Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi participates in the swearing-in ceremony of TVK Chief Vijay as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
Lok Sabha Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor. File
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy
Facing flak from his own leaders, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Monday (June 22, 2026) that the purpose of his visit to J&K was to study “Indo-Pak relations, Sino-Indian relations, and the functioning of passport offices and passport seva kendras” in J&K and Ladakh and “not to assess conditions in the Kashmir Valley”. “I want to make it very clear that this is not a visit about assessing the conditions in the Kashmir Valley. The committee is here to study three issues: Indo-Pak relations, Sino-Indian relations, and the functioning of passport offices and passport seva kendras. These are the only issues we are studying. We are not here to look at domestic matters; that is not our mandate. We are the External Affairs Committee,” said Mr. Tharoor.His remarks came a day after he posted on X about the meeting with J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. “Discussing the situation in the State and the encouraging progress towards normalcy. Many challenges remain and much remains to be done, but I left the meeting feeling more positive than I have felt for a while,” said Mr. Tharoor.Reacting to the statement, Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “Mr. Tharoor should talk to everyone about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, including youth, businessmen, Kashmiri Pandits, and civilians. I fully believe that Dr. Shashi Tharoor will meet everyone and then change his opinion, as he is an educated person.”J&K Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma also expressed reservations about Mr. Tharoor’s “remarks”. “Mr. Tharoor should have made some time to meet the people of the Kashmir Valley,” said Mr. Sharma.Ruling National Conference leader Shafqat Watali said Mr. Tharoor’s “Outreach on selective basis did not bear fruit. Does the L-G know what’s in the hearts and minds of the people of J&K and is he willing to know. Are he and his bosses in a position to give citizens of J&K what they deserve and desire?”Passport delaysMr. Tharoor is touring J&K and Ladakh as head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs. “We are concerned about some of the delays that have been impeding passport issuance in this area, and we have been raising some very strong questions because we want to see improvements and speeding up of the passport delivery for applicants in Kashmir, Leh, Srinagar and Jammu.”He said, “The MPs here have found it a very meaningful visit. We’ve had some very strong and constructive discussions.”Touring the border areas of Jammu, Mr. Tharoor also commended the BSF for “keeping the country safe”. “I believe everyone should witness this firsthand. Every Indian citizen should take the opportunity to visit the border and see the work our soldiers are doing. It was a wonderful experience.” Published - June 22, 2026 06:25 pm IST
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar speaks during the State Legislative Assembly session, in Chennai, on Monday
| Photo Credit: PTI
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar on Monday (June 22, 2026) told the House that Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar should be appreciated for his efforts to learn Tamil and pronounce Tamil words during his address to the Assembly.Reacting to DMDK leader Premallatha Vijayakant’s allegation that the Governor had mispronounced Tamil words on 37 occasions during his speech, the Speaker pointed out the Governor hailed from another State and should be commended for his efforts to learn the language.“When I invited him to address the Assembly, he told me he was deeply impressed by the history of Tamil Nadu’s freedom fighters. I also taught him a few Tamil phrases such as ‘Vanakkam’, ‘Nalamaaga Irukkireergala?’, and ‘Nalamaaga Irukkiren’,” Mr. Prabhakar said.Call for bottled waterDuring the discussion, Ms. Premallatha suggested that bottled drinking water be placed on the desks of members instead of Assembly staff serving water in glasses whenever required.At this point, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam remarked that water bottles could be thrown during heated exchanges in the House.Ms. Premallatha responded by saying this was not a convincing argument, as glasses and other objects could also be thrown.DMK member Thangam Thennarasu wondered whether Mr. Panneerselvam’s fear stemmed from personal experience. Published - June 22, 2026 02:49 pm IST
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
iThe Congress on Saturday (June 20, 2026) hit out at the government over "rapidly depleting savings due to high inflation" and said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is busy "shopping" from other parties while the common person cannot afford the necessities.Editorial | Fuller expression: on India’s inflationCongress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that households are perishing under the weight of the Modi government's "mismanagement of the economy".In a post on X, Mr. Kharge said, "Rapidly depleting savings due to high inflation. Unaffordability, betrayal of aspirations, inequality, fall in global credibility, youth anger galore!" "Households perish under the weight of Modi Govt's mismanagement of the economy!" the Congress chief said."Retail Inflation — 16-month high. Food Inflation — 4.78%, tomatoes vanish from plates. Medical inflation above 15%. Rupee sinking to the pits. Foreign investors shunning us. No Jobs for youth, unemployment zooms," Mr. Kharge said."BJP busy shopping from other parties, but the AAM AADMI can't afford basic necessities!" he said. Published - June 20, 2026 01:23 pm IST
