Social Issues

Greenpeace has been forced to close two of its regional offices and “considerably” reduce its staff in India because of a government crackdown on allegedly unlawful foreign funding of NGOs. The organisation has been campaigning on environmental issues in India for nearly two decades but has clashed in recent years …

The Supreme Court on Thursday summoned Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta after getting to know that patients in a mental asylum in Badayun district of Uttar Pradesh are kept in chains.A Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and S. Abdul Nazeer asked Mr. Mehta to take immediate action, saying, “A mentally-ill person is …

The entry of two women into the Sabarimala temple on Wednesday has sparked off a debate in Karnataka as well. Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt said on Wednesday that his stand on the issue of women’s entry into Sabarimala temple was neutral and the ‘shastras’ per se do not …

Any form of exclusion based on concepts of ‘impurity and pollution’ amounts to untouchability Closure of the Sabarimala temple’ssanctum sanctorumon Wednesday to perform ‘purification rites’ after two women of menstruating age managed to enter may amount to using the concept of impurity and pollution to violate the women’s right against …

This for the first time that purification rites were performed at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple for the entry of women of child-bearing age to the temple. Talking to The Hindu , chief priest (Tantri) Kandararu Rajeevararu said the rites were performed in consultation with Devaswom Executive Officer D.Sudheeshkumar and Melsanthi …

At a time when multiple agencies are involved in the rescue of 15 miners trapped in a rathole mine in Meghalaya, data tabled in the Lok Sabha earlier this week revealed that 377 workers involved in mining of coal, minerals and oil were killed in accidents between 2015 and 2017. …

The closing of the Sabarimala temple for purification rituals following the entry of two women of menstruating age on Wednesday has cast the Tantri of the shrine in the spotlight. It has triggered an acrimonious war of words between various quarters over religious tradition and law. Tantri (chief priest) Kandararu …

Two young women entered the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala under police cover in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering anti-government protests across the State. The women in their 40s — Bindu from Kozhikode and Kanakadurga from Malappuram — reached the foothills around 1.30 a.m. at Pampa, from where they …

Action followed heavy footfalls in Central Delhi owing to New Year celebrations Following heavy footfall in the Central Delhi area on Tuesday owing to New Year celebrations, the Delhi police issued an advisory leading to the closure of exit gates of four major metro stations. Police and metro officials said …

Senior Superintendent of Police, Noida, Ajay Pal said on Tuesday that the notice to private firms in Noida Sector 58 was issued by the SHO of the area police station, Pankaj Rai. The SHO told the media that the notice was issued to 23 companies as over the past few …