiver Amid Fog and Cold Strong winds following precipitation in the northern hill states have intensified the chill. The IMD predicts dense to very dense fog during the night and morning hours in Punjab (till 27 December), Uttar Pradesh (23 and 25–28 December), and Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi (24–27 December). The department further warned that eastern and western UP, central Madhya Pradesh,...

New Delhi:The Supreme Court of India on Monday strongly criticized the Uttarakhand government for failing to prevent encroachments on forest land, stating that state officials remained mere “silent spectators” while illegal activities continued unchecked. The court took suo motu cognizance of the matter and directed the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand to constitute a fact-finding committee and submit a detailed report. A vacation bench comprising CJI Sunil Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi expressed shock at the inaction, stating, “What is most alarming is that the Uttarakhand government and its officials are witnessing encroachments on forest land before their eyes and remaining passive. Hence, we are taking cognizance of the matter ourselves.” Key Directives by the Court The...

New Delhi:Delhi Police have registered a case against an Air India Express pilot accused of assaulting a passenger at Terminal 1 security area. The incident allegedly occurred when the passenger objected to queue-cutting by some airport staff. The pilot is reported to have verbally abused and physically attacked the passenger, leaving him injured. According to police sources, the complaint was lodged via email by the victim, Ankit Diwan, following which an FIR was registered under Sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 126 (wrongful restraint), and 351 of the Indian Penal Code (assault). Initially, Delhi Police had no formal complaint and only became aware of the incident after social media posts surfaced. Victim’s Account Diwan alleged that Captain Virendra Sejwal, who was not ...

New Delhi:The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to achieve another major milestone with its upcoming LVM3-M6 mission, scheduled for launch on December 24. Under this mission, ISRO will deploy the BlueBird Block-2 satellite into orbit as part of a commercial agreement with the US-based company AST SpaceMobile. The mission is being closely watched worldwide due to its technological significance and strategic impact. Popularly known as ‘Bahubali’ for its extraordinary heavy-lift capability, the LVM3 rocket will carry one of the heaviest communication satellites ever launched by India, weighing 4,410 kilograms. Here are five key highlights that make this mission historic: 1. Next-Generation Communication Satellite The BlueBird Block-2 satellite represents the next gener...