India

Mumbai, October 8: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Monday launched a stinging attack against union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh for his remarks comparing toilets with temples and said the Congress was responsible for the sorry state of affairs. It was indeed shocking how nearly two-thirds of the countrymen still defecated in the open, Thackeray said. "In the past 65 years (since

Jangipur (West Bengal), October 8: The welfare projects undertaken by his father President Pranab Mukherjee during his tenure as Lok Sabha MP have stood son Abhijit, contesting the Oct 10 Jangipur Lok Sabha by-poll in West Bengal's border district of Murshidabad, in good stead. Abhijit, a first-time Congress legislator from Nalhati assembly constituency of Birbhum district of the state, is being

New Delhi, October 8: In a major move aimed at checking unnecessary medical tests and procedures, the health ministry on Sunday said it was working on a plan to make it mandatory for all private hospitals to declare and display the treatment costs of different diseases. Jagdish Prasad, director general of health services (DGHS), told TOI that the ministry's plan would check overbilling and bring

Rameswaram, October 8: Tension prevailed at Tiruvadanai, about 70 km from here after some Dalit Christians reportedly indulged in violence, questioning non-inclusion of six Dalit priests in special rituals in a church in connection with its silver jubilee celebrations, police said. Susai Manickam, priest of Oriyur Punitha Arulanandhar church said about 200 priests and nuns coming in a procession

Raipur, October 8: Union Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday came out in support of Robert Vadra, the embattled son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and dared social activist Arvind Kejriwal to approach court if he felt that his allegation against Vadra had any substance. "Of late, this is becoming a trend that anyone levels allegations, then keeps mum and later asks the government to conduct

Thiruvananthapuram, October 8: Former Kerala chief minister K Karunakaran's son K Muraleedharan alleged on Sunday that if there was a conspiracy in the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) spy case, then former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao would have had a role in it. "Rao often used to target his political rivals by hoisting false cases on them. If there was a conspiracy in the Isro spy

New Delhi, October 7: Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal Sunday sat on an hour-long protest outside the house of union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh here, seeking an apology for his remark that the country needed more toilets than temples. Ramesh Friday remarked that "toilets are more important than temples. No matter how many temples we go to, we are not going

Thiruvananthapuram, October 7: The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala today found itself in an embarrassing position after facing attacks from several quarters over a remark by an IUML minister suggesting that the UDF rule was going on along his party's diktats. Along with opposition CPI(M) and BJP, two major Hindu organisations came out heavily against the statement which they said "exposed"

New Delhi, October 7: Robert Vadra today dismissed as "utterly false, entirely baseless and defamatory" allegations over his property dealings with DLF and said he was saddened by attempt of activists Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan to malign him and his family to "gain cheap publicity". "I am a private law abiding citizen who has been engaged in business over the last 21 years. The

New Delhi, October 7: Activist Arvind Kejriwal today described the clarifications of realty major DLF on his allegations that Robert Vadra was given property at throw away prices for government favours as "half truths and lies". "DLF has issued a response. It is full of half truths and lies. A lot of information has been supressed," he tweeted. "We will issue a detailed response tomorrow. But does