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Fil.e
| Photo Credit: ANI
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday (June 19, 2026) said that the “truth will prevail” after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) completed its probe into the allegations of embezzlement of the Ram temple
trust donations. He also appealed to political parties to refrain from making “baseless comments” until the investigation is over.“The government constituted an SIT to conduct an inquiry at the request of the trust. The SIT is tasked with distinguishing between truth and falsehood. Until the SIT’s report is finalised, no statements should be made that could offend the sentiments of Ram devotees. Anyone in possession of documentary evidence is encouraged to present it to the SIT,” Mr. Adityanath said in Ayodhya.Ram temple needs CEO, says Nripendra Misra; backs Uttar Pradesh government action in donation rowThe Chief Minister urged Ram devotees not to be misled by those attempting to “tarnish” the reputation of Ayodhya and the temple. “Our forefathers struggled for 500 years while preserving dignity for the birthplace of Ram, and the public should exercise patience for another 15 days. If anyone is found culpable, they will face the consequences, regardless of their identity. People must not be swayed by those who seek to defame Ayodhya and disrespect the Ram Janmabhoomi. Such individuals have never wished (well) for Ayodhya,” he said.Hitting out at the Opposition, Mr. Adityanath told people that those who did not provide electricity to Ayodhya and kept it confined to narrow lanes are now spreading misinformation and trying to insult the city.Latest Uttar Pradesh news“Those who fired bullets on Ram devotees, questioned the existence of Ram, deployed lawyers in court to obstruct the construction of the temple, insulted Ram bhakts and offered Fatiha on the graves of mafia should stop preaching,” he said, adding, “No statement should be made until the SIT report is submitted, as such remarks influence the investigation. After the investigation is completed, any party may present its views before the SIT. Attempts to defame Ayodhya should stop.”Questioning Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, Mr. Adityanath said, “He (Mr. Yadav) has not yet visited the Ram Mandir and had prevented his MLAs from visiting Ayodhya. He is now making motivated remarks to defame the temple. Their devotion is not towards Ram, they worship Babur.”Alleging that the SP and the Congress practised double standards, the Chief Minister said, “Congress made every effort to prevent the construction of the Ram temple. It submitted an affidavit before the Supreme Court stating that Ram never existed. The same Congress is now agitated over Ayodhya and claims that Ram devotees are being insulted.”U.P. CM Adityanath accuses SP and Congress of nepotism, corruptionMr. Adityanath, who was speaking after the inauguration and laying of foundation stones for 126 development projects worth over ₹378 crore, said Ayodhya has witnessed massive transformation with the Solar City initiative and four-lane connectivity among others.AAP’s accusationAam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused the Ram Temple trust general secretary Champat Rai of fraud and manipulation in land deals.“Another case of massive loot has come to light in Lord Shri Ram’s temple. 117 Biswa land, worth ₹9 crore, was purchased by Champat Rai gang from Alok Bansal for ₹55 crore 47 lakh. The surprising thing is that earlier in the village Barehta, the government bought land from farmers for ₹4 lakh 40 thousand. Whereas Champat Rai bought land for the trust at ₹47 lakh per Biswa. Where have the ED party and RSS kept the looted goods? After all, why has no donation thief been arrested till now,” he asked on X. Published - June 19, 2026 06:02 pm IST
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar receiving a bouquet
from Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar at the State Secretariat
on Thursday
