Odisha and West Bengal chief ministers, Naveen Patnaik and Mamata Banerjee, gave a call to protect the country’s federal structure during a meeting between them at the former’s residence in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. ​The meeting, which lasted for about 40 minutes, comes in the backdrop of Mamata’s interaction with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Kolkata last week, triggering speculation of a possible non-Congress opposition taking on the BJP in the 2024 general elections.

A total of 349 samples of Covid-19's XBB.1.16 variant, which might have been behind the recent rise of coronavirus cases in the country, have been detected, according to INSACOG data.

Russia is unable to deliver vital defence supplies it had committed to India's military because of the war in Ukraine, the IAF said. New Delhi has been worried that Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 could affect military supplies from India's largest source of defence equipment. The IAF statement is the first official confirmation of such shortfalls.

Union home minister Amit Shah Thursday said the Narendra Modi government is securing the knowledge in India's ancient books and manuscripts for the future through technology. «The Modi government is securing the knowledge of India's ancient books and manuscripts for the future through technology... With this, the younger generation will be able to carry forward the knowledge and tradition of Vedas and Upanishads,» he said.

Rahul Gandhi has been convicted by the court for 2019 comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname during an election rally. He will not go to jail immediately as the same court has given him bail for 30 days so that he can file an appeal against his conviction in the upper court.

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Thursday as the logjam between treasury and opposition benches continued over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'democracy in danger' remark in London and a demand for a probe into allegations against the Adani Group. The members paid no heed to the request by the Deputy Chairman to maintain order in the House, he adjourned the House for the day. The pre-lunch session also saw the ruling BJP and opposition parties engaging in a verbal duel.

The Surat District Court on Thursday sentenced Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to two years' imprisonment in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark. He was later granted bail by the court.

The party cited the example of Abdullah Azam Khan, SP MLA, was immediately disqualified from Uttar Pradesh Assembly after a trial court convicted him to 2 years in prison in criminal case “In a democracy, nobody, absolutely nobody is above the law. All are equal. The law, therefore, equally applies to Rahul Gandhi,” a BJP functionary said.

A Surat court on Thursday sentenced former Congress president Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his 'Modi surname' remarks. A two years imprisonment for Rahul Gandhi technically attracts disqualification from Lok Sabha under Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, unless the sentencing is stayed by a higher court.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday quoted Mahatma Gandhi in his first reaction after being sentenced to 2-year imprisonment in a defamation case by a Surat court on Thursday. «My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it- Mahatma Gandhi,» Rahul tweeted in Hindi after the verdict.

The case was filed under IPC 499 and 500, against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA from Surat West and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi in April 2019. The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the alleged remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

India logged 1,300 new coronavirus cases, the highest in 140 days, while the active cases have increased to 7,605, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. The death toll has increased to 5,30,816 with three deaths.

Rahul Gandhi was present in the court when the verdict was pronounced. The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.

With 1,486 cubic meters of annual per capita availability, India is already water stressed as annual per capita water availability of less than 1,700 cubic meters is considered water stressed condition, whereas annual per-capita water availability below 1,000 cubic meters is treated as a water scarce situation. In the business-as-usual scenario, India will turn into a water scare nation in the next three decades.

Shaheed Diwas, also known as Martyrs' Day, is observed on March 23rd in India to honor and pay tribute to the three Indian freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country's independence from British rule.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday directed officials to enhance whole genome sequencing of Covid-positive samples to support timely tracking of newer variants, if any, and timely response. Modi, who chaired a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 and influenza situation in the country, also emphasised the need to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, including wearing of masks in hospital premises by both patients and health professionals.

Two inebriated flyers were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly creating a ruckus and hurling abuses at the crew and co-passengers on board an IndiGo Dubai-Mumbai flight. Sahar police, who registered an FIR on the airline staff’s complaint, said John G Dsouza (49) from Nalasopara and Dattatray Bapardekar (47) from Manbet in Kolhapur told them that they had downed half a bottle of alcohol each mid-air to celebrate their return to India after a year of working in Dubai.