India

Vellore (TN), Mar 7: A statue of social reformer and founder of Dravidian movement E V Ramasamy "Periyar" was allegedly vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district tonight, police said. The incident, which the police claimed was perpetrated by two drunk men, assumed political significance as it came after a BJP leader indicated that statues of the rationalist leader could be the next to be pulled

Bengaluru, Mar 6: Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today renewed his appeal to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to consider an out-of-court settlement to the Ram Janmabhoomi row, saying he feared a "large-scale" communal flare up if the case was settled by a court or through legislation. In an open letter to the AIMPLB members, he said going through the court was a loss

Agartala, Mar 6: A statue of communist icon Lenin, has been pulled down by some people with an excavator machine at Belonia in South Tripura district, the police said today, with the CPI(M) holding BJP workers responsible for it. Days after the Left Front was voted out of power in the state, Tripura CPI(M) district secretary Tapas Datta said the five-feet-tall fibreglass statue, which was unveiled

New Delhi, Mar 6: Amid reports of sporadic violence in Tripura, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today spoke to the state governor and the DGP and asked them to ensure peace till a new government is installed, an official said. During the telephonic calls, Governor Tathagata Roy and DGP A K Shukla apprised the Union home minister about the prevailing situation in Tripura and steps taken to control the

New Delhi, Mar 5: Breaking his silence on the party's defeat in three northeast states, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today said he respected the mandate of people in the region and was committed to winning back their trust. Mr Gandhi's reaction came two days after results for assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland were declared on Saturday. The Congress lost Meghalaya and failed

Washington, Mar 5: Indian Embassy telephone lines have been spoofed by fraudsters in the US to cheat people for money, according to an advisory issued by the mission which warned against entertaining any suspicious calls. The Indian Embassy in Washington has informed the US government about it and launched its own internal investigation. It also issued a rare public advisory on such fraud calls

New Delhi, Mar 5: Spotlighting the differences between the BJP and its coalition partners in the northeast, the Congress today accused the party of playing a "dangerous game of destabilising the region through its blind quest for power at any cost. The differences are on key issues such as the bifurcation of Tripura and Meghalaya, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said in a

Mar 5: Following week-long protests by Staff Selection Commission (SSC) aspirants over leak of examination papers, the government has given in to the demands of an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This comes a day after the SSC, which conducts the examination, recommended a CBI investigation into the alleged paper leaks in one of its tests held on February 21. Confirming

New Delhi, Mar 5: A special court here today granted bail to RJD chief Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband in a money laundering case. Special Judge Arvind Kumar granted the relief to Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar, who appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued against them, on a personal bond of Rs two lakh with a surety of a like amount each and directed them

Pune, Mar 5: Setting a benchmark for his competitors, a tea seller in Maharashtra earns Rs 12 lakh per month. The Pune-based Yewle Tea house has become one of the renowned stalls in the city. The co-founder of Yewle Tea house, Navnath Yewle, wants to make it an international brand very soon. This business will help in creating employment for others, he said. "Unlike 'pakora' business. this tea