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, in his address to the Assembly on Thursday (June 18, 2026), said a resolution will be passed in the House demanding Tamil Nadu’s due share of financial devolution from the taxes it contributes to the Union government.Besides, a Special Legal Committee will be constituted to pursue the issue up to the Supreme Court to secure fair financial devolution. Every rupee due to Tamil Nadu will be properly documented, and a report detailing the Union government’s “discriminatory approach” toward the financial devolution for Tamil Nadu will be published, he said.Governor Arlekar hails rendering of National Anthem twice, calls it dawn of a new eraThe government will ensure that Tamil Nadu receives its rightful share of financial devolution from the Union government. “This government will work diligently to continuously press the Union government to safeguard the welfare of Tamil Nadu, to fight for State rights, to implement required schemes for the State, and to create new infrastructure,” he added.UNESCO World Heritage Site tagThe Governor said the government will facilitate continued archaeological research at the sites of Keeladi, Adichanallur, Kodumanal, Mayiladumparai, Sivagalai, Azhagankulam, Arikkamedu, Saluvankuppam, and Poompuhar.The government will strive to obtain UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition for the Keeladi and Adichanallur archaeological sites, and arrange for schoolchildren to be taken on educational tours. Further, at the cultural sites of Adichanallur, Kodumanal, and Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the experience of Tamil civilisation will be recreated for tourists through Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) technologies.Sustainable Tourism PolicyA comprehensive ‘Sustainable Tourism Policy’ will be framed so as to preserve the State’s natural resources and ecological balance. By developing environmentally sustainable infrastructure, the government will transform Tamil Nadu into a global destination for heritage and eco-tourism, he added. Published - June 18, 2026 03:27 pm IST
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. File
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
The first session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly after Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led government assumed office and won the trust vote, is set to begin with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s address to the House at 10 a.m. on June 18, 2026.This will be Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s first customary address to the House, as well as the maiden Governor’s address of the ruling TVK where the government is expected to detail its blueprint for the State’s development.After the April 23 polls, C. Joseph Vijay-led TVK emerged as the single largest party by securing 108 seats, which was not enough to prove majority in the House. However, with the support of Congress, VCK, two Left parties and IUML, Vijay comfortably won the floor test to form the new government. A section of the AIADMK MLAs also voted in his favour.Follow for live updatesJune 18, 2026 09:42 Udhayanidhi Stalin led a DMK protest outside Tamil Nadu AssemblyDMK MLAs, led by LoP Udhayanidhi Stalin, protest outside the Tamil Nadu Assembly, raising slogans against TVK government and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay over law and order issues.WhatsApp Image 2026-06-18 at 9.26.59 AM.jpeg- N. Sai CharanJune 18, 2026 09:33 Watch: Tamil Nadu Assembly LIVE Published - June 18, 2026 09:47 am IST
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
The Kerala Cabinet has decided to form a Cabinet subcommittee to study the matters related to the implementation of the PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme of the Union government, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan told the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) following the Cabinet meeting.He said the State government was “forced to” continue with the controversial project as the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had “already entered into an agreement” and “received money” from the Union government.After the LDF government had inked the agreement in October last year, the Union government sanctioned the long held-up Samagra Shiksha funds to the tune of ₹92.41 crore due to the State for the 2025-26 year. However, faced with Opposition from alliance partner Communist Party of India (CPI), the LDF government decided to put the agreement on hold, a decision which was communicated to the Union government in a letter dated November 12, 2025.Implementation on conditionMr. Satheesan said the implementation of the project will be on the condition that the Union government will not intervene in the curriculum framework and that the State government will have the freedom to choose the schools in which it will be implemented.The subcommittee, which will prepare the communication to be forwarded to the Union government, will have General Education Minister N. Samsudheen as the convener and will consist of Higher Education Minister Roji M. John, Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh, and Excise Minister M. Liju as members.Mr. Satheesan said the government will hold discussions with other non-BJP States which have already implemented the PM SHRI scheme and take a collective decision on protecting the rights of the States.On being asked whether the UDF has now taken a position contrary to its earlier opposition to the project, Mr. Satheesan said it had opposed the LDF government’s “act of signing it without informing the Cabinet.” He said the State is badly in need of the ₹1,100 crore being held up by the Centre. He claimed that the previous government had sent no letters to the Centre regarding withdrawal from the scheme.Mr. Satheesan, however, refused to take more questions regarding the change in stance of the Congress-led UDF regarding the scheme.Sivankutty cites reasonFormer General Education Minister V. Sivankutty said that the previous LDF-led State government had signed the PM SHRI MoU after the Union government denied its rightful share of Samagra Shiksha funds.“Despite discussions with the Union Education Minister, they were not ready to provide funds for Samagra Shiksha Kerala. The State government itself provided funds for the salaries of the employees of the Samagra Shiksha scheme during the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26. It was only when such a severe financial crisis arose that the government decided to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the time being to receive funds but without taking any step to implement the PM SHRI Scheme. The Chief Minister is hiding the fact that the previous government has stopped the implementation of the scheme,” he said.Mr. Sivankutty said that despite reminders from the Union government to initiate the steps for PM SHRI, the LDF government did not do so. The SSK funds received have no connection with PM SHRI funds as is being claimed by Mr. Satheesan, he said. Published - June 17, 2026 01:08 pm IST
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G. Mahalingam, Chairman, and R. Vijay Anand, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of City Union Bank, called on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at Secretariat in Chennai on June 16, 2026
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Senior executives of leading public and private sector banks on Tuesday called on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and held discussions with him at the Secretariat in Chennai.Vivekanand Choubey, Chief General Manager, Chennai Circle, State Bank of India (SBI); M.V.R. Muralikrishna and Ravikumar, General Managers; and other executives called on Mr. Vijay.G. Mahalingam, Chairman, and R. Vijay Anand, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of City Union Bank, also met the Chief Minister and held discussions with him.Salee S. Nair, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer; M.D. Vincent, Executive Director; P.R. Ashok Kumar, Executive Vice-President; and Venkatesan, Chennai Regional Manager, of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, called on Mr. Vijay.B. Ramesh Babu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer; P. Shankar, Executive Director; and N. Chakravarthi, Associate General Manager and Zonal Head of Karur Vysya Bank, met Mr. Vijay.Ajay Kumar Srivastava, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Rajasekaran, Chief Regional Manager, Chennai, of Indian Overseas Bank, also met the Chief Minister and held discussions with him. Published - June 17, 2026 12:53 am IST
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay inaugurates the two-day training programme for the members of the State Legislative Assembly at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai on June 16, 2026
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, on Tuesday (June 16, 2026), inaugurated a two-day training programme on the rules and procedures to be followed during House proceedings for the members of the 17th Legislative Assembly, at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai.Speaking at the inauguration, Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly J.C.D. Prabhakar said, of the members in the present House, 146 MLAs were first-time legislators and several of them were youngsters. He said the training programme would focus on the rules and procedures that members should follow during Assembly proceedings, including what they should and should not speak in the House.‘Vijay-model govt.’Describing the new TVK-led administration as a “Vijay-model government,” the Speaker said the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly was a historic institution with a legacy spanning over 100 years and had served as an example for the rest of the country.Recalling his maiden speech in the Assembly in 1980, when he was an AIADMK MLA, Mr. Prabhakar said he had demanded the establishment of small-scale industries in the name of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai with the ₹15,000 spent for the unveiling of the Dravidian stalwart’s statue.He said the then Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran had commended him after listening to his speech. He also said debates that took place in the Assembly in the past had led to changes in governments. Mr. Prabhakar urged MLAs to visit the Assembly library to read the speeches of leaders such as K. Kamaraj, P. Kakkan, C.N. Annadurai and Communist leaders.Leader of the House and Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management K.A. Sengottaiyan, Deputy Speaker M. Ravishankar, Chief Government Whip R. Sabarinathan, Assembly Secretary R. Santhi; MLAs of the TVK, Congress, VCK, IUML, MDMK, KMDK, BJP, R. Rakesh of the AIADMK, Sowmiya Anbumani of the PMK were present. Meanwhile, MLAs of the DMK, CPI, CPI (M) and DMDK did not attend the inauguration.Topics to be coveredDuring the training programme, former Assembly Secretaries and officials will train the MLAs. The first day’s sessions focused on the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, asking questions, submitting notices and other practices to be followed during House proceedings. The second day’s training will focus on the functioning of specific government departments. Published - June 16, 2026 01:24 pm IST